Legislation
LEGISLATIVE UPDATES
June 29, 2009
Health Care Reform Legislation
Three committees in the House of Representatives have released an untitled and
unnumbered “discussion draft” of health care reform legislation. The measure
doesn’t include explicit language on abortion, but as it’s currently written the
bill would almost certainly force every taxpayer to subsidize abortions.
Under the legislation a “Health Benefits Advisory Committee” would determine
what services and treatments must be included in health care plans. The
Committee would consist of the Surgeon General, 17 members appointed by the
President (8 would be federal employees or officials; 9 non-federal employees),
and 9 members appointed by the Comptroller General (who is the head of the
Government Accounting Office). This Committee of mostly Presidential appointees,
which would have the power to make abortion a covered benefit in the new health
care system, wouldn’t even be named until after the legislation had already been
enacted into law.
Congressman Chris Smith has circulated a “Dear
Colleague” letter (PDF) to fellow House members outlining the dangers of
health care reform legislation that does not explicitly exclude abortion from
coverage.
Nineteen pro-life Democrat Congressmen have written a
letter to Speaker Nancy Pelosi (PDF)
stating that they “cannot support any health care reform proposal unless it
explicitly excludes abortion from the scope of any government-defined or
subsidized health insurance plan.”
Click here
for the “discussion draft” of the legislation
HR-2035 Pregnant Woman Support
Act
June 11, 2009
Foreign Affairs Reauthorization Act (HR 2410)
The House of Representatives voted 235-187 to approve a budget for the State
Department that includes provision for a new Office for Global Women’s Issues.
The Office will deal with “women’s empowerment” issues internationally and,
based on testimony from Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, will likely push for
liberalized abortion policies abroad.
Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ) sought to offer an amendment to HR 2410 which
would have prohibited the new Office from engaging in efforts to change abortion
laws in foreign countries, but his amendment was not allowed to be heard.
The authorization bill now goes to the Senate for consideration.
June 4, 2009
Hamilton nomination approved by Senate Judiciary Committee
In what is seen by some as a warm-up for the Judge Sonia Sotomayor Supreme Court
confirmation battle, the Senate Judiciary Committee today (June 4) approved one
of President Obama’s first federal appeals court nominees, Judge David Hamilton.
The straight party-line 12-7 vote followed a debate on the role of “empathy” in
judicial decision making and now sends the Hamilton nomination to the full
Senate for consideration.
Hamilton, currently a federal judge, is infamous for blocking the implementation
of an Indiana woman’s right to know law for seven years until the Seventh
Circuit Court of Appeals, to which he is now nominated, overturned his rulings.
Prior to his appointment to the federal bench by President Clinton, Hamilton
worked for the American Civil Liberties Union.
April 22, 2009
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton admitted to the House Foreign Affairs
Committee today that the term “reproductive health,” when used by the Obama
Administration’s State Department, includes access to abortion. For years, the
term “reproductive health” has been used at international conferences to avoid
overt references to the abortion agenda of “family planning” groups. Sec.
Clinton’s testimony reiterates that the Obama Administration will advocate for
abortion on demand around the world.
For more information on Sec. Clinton’s remarks, see Congressman Chris Smith’s
press release here.
Prenatal Nondiscrimination Act reintroduced
Cong. Trent Franks (R-AZ) has re-introduced the Susan B. Anthony and Frederick
Douglass Prenatal Nondiscrimination Act. The measure, HR 1822, would prohibit
the performance or financing of abortions done because of an unborn baby’s
gender or race. The bill has been referred to the House Judiciary Committee and
currently has 28 co-sponsors. The co-sponsors are as follows:
INTRODUCED BY REP. TRENT FRANKS [AZ – 2]
Rep Aderholt, Robert B. [AL-4]
Rep Akin, W. Todd [MO-2]
Rep Bachmann, Michele [MN-6]
Rep Barrett, J. Gresham [SC-3]
Rep Boozman, John [AR-3]
Rep Broun, Paul C. [GA-10]
Rep Burton, Dan [IN-5]
Rep Cole, Tom [OK-4]
Rep Conaway, K. Michael [TX-11]
Rep Forbes, J. Randy [VA-4]
Rep Fortenberry, Jeff [NE-1]
Rep Garrett, Scott [NJ-5]
Rep Hunter, Duncan D. [CA-52]
Rep King, Steve [IA-5]
Rep Lamborn, Doug [CO-5]
Rep Latta, Robert E. [OH-5]
Rep Linder, John [GA-7]
Rep Lipinski, Daniel [IL-3]
Rep McCotter, Thaddeus G. [MI-11]
Rep McHenry, Patrick T. [NC-10]
Rep Pence, Mike [IN-6]
Rep Scalise, Steve [LA-1]
Rep Schmidt, Jean [OH-2]
Rep Smith, Christopher H. [NJ-4]
Rep Smith, Lamar [TX-21]
Rep Souder, Mark E. [IN-3]
Rep Taylor, Gene [MS-4]
Rep Wilson, Joe [SC-2]
Current Legislation
For an update on current pro-life legislation,
please visit
http://www.capwiz.com/nrlc/issues/. This page will give you guidance
from the nation's top pro-life lobbying group, National Right to Life.
http://thomas.loc.gov - The largest public internet source for legislative
information provided by the Library of Congress with a searchable database of
congressional activity from 1969-present.
Pre-natal
nondiscrimination Act - Introduced by Trent Franks on September 23, 2008
General Guidance on Taking Action to Influence
Legislation
Click here to locate your representatives in Congress, to find
out how they have voted, and to contact them!
Click
here for tips on communicating with and visiting your representatives.
Fr. Frank
discusses communication with legislators with Capitol Hill activist Connie
Marshner.
Priests for Life Statements on specific
legislation
Fr. Frank Pavone
Comments on the House Vote of the Unborn Child Pain Awareness Act
Press Releases
Other Articles
Supreme Court
Cases on Abortion
