Budget Committee Dems Offer Approval for Federal Abortion Funding
| FYI, a version of the release below went out to the following districts: Allen Boyd (FL-02); Chet Edwards (TX-17); Bob Etheridge (NC-02); John Spratt (SC-05); and John Yarmuth (KY-03).
Spratt Lets Abortion Language Go Unchanged, Even As Fellow Dems Call for Another Stupak Amendment
Washington- Once again, John Spratt has put himself at odds with the American people with his support for using taxpayer money to fund abortions through the Democrats’ government takeover of healthcare. Spratt had the opportunity to support a measure calling on his party leaders to insert language similar to Rep. Bart Stupak’s legislation prohibiting federal funding of abortion in the final version of their healthcare bill, but he opposed the provision when it came to a vote tonight in the House Budget Committee (see vote here).
In swing districts like Spratt’s across the country, voters are widely opposed to using federal funds to subsidize abortions:
“New polling released Thursday may help explain why abortion is re-emerging as a sticking point in health care reform negotiations. In seven of eight congressional districts represented by anti-abortion Democrats—all of whom voted for the Stupak amendment to block federal funding of abortion in the House bill—a majority of voters said they would be less likely to re-elect their member of Congress if they voted for a health care bill that included federal funding of abortion.”
“In live interviews with 300 voters in each district, at least three in five respondents agreed that federal abortion funding should not be included in a health care bill. When asked, regardless of their personal opinion on abortion, if abortion should be included as part of the bill, opposition in all eight districts ranged from 66 percent to 81 percent.” (Jessica Taylor, “Poll: Abortion Funding a Key Issue,” Politico 3/4/10)
Despite this widespread opposition to one of their bill’s key provisions, Democrat leaders are moving forward, abandoning negotiations with rank-and-file members who oppose taxpayer funded abortions and ramming their bill through Congress regardless of public opinion.
“House leaders have concluded they cannot change a divisive abortion provision in President Barack Obama’s health care bill and will try to pass the sweeping legislation without the support of ardent anti-abortion Democrats.”
“That strategy would leave in place the Senate language on abortion. It would allow health plans receiving federal subsidies in a new insurance marketplace to cover abortion, provided they pay for it only with money collected from policyholders. The House bill would have prohibited health plans receiving subsidies from covering abortions.” (Erica Werner, “Dems Look to Health Vote Without Abortion Foes,” Associated Press, 3/12/10)
“As if it wasn’t clear enough that John Spratt and his party bosses regularly ignore the American public, Spratt just gave his seal of approval on moving forward with a government healthcare takeover that funds abortions with taxpayer money,” said NRCC Communications Director Ken Spain. “By standing with his party bosses instead of South Carolina taxpayers who oppose this measure, Spratt revealed himself as just another loyal follower of the Democrats’ big-government healthcare agenda.”
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