WASHINGTON (January 26, 2010, 9 AM EST) – The Obama White House and top Democratic congressional leaders, although shaken by the January 19 election of Republican Scott Brown to the Senate seat previously held by Senator Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.), nevertheless are making plans to try to push broad health care legislation through Congress within a matter of weeks -- meaning that pro-life interests remain in grave jeopardy.
On January 25, the Associated Press reported the emergence of a new plan that involves House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Ca.) seeking to muster enough support among House Democrats to win House passage of the health care bill (H.R. 3590) that was passed by the Senate on December 24. If the Senate Bill passes the House with no amendments, it would be sent straight to President Obama to be signed into law. (Read the AP story here.)
In recent weeks, National Right to Life Committee (NRLC) lobbyists have been busy educating members of the House about how enactment of the abortion-related provisions of the health care bill passed by the Senate (H.R. 3590) would constitute the biggest expansion of abortion by Congress since Roe v. Wade.
"The Senate bill would result in direct federal funding of abortion, federal subsidies for private abortion insurance, and federal pro-abortion mandates," said NRLC Legislative Director Douglas Johnson. "This bill would be, by far, the biggest expansion of abortion ever approved by Congress since Roe v. Wade."
Johnson explained, "In contrast, the abortion-related provisions of the health bill passed by the House on November 7 [H.R. 3962], as it was amended by the NRLC-backed Stupak-Pitts Amendment, would preserve long-established federal policies -- preventing federal subsidies for abortion, preventing pro-abortion federal mandates, and protecting the conscience rights of pro-life health care providers."
To view or download a letter sent by NRLC to members of the U.S. House, explaining six major abortion-related problems with the Senate-passed bill, click here.
This is no time to relax: Each member of the House should be urged to oppose the Senate-passed health bill (H.R. 3590) because of the provisions that would result in abortion mandates and abortion subsidies. It is especially important that House Democrats who voted for the Stupak-Pitts Amendment on November 7, 2009, hear from constituents in opposition to the Senate bill. To view the House roll call on the Stupak-Pitts Amendment, click here.
The legislative situation may change rapidly -- check here frequently for updated information. NRLC will continue to review any new proposals as they emerge, and will continue to urge lawmakers to oppose any bill that lacks adequate protections against federal abortion subsidies and pro-abortion mandates, or that would lead to government-dictated rationing of lifesaving medical treatments.
Time is short! Please telephone the offices of your U.S. Senators and your U.S. House member. The Washington offices of your representatives can be reached through the Capitol Switchboard, 202-224-3121. If you scroll to the bottom of this alert, you will find additional suggestions for ways to communicate with your federal representatives on this issue.
To view or download a summary of recent public opinion polls on whether abortion should be covered in health care legislation, click here.
To view the NRLC scorecard showing how your representative in the U.S. House of Representatives has voted on key pro-life issues during the current Congress, click here. To view the NRLC scorecard for the U.S. Senate for the current Congress, click here. To look up the entire voting record of any current member of Congress on NRLC-scored issues, click here, then enter the name of the lawmaker. Once you reach the lawmaker's profile, chose the "Votes" tab. For lawmakers who have served for more than a few years, scroll to the bottom of the list of displayed votes and click "More Key Votes" to see his or her entire record back to 1997.
What You Can Do Now
* Please take a few minutes to use the form here (scroll to bottom of link) to send messages to your U.S. House member and to your two U.S. Senators to urge them to oppose any final health care bill that does not contain the Stupak-Pitts pro-life amendment. You can modify the suggested message as you see fit -- for example, to offer your views on other components of the legislation, including those relating to rationing of lifesaving medical treatments. When you fill in your mailing address, your messages will automatically be directed to the appropriate U.S. House member and to your two U.S. Senators.
* In addition, please TELEPHONE the offices of your two U.S. Senators, and your U.S. House member. Give your name and address, and tell the lawmakers' staff persons that you wish to be recorded as "opposed to the health care legislation, because the abortion language adopted by the Senate is unacceptable." The offices of any member of Congress can be reached through 202-224-3121. You can also find the direct-dial numbers (and fax numbers) for the Washington and in-state offices of your U.S. Senators and House member by calling up their individual profiles on this website, here.
* Also, please send short letters to the "letters to the editor" features of your local newspapers, in order to alert your fellow pro-life citizens to the pro-abortion policies that the Obama White House and the pro-abortion lobby are trying to smuggle into law through "health care reform." You can find contact information for your local news media in our "Media Guide" here.
In recent weeks, National Right to Life Committee (NRLC) lobbyists have been busy educating members of the House about how enactment of the abortion-related provisions of the health care bill passed by the Senate (H.R. 3590) would constitute the biggest expansion of abortion by Congress since Roe v. Wade.
"The Senate bill would result in direct federal funding of abortion, federal subsidies for private abortion insurance, and federal pro-abortion mandates," said NRLC Legislative Director Douglas Johnson. "This bill would be, by far, the biggest expansion of abortion ever approved by Congress since Roe v. Wade."
Johnson explained, "In contrast, the abortion-related provisions of the health bill passed by the House on November 7 [H.R. 3962], as it was amended by the NRLC-backed Stupak-Pitts Amendment, would preserve long-established federal policies -- preventing federal subsidies for abortion, preventing pro-abortion federal mandates, and protecting the conscience rights of pro-life health care providers."
To view or download a letter sent by NRLC to members of the U.S. House, explaining six major abortion-related problems with the Senate-passed bill, click here.
This is no time to relax: Each member of the House should be urged to oppose the Senate-passed health bill (H.R. 3590) because of the provisions that would result in abortion mandates and abortion subsidies. It is especially important that House Democrats who voted for the Stupak-Pitts Amendment on November 7, 2009, hear from constituents in opposition to the Senate bill. To view the House roll call on the Stupak-Pitts Amendment, click here.
The legislative situation may change rapidly -- check here frequently for updated information. NRLC will continue to review any new proposals as they emerge, and will continue to urge lawmakers to oppose any bill that lacks adequate protections against federal abortion subsidies and pro-abortion mandates, or that would lead to government-dictated rationing of lifesaving medical treatments.
Time is short! Please telephone the offices of your U.S. Senators and your U.S. House member. The Washington offices of your representatives can be reached through the Capitol Switchboard, 202-224-3121. If you scroll to the bottom of this alert, you will find additional suggestions for ways to communicate with your federal representatives on this issue.
To view or download a summary of recent public opinion polls on whether abortion should be covered in health care legislation, click here.
To view the NRLC scorecard showing how your representative in the U.S. House of Representatives has voted on key pro-life issues during the current Congress, click here. To view the NRLC scorecard for the U.S. Senate for the current Congress, click here. To look up the entire voting record of any current member of Congress on NRLC-scored issues, click here, then enter the name of the lawmaker. Once you reach the lawmaker's profile, chose the "Votes" tab. For lawmakers who have served for more than a few years, scroll to the bottom of the list of displayed votes and click "More Key Votes" to see his or her entire record back to 1997.
What You Can Do Now
* Please take a few minutes to use the form here (scroll to bottom of link) to send messages to your U.S. House member and to your two U.S. Senators to urge them to oppose any final health care bill that does not contain the Stupak-Pitts pro-life amendment. You can modify the suggested message as you see fit -- for example, to offer your views on other components of the legislation, including those relating to rationing of lifesaving medical treatments. When you fill in your mailing address, your messages will automatically be directed to the appropriate U.S. House member and to your two U.S. Senators.
* In addition, please TELEPHONE the offices of your two U.S. Senators, and your U.S. House member. Give your name and address, and tell the lawmakers' staff persons that you wish to be recorded as "opposed to the health care legislation, because the abortion language adopted by the Senate is unacceptable." The offices of any member of Congress can be reached through 202-224-3121. You can also find the direct-dial numbers (and fax numbers) for the Washington and in-state offices of your U.S. Senators and House member by calling up their individual profiles on this website, here.
* Also, please send short letters to the "letters to the editor" features of your local newspapers, in order to alert your fellow pro-life citizens to the pro-abortion policies that the Obama White House and the pro-abortion lobby are trying to smuggle into law through "health care reform." You can find contact information for your local news media in our "Media Guide" here.
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