Rep. Doug Lamborn, R-Colo., and 182 other congressmen want a chance to vote on an amendment to explicitly exclude abortion funding from health-care reform. Democratic leadership is simply not interested.
"The Rules Committee hasn't even agreed yet to listen to the amendment and let there be a vote," Lamborn explained.
The latest amendment would reflect the language in what's known as the Hyde Amendment, which prohibits taxpayer money from paying for most abortions. The current health-care reform proposals would not be constrained by the Hyde Amendment.
The National Right to Life Committee (NRLC) examined a half-dozen polls and found the American people consistently oppose the use of their tax dollars to pay for abortions, as well as abortion in general. For example, a recent Pew poll shows a decline in abortion support from 54 to 47 percent.
Douglas Johnson, legislative director for NRLC, said that's why supporters of reform have chosen a smokescreen.
"That's the motivation for the double talk, the deceptive rhetoric by the White House and by the congressional Democratic leadership," he said.
Sixty-five percent of Americans say it would be good to reduce the number of abortions, an increase of six points from 2005. And 48 percent say health insurance companies should be prohibited from covering abortions.
But Johnson said that's not stopping the Democratic majority.
"They are trying to smuggle into law here new provisions that would put the federal government in the business of paying for abortion on demand."
TAKE ACTION
Sign the Focus on the Family Action Petition opposing abortion funding in health-care reform.
