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Health Care bills Will Mandate Abortion - Act Now to Stop Them
By
July 2009

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Dear Friends,

The "health care reform" bills in Congress are an abortionist's dream come true. Doctors and hospitals will be forced to do abortions. Every insurance plan must cover abortion on demand. Federal subsidies for abortion. Mandated creation of new abortion clinics. Invalidating some state limits on abortion like parental consent.

It is the largest power grab by abortion advocates since Roe v. Wade. And it's on a fast-track to being signed into law - unless we act now. Urge your senators and representatives to oppose any health care reform bill that does not explicitly exclude abortion.

The bills are being debated this week in the Senate Health Education Labor Pensions (HELP) Committee and will begin shortly in House committees. So far, we've lost nearly every amendment that would protect innocent life. All Democrats on the committee except Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pennsylvania) voted against the pro-life provisions.

Have you seen Planned Parenthood's slick TV ads promoting itself as a "primary care" provider for women - but never mentioning abortion? The abortion group is portraying itself as the entry point for health care so that it can become a government-mandated first stop in the new health care reform scheme.

Last week Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-Maryland) got them one step closer to their goal. She introduced an amendment to expand the definition of "essential community providers."

After questioning from Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), she admitted, "It would include women's health clinics that provide comprehensive services and under the definition of a woman's health clinic, it would include, uh, it would include, uh, Planned, uh, Parenthood clinics."

Her amendment would require insurance companies to contract with abortion groups like Planned Parenthood - and to cover abortion.

Mikulski's amendment passed the Committee 12-11.

Pro-life amendments defeated in Committee include:

• No federal funds could be used to pay for abortions or for any health plans that include abortion, introduced by Senator Hatch. Defeated 12 -11. (All Republicans, along with Democrat Sen. Casey voted for it).
• Conscience protection for health care providers who decline to do abortions, introduced by Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Oklahoma). Defeated 12 -11. (All Republicans, along with Democrat Sen. Casey voted for it).
• No federal mandate requiring health plans to cover abortion, introduced by Senator Mike Enzi (R-Wyoming). Defeated 12 -11. (All Republicans, along with Democrat Sen. Casey voted for it).
• No state abortion law, like parental consent, could be invalidated, introduced by Sen. Coburn. Defeated 12 -11. (All Republicans, along with Democrat Sen. Casey voted for it).

Committees in the House of Representatives will consider similar amendments soon.

Take Action: Please urge your Representative and Senators today to oppose any health care reform legislation that does not explicitly exclude abortion. If the bills do not explicitly exclude abortion, health care services will be required to include abortion services. Please call your Senators at 202-224-3121.

Thank you,

Wendy Wright
President