"If
this health care bill makes it to conference committee without an
authentic abortion exclusion, Senators Casey, Landrieu, Lincoln, Nelson
and Reid will be held especially accountable."
WASHINGTON, Nov. 21 /
Christian Newswire/
-- In response to this evening's advancement of the Patient Protection
and Affordable Health Care Act in the U.S. Senate, Susan B. Anthony
List President Marjorie Dannenfelser offered the following statement:
"It's gravely disappointing
that
pro-life Democrats in the Senate failed to show the same courage and
conviction shown by their counterparts in the House of Representatives.
"Senators should consider
themselves
on notice: America is still waiting for you to strike government funded
abortion from this legislation. Votes have consequences, and if this
health care bill makes it to conference committee without an authentic
abortion exclusion, Senators Casey, Landrieu, Lincoln, Nelson and Reid
will be held especially accountable.
"Their first opportunity to
defend
Life was on the motion to proceed. Their last chance will be on the
final cloture vote to end debate. A vote to close debate without the
addition of strong pro-life language will be a vote for
government-funded abortion. That would be the ultimate betrayal of
pro-life constituents and even self-described pro-choice Americans who
oppose government-funded abortion."
Unlike the House version of
health
care reform, the Patient Protection and Affordable Health Care Act
explicitly authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services to
include abortion coverage in the public option. The bill also allows
the use of government subsidies to purchase insurance policies that
include elective abortion coverage. This is a departure from current
federal policy, which bans the use of taxpayer funds for abortion and
health plans that cover abortion.
The Susan B. Anthony List is
engaged
in a campaign to contact 390,000 identified pro-life voters in key
states by phone, urging them to call their senators. As part of its
Votes Have Consequences project, the Susan B. Anthony List has funded
$130,000 in television (
video),
radio ads and educational phone calls across Nevada calling on Senate
Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) to defend Life in health care reform.
Earlier this year, the Susan
B. Anthony List also released an educational
web video
that addresses the lack of pro-life language in the senate bill. The
Susan B. Anthony List has already mobilized tens of thousands of
pro-life Americans nationwide to send nearly 500,000 letters urging
Congress to exclude abortion from healthcare reform.
The Susan B. Anthony List
is a
nationwide network of Americans, over 167,000 residing in all 50
states, dedicated to mobilizing, advancing, and representing pro-life
women in politics. Its connected Candidate Fund increases the
percentage of pro-life women in the political process.
