The House Education and Labor Committee considered a bill this afternoon that could subject some people to discrimination based on their genetic information -- the very thing it is supposed to prohibit.
Pro-life activists fear that, if approved, it could even encourage some women to have abortions.
Amanda Banks, federal policy analyst for Focus on the Family Action, said, at heart, H.R. 493, the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA), is "well-intentioned and even necessary in today's marketplace."
It would prohibit insurers and employers from discriminating against individuals and their "family members" based on genetic information.
"They could not use genetic information against an employee or a candidate," Banks said. "For example, they couldn't deny health coverage because of something in their genetic information that is made available to the employer or health-insurance company."
But the bill contains two major loopholes.
"The definition of 'family member' does not allow for inclusion of a preborn child," Banks said. "It's also thought that the definition precludes children who are in the process of an adoption. It does include children who have already been adopted -- but not those in the process of adoption."
Cardinal Justin Rigali, a spokesman for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, said those loopholes could put pressure on women to abort -- or cancel adoptions -- if genetic testing revealed a child has special needs.
"An insurance company could misuse knowledge of a child’s genetic defect to raise a woman’s premiums or cancel her insurance," Rigali said.
Reps. Peter Hoekstra and Tim Walberg, both Republicans from Michigan, offered an amendment to close the loopholes. It failed, 20-27.
Dave Christensen, director of government affairs at the Family Research Council, said Committee Chairman George Miller, D-Calif., then introduced a provision that would protect "the fetus" in a pregnant mother.
"That did not, however, include a child in the process of being adopted," Christensen said. "Moreover, it would not include genetic tests done on embryos, say from the IVF clinic. It didn't go far enough, and there is still a loophole in this bill."
Christensen said the bill could be amended when it goes before two other House committees -- or once it reaches the floor of the House.
Without the needed changes, Banks said, the lives of preborn babies are at stake.
"With Down-syndrome babies, the statistics show a diagnosis in utero results in abortion 92 percent of the time," she said. "We want to encourage women and families to carry their babies to term."
TAKE ACTION
Please contact your representative and ask him or her to support efforts to amend H.R. 493 to include protection for preborn babies and children in the adoption process.
If you are a CitizenLink Daily Update subscriber, click on the blue "Take Action" button in the e-mail to be automatically logged in to our Action Center. Otherwise, click on this link.
If your representative voted in favor of the Hoekstra amendment, remember to express your thanks.
Voting in Favor:
Democrats:
Jason Altmire, Pa.
Dale Kildee, Mich.
Republicans:
Rob Bishop, Utah
Charles Boustany Jr., La.
David Davis, Tenn.
Vernon J. Ehlers, Mich.
Luis G. Fortuño, P.R.
Virginia Foxx, N.C.
Peter Hoekstra, Mich.
Ric Keller, Fla.
John Kline, Mich.
Randy Kuhl Jr., N.Y.
Kenny Marchant, Texas
Buck McKeon, Calif.
Tom Petri, Wis.
Tom Price, Ga.
Cathy McMorris Rodgers, Wash.
Mark Souder, Ind.
Tim Walberg, Mich.
Joe Wilson, S.C.
(Paid for by Focus on the Family Action)
