Boxer admits Senate's 'abortion compromise' Nothing More than Legislative Sleight of Hand

The so-called abortion compromise in the U.S. Senate's proposed healthcare bill will do nothing to stop federal funding of abortions and amounts to a clever accounting trick.

SAN FRANCISCO, CA (Califirnia Catholic Daily) - Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-California, has admitted to a national news agency that the so-called abortion compromise in the U.S. Senate's proposed healthcare bill will actually do nothing to stop federal funding of abortions and amounts to nothing more than a clever accounting trick.

Boxer, who played a prominent role in brokering the 'compromise' in behind-closed-doors meetings with Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nevada, and Sen. Ben Nelson, D-Nebraska (who insisted on the abortion provision to obtain his yes vote), came under withering attacks from her longtime pro-abortion supporters following the inclusion of the Nelson provision.

Boxer, who has received a 100% approval rating from groups like NARAL and Planned Parenthood year after year since her election to the Senate in 1992, had been a featured speaker at an abortion-rights rally in Washington, D.C., just weeks before she became involved in the 'abortion compromise."

Following her decision to agree to the Nelson language, groups like the National Organization for Women, the Congressional Pro-Choice Caucus and the National Institute for Reproductive Health issued blistering criticism of the senator. National Institute for Reproductive Health president Kelli Conlin said the Senate bill "has sold out women" and described its as ""unconscionable."

But not to worry, Boxer told McClatchy News Service. Boxer, reported McClatchy, "said it's only an 'accounting procedure' that will do nothing to restrict [abortion] coverage."

A committee made up of House and Senate members is scheduled to begin meetings soon to try to iron out differences in the two bills. The bill passed by the House contains the Stupak Amendment, which imposes ironclad restrictions on federal funding of abortions. Political observers have predicted the House abortion provisions will be stripped from the final bill because it otherwise would not pass the Senate.

In the meantime, the US Conference of Catholic Bishops has urged all Catholics to contact their federal legislators urging them to adopt a bill with strong prohibitions on government-funded abortions. All parishes in the US have been asked by the bishops to include an insert in their parish bulletins regarding the issue.

"As Congress negotiates a final health care bill, the insert encourages Catholics to contact their Senators and Representatives, urging them to keep longstanding restrictions against federal funding of abortion and full conscience protection in the legislation. If these criteria are not met, Catholics are asked to urge Congress to oppose the final bill," said a Jan. 11 USCCB press release.

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This article originally appeared in California Catholic Daily and is reprinted with permission.