Health care reform should not be used as an opportunity to use federal funds to pay for elective abortions. Health reform should be an opportunity to protect human life.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (Catholic Online) - Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi of California is the Speaker of the House of Representatives. She is pushing her “Health Care” Reform legislation to a vote. Most sources indicate this crucial vote will occur on Saturday. Congressman John Boehner of Ohio is the House minority leader and is one of the strongest opponents of this legislation.
They are a “tale of two Catholics” of an interesting sort when it comes to recognizing and protecting the fundamental human Right to Life, a requirement of all Catholics in Public life. Ms. Pelosi is absolutely opposed to the Right to Life.In fact, she is one of the strongest proponents of abortion on demand in the House of Representatives.
She erroneously claimed to be presenting Catholic teaching and history in a National Interview last year and she was absolutely in error. She was seroundly corrected by her Bishop. Subsequently, she was told by the Pope himself that Catholic politicians have a duty to protect life. She did not listen. She is in open, notorious and flagrant dissent over this infallible teaching.
On the other hand, John Boehner is a practicing Catholic with a 100% score on the Right to Life issues rated by the National Right to Life Committee.
This stark, life and death contrast between these two politicians is why – especially in the wake of unprecedented call from the Bishops to oppose the legislation in its current form - the following release from Congressman Boehners office is so important.
It can be found at http://republicanleader.house.gov/blog/?p=666. We present it in full below for our readers:
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Speaker Pelosi’s Government-Run Health Plan Will Require a Monthly Abortion Premium. Posted by GOP Leader Press Office on November 5th, 2009
Health care reform should not be used as an opportunity to use federal funds to pay for elective abortions. Health reform should be an opportunity to protect human life - not end it.
Unfortunately, Speaker Pelosi’s 2,032-page government takeover of health care does just that. On line 17, p. 110, section 222 under “Abortions for which Public Funding is Allowed” the Health and Human Services Secretary is given the authority to determine when abortion is allowed under the government-run plan. The Speaker’s plan also requires that at least one insurance plan offered in the Exchange covers abortions.
What is even more alarming is that a monthly abortion premium will be charged of all enrollees in the government-run plan. It’s right there on line 16, page 96, section 213, under “Insurance Rating Rules.” The premium will be paid into a U.S. Treasury account - and these federal funds will be used to pay for the abortion services.
Section 213 describes the process in which the Health Benefits Commissioner is to assess the monthly premiums that will be used to pay for elective abortions under the government-run plan. The Commissioner must charge at a minimum $1 per enrollee per month.
A majority of Americans believe that health care plans should not be mandated to provide elective abortion coverage, and a majority of Americans do not believe government health care plans should include abortion coverage. Currently, federal appropriations bills include language known as the Hyde Amendment that prohibits the use of federal funds to pay for elective abortions under the Medicare and Medicaid programs, while another provision, known as the Smith Amendment, prohibits federal funding of abortion under the federal employees’ health benefits plan.
Speaker Pelosi’s 2,032-page health care monstrosity is an affront to the American people and drastically moves away from current policy. The American people deserve more from their government than being forced to pay for abortion.
House Republicans are offering a common-sense, responsible solution that would reduce health care costs and expand access while protecting the dignity of all human life.
The Republican plan, available at
HealthCare.GOP.gov, would codify the Hyde Amendment and prohibit all authorized and appropriated federal funds from being used to pay for abortion. And under the Republican plan, any health plan that includes abortion coverage may not receive federal funds.”
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