According to some I should be doing a victory dance because the US House of Representatives passed a version of the “Affordable Health Care for America Act” that included explicit language that limited the funding that ObamaCare could provide for abortions.
Admittedly, this is not bad news. But it’s a very cold comfort at best.
That supposed victory for the Pro-Life movement would be the Stupak Amendment to HR 3962 that was passed by US House of Representatives in a 240 – 194 roll-call vote. The Amendment was put forth by Reps. Bart Stupak (D-MI), Brad Ellsworth (D-IN), Marcy Kaptur (D-OH), Kathy Dahlkemper (D-PA), Dan Lipinski (D-IL), Joe Pitts (R-PA), and Chris Smith (R-NJ) – a truly bipartisan effort and one shockingly led by Democrats.
SEC. 265. LIMITATION ON ABORTION FUNDING.
(a) IN GENERAL. – No funds authorized or appropriated by this Act (or an amendment made by this Act) may be used to pay for any abortion or to Cover any part of the costs of any health plan that includes coverage of abortion, except in the case where a woman suffers from a physical disorder, physical injury, or physical illness that would, as certified by a physician, place the woman in danger of death unless an abortion is performed, including a life-endangering physical condition caused by or arising from the pregnancy itself, or unless the pregnancy is the result of an act of rape or incest.
(b) OPTION TO PURCHASE’ SEPARATE SUPPLEMENTAL COVERAGE OR PLAN – Nothing in this section shall be construed as prohibiting any non-federal entity (including an individual or a State or local government) from purchasing separate supplemental coverage for abortions for which funding is prohibited under this section, or a plan that includes such abortions, so long as –
(1) such coverage or plan is paid for entirely using only funds not authorized or appropriated by this Act; and
(2) such coverage or plan is not purchased using
(A) individual premium payments required for a Exchange-participating health benefits plan towards which an affordability credit is applied; or
(B) other non-federal funds required to receive a federal payment, including a State’s or locality’s, contribution of Medicaid matching funds.
(c) OPTION TO OFFER SEPARATE SUPPLEMENTAL COVERAGE OR PLAN. – Notwithstanding section 303(b), nothing in this section shall restrict any non-federal QHBP offering entity from offering separate supplemental coverage for abortions for which funding is prohibited under this section, or a plan that includes such abortions, so long as
(1) premiums for such separate supplemental coverage or plan are paid for entirely with funds not authorized or appropriated by this Act;
(2) administrative costs and all services offered through such supplemental coverage or plan are paid for using only premiums collected for such coverage ,or plan; and
(3) any non-federal QHBP offering entity that offers an Exchange-participating health benefits plan that includes coverage for abortions for which funding is prohibited under this section also offers an Exchange-participating health benefits plan that is identical in every respect except that it does not cover, abortions for which funding is prohibited under this section.
Yes; this is a victory in the sense that it wasn’t a further loss to the Liberals. It was a victory in the same way that defenders holding their line and not breaking under an onslaught and holding their ground is a victory.
The passage of the Stupak Amendment merely maintained the status quo on abortion. It was only a victory because it goes a long way towards preventing ObamaCare from using federal tax dollars to subsidize voluntary, on-demand abortions. Despite various bits of misinformation from President Obama, the Liberals’ healthcare reconstruction would have been an end-run around the Hyde Amendment without the Stupak Amendement being attached to it.
I see little reason for a victory dance over just holding the line.
Like this:
Like Loading...