Pro-life Democrats are still concerned that President Obama’s proposed overhaul of the health care system will result in government-subsidized abortions.
Democratic lawmakers opposed to federal funding for abortions said Tuesday the House leadership’s health care bill contains a “hidden mandate” that would allow taxpayer dollars to be used to end pregnancies.
It’s the latest controversy to hit the health care overhaul in a week that has seen Republicans sharpen their attacks and some Democrats start to waver on President Barack Obama’s top domestic priority.
Abortion is not mentioned in the 1,018-page bill that Democratic leaders hope will be approved by the last of three House committees this week. Supporters of the legislation say that means the bill is neutral.
But abortion opponents say the bill’s silence is precisely the problem.
Without an explicit prohibition on federal funding for abortion, it could be included in taxpayer-subsidized coverage offered through the health overhaul plan, abortion opponents say.
Late last month, 19 Democrats, including North Carolina Reps. Heath Shuler and Mike McIntyre, signed a letter to Nancy Pelosi saying they wouldn’t vote for a health care bill that includes abortion coverage.
Although Obama has been quick to assure us that spending unholy amounts of taxpayer dollars on health care will actually — get this — decrease the deficit, his staff has been unwilling to rule out including abortion coverage in the bill.
