Washington D.C., Nov 8, 2009 / 06:43 am
This morning, top pro-life organizations across the U.S. praised the inclusion of strong pro-life provisions on the health care bill via the Stupak-Pitts amendment, but warned that Obama’s health care project still poses significant threats to life and family issues, especially in the version discussed in the Senate.
The Stupak-Pitts Amendment, which was given the opportunity to be taken to a vote after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi realized she did not have sufficient votes to pass the bill, removed two major pro-abortion components from H.R. 3962: The prohibition of the "public option" from paying for abortion, except to save the life of the mother, or in cases of rape or incest; and by permanently prohibiting the use of the new federal premium subsidies to purchase private insurance plans that cover abortion.
The Stupak-Pitts Amendment passed by a margin of 240-194, while the health care bill passed later on Saturday night by 220-215.
The National Right to Life Committee (NRLC) Legislative Director Douglas Johnson said that "the Obama White House and top congressional Democratic leaders spent months concealing and misrepresenting provisions that would directly fund abortions through a government plan, and subsidize premiums for private abortion plans. Today's bipartisan House vote is a sharp blow to the White House's pro-abortion smuggling operation."