House Action Begins on Two Bills to Prohibit Taxpayer Funding of Abortions

Wisconsin Right to Life strongly supports efforts to finally and permanently take the federal government out of subsidizing abortions.  For over 30 years, protecting the taxpayer from having to pay for abortions has been an annual process subject to the whim of whomever is in control of Congress.  The situation was aggravated by passage of Obamacare with its abortion components and subsidies.

Hearings will occur this week on two right-to-life bills in the House Judiciary Committee Subcommittee on the Constitution and the House Subcommittee on Health.    The No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act, sponsored by Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), would be a government-wide prohibition on taxpayer subsidization for abortion with conscience protections.   The Protect Life Act, sponsored by Rep. Joe Pitts (R-PA), is similar to the Stupak-Pitts amendment to Obamacare and would prohibit abortion subsidies and mandates in every component of the massive 2010 health care law.

“Public opinion is strongly against federal subsidies for abortion, and any member of Congress who is truly opposed to federal funding of abortion will vote for both of these bills,” said National Right to Life Legislative Director Douglas Johnson.  “If President Obama seeks to obstruct these bills, that will provide additional glaring evidence that his professions of opposition to public funding of abortion are phony.”

Pro-abortion groups, of course, are making the same predictable shrill arguments they have been making for 30 years to attempt to convince an unwilling public that paying for abortions is a good use of our money.   These bills insert government into women’s health care issues, deny women access to much-needed medical services, put the lives of women in danger, they state.

It is widely recognized that if abortions are not subsidized with taxpayer dollars, abortions decrease by about 25%.  The lifesaving impact of these two bills cannot be overstated.   It’s time to move forward by permanently taking the government out of the abortion business.

Barbara Lyons