The Senate Finance Committee has defeated pro-life and conscience amendments to a healthcare reform measure.
Senators writing a healthcare overhaul bill on Wednesday rejected a bid to strengthen pro-life provisions already in the legislation, in a vote that could have far-reaching repercussions.
Mary Harned, staff counsel with
Americans United for Life (AUL), says pro-life forces were hoping to demonstrate to the White House and to Congress their concern about how tax dollars are spent.
She describes the amendment that was defeated. "Basically what the amendment would have done is that it would have insured that there was no federal money for abortion in the Senate finance bill and that there was no mandate for abortion coverage," she says.
By the same vote, the Committee also voted down an amendment that would have prevented discrimination against medical entities and individuals that refuse services on the basis of ethics or religious beliefs. "Unless there's that kind of protection in this legislation, if it becomes law, then some people might ultimately have to choose between providing healthcare or violating their conscience," argues Harned.
In fact, Dr. David Stevens, who heads the Christian Medical & Dental Associations, warned in a webcast that if doctors are forced to violate their conscience, "there will be no Christians in healthcare."
In reaction to the amendments' defeat, AUL president Dr. Charmaine Yoest claims those who argue that abortion coverage will not be part of healthcare reform are saying one thing but doing another.
Charlie Butts - OneNewsNow - 10/1/2009
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