Prayer-Soldier writes "On 21 Mar 10, Rep Bart Stupak (D-MI) announced an agreement between the President and pro-life Democrats to obtain their votes for health care reform in exchange for an Executive Order that would apply the provisions of the Hyde Amendment to the Senate version of the health care reform bill.
On 20 Mar 10, Lifenews.com posted a copy of the proposed Executive Order. According to Stupak the order will be signed by the President once the health care reform bill is passed into law. The Executive Order begins, “Following the recent passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (“the Act”), it is necessary to establish an adequate enforcement mechanism to ensure that Federal funds are not used for abortion services (except in cases of rape or incest, or when the life of the woman would be endangered).”
The Executive Order goes on to state, “The Act specifically prohibits the use of tax credits and cost-sharing reduction payments to pay for abortion services (except in cases of rape or incest, or when the life of the woman would be endangered) in the health insurance exchanges that will be operational in 2014.” The Executive Order also mentions protections which “prohibit discrimination against health care facilities and health care providers because of an unwillingness to provide, pay for, provide coverage of, or refer for abortions.”
Even while pro-life Democrats were negotiating with the White House as to their concerns with the Senate version language, pro-life advocates were not accepting that an Executive Order was a proper remedy. A 20 Mar 10 Lifenews.com article quoted Family Research Council president Tony Perkins who stated, “Those few pro-life Democrats that would place the fate of the unborn in the hands of the President, will be placing their own political fate in those same hands secured only by a promise that runs counter to everything he has said and done."
Perkins further stated, “There is no way that an executive order will protect the unborn or prevent the greatest expansion of elective abortion since Roe v. Wade.” He added, "Pro-life lawmakers would be making a serious mistake to trust those who have repeatedly attempted to mislead the American people into believing that abortion is not in the bill.”
According to a 21 Mar 10 FOX News article, both pro-life and pro-abortion groups registered dissatisfaction with the agreement. Pro-abortion supporters criticized the President for failing to uphold his support for abortion while pro-life advocates expressed that they do not believe the Executive Order can reverse legislation which is referred to as the “law of the land.”
The FOX article quoted a National Organization of Women statement which expressed, “President Obama campaigned as a pro-choice president, but his actions today suggest that his commitment to reproductive health care is shaky at best. ... We see now that we have our work cut out for us far beyond what we ever anticipated. The message we have received today is that it is acceptable to negotiate health care on the backs of women, and we couldn't disagree more.”
The FOX article also referenced a statement issued by the National Right to Life Committee which stated, “The executive order promised by President Obama was issued for political effect. It changes nothing. It does not correct any of the serious pro-abortion provisions in the bill. The president cannot amend a bill by issuing an order, and the federal courts will enforce what the law says.”
In a 21 Mar 10 press release, House Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH) pointed out, “...no Executive Order or regulation can override a statutory mandate unless Congress passes a law that prohibits federal funding from being used in this manner. Legal experts at the US Catholic Conference of Bishops, National Right to Life Committee, Americans United for Life, and Family Research Council have confirmed this view that if the Senate bill is signed into law, it is a statutory mandate for the new health plans to include federal funding of elective abortion. The need for an Executive Order is evidence that this is true, and Congressional Democrats know it. Make no mistake, a ‘yes’ vote on the Democrats’ health care bill is a vote for taxpayer-funded abortions.”
Cited Articles and Posts
Lifenews.com (20 Mar 10)
http://www.lifenews.com/nat6165.html
Lifenews.com (20 Mar 10)
http://www.lifenews.com/nat6166.html
FOX News (21 Mar 10)
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/03/21/stupak-says-health-care-deal-looming-abortion-funding/
House Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH) (21 Mar 10)
http://republicanleader.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=177414"
