In a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi about health-care reform, some Democratic lawmakers have urged “common ground” on the issue of abortion. But life advocates say look closer at what they’re asking for.
U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan is leading the coalition that wants to allow health-insurance companies to decide whether to cover abortion:
“(We) believe that a common ground solution is to include language in the final legislation that makes clear that no insurance company will be required to pay for an abortion except in extraordinary circumstances,” the Ohio Democrat wrote in the letter to Pelosi.
But according to Douglas Johnson, legislative director for the National Right to Life Committee, it’s all a ruse.
“Congressman Tim Ryan is... working actively with the abortion lobby," he said, "in order to confuse the public.”
Johnson explained that the health-care reform bills under consideration would be the greatest expansion of abortion since Roe v. Wade.
“As more people become aware of this, the pro-abortion forces are trying to throw up a smokescreen,” he said. “The letter is part of that effort.”
Nearly half of health-care plans already offer abortion coverage. But Kristen Day, executive director of Democrats for Life, said mandating coverage in all plans would have a devastating effect.
“Several reports have shown that paying for more abortions only increases the number of abortions,” she said.
TAKE ACTION
Contact your lawmakers and ask them to exclude abortion funding from health-care reform.
