Mandated Abortion Funding on Two Tracks in Congress

Along with our parent organization, National Right to Life, Wisconsin Right to Life is watching and working on two major issues being considered in Congress right now regarding taxpayer abortion funding.

The first is the appropriations process through which Congress funds the various agencies each year. There are over 20 right-to-life public policy provisions included in various appropriations bills every year. The provisions are now up for grabs.

The highest stakes reside in the Hyde Amendment which for over 30 years has prohibited the use of your federal tax dollars to pay for abortions. Another measure protects you from having to pay for abortions for federal employees. If these two provisions alone are jettisoned, abortions will increase dramatically. Planned Parenthood estimates that the Hyde Amendment has decreased abortions 18-38%.

Other appropriations bills right-to-life measures involve embryonic stem cell research, conscience protections for medical professionals, and international abortion funding issues.

Wisconsin Congressman David Obey oversees all of these bills. WRTL is spearheading a major letter-writing campaign in Wisconsin CD 7 which includes numerous counties in the northwestern part of the state.

If you aren’t shuddering yet, consider the second track which the pro-abortion crowd is pursuing to force you to pay for abortions — health care reform. Congress is fast-tracking this reform to passage this summer — probably without debate or amendments, just as they have been jamming other measures through both houses.

Planned Parenthood, of course, is lobbying hard for mandated abortion coverage as needed “health” care. Mandated abortion coverage will not only increase abortions, but will force companies and medical institutions to comply with providing abortion coverage for employees. So much for “choice” and conscience.

Barbara Lyons