Pro-life leaders continue to question Obama’s health care reform

Washington D.C., Sep 10, 2009 / 09:23 am

Following an address by President Barack Obama to a joint session of Congress on Wednesday night, both the president of the Family Research Council and the president of Concerned Women of America emphasized that despite Obama’s words that the reform won’t include tax-payer funding abortions, federal dollars will pay for the procedure.

During his speech, Obama said addressed abortion saying:  “And one more misunderstanding I want to clear up — under our plan, no federal dollars will be used to fund abortions, and federal conscience laws will remain in place.”

President of the Family Research Council, Tony Perkins took Obama to task for misleading Americans by “dismissing the concerns” of those with “moral objections to their tax dollars paying for abortions.”

"It's surprising the President continues to claim that 'no federal dollars' will fund abortion,” said Perkins adding that the opposite was proven weeks ago by FactCheck.org, and in articles by the AP, Time magazine and the Washington Post.

He continued, “The President also knows very well that pro-abortion House and Senate Committees rejected every single amendment to keep abortion funding out of the health care overhaul. Instead, the House Energy and Commerce Committee adopted the Capps Amendment, which allows abortion coverage in the public health plan, and subsidizes health plans that cover abortion."

Wendy Wright, the president of Concerned Women for American demanded that Obama clarify what the reform will and will not do.

“If it won't use taxpayer funds for abortion - put it in writing in the bill.  If it will protect doctors from violating their conscience by forcing them to commit abortions, put it in clear, no- nonsense language in the bill,” Wright said.

She continued, “If it allows people to keep the plan they have, then let it allow people to choose the plan they want.  If it requires every person to pay for government- approved insurance, be honest with Americans that they will be punished if they choose a different plan for themselves and their families.”

Wright also cited a poll released by the Associated Press-GfK showing that the public disapproval of Obama’s “handling of health care” is at a high of 52 %, and that 49% of Americans “disapprove of how he is handling his job as president.”