July 22nd, 2009

The health care restructuring bills released to date pose a grave danger to the unborn.  At a time when many are calling for common ground on abortion, it should be clear that no health care package can engender broad support unless the text clearly excludes abortion from any taxpayer-subsidized or government-mandated benefits package.

Excluding abortion from public funding is true common ground that all Americans can support.  Recent polling data indicate that Americans increasingly identify themselves as pro-life and that a strong majority, as high as 70%, oppose public funding for abortion.

If the President’s goal is to reduce the number of abortions, it should be noted that advocates for and against abortion agree that public funding bans save lives by reducing abortion. Even the pro-abortion Alan Guttmacher Institute routinely issues papers indicating that when publicly funded abortions are not available, women are less likely to obtain an abortion.

Yet the draft proposals go even further than just funding abortion with taxpayers’ dollars.  The proposals ensure that every American will eventually be in a plan that includes abortion: the bills require individuals to buy health insurance that meets certain minimum benefits standards – standards to be determined by the Secretary of HHS. History has shown that if the law does not clearly state that abortion is excluded, government agencies and the courts will mandate that abortion be a required benefit.

Also, the draft proposals fall far short of protecting doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals who, for reasons of grave moral concerns, decline to perform or refer for abortions or other medical procedures. Catholic hospitals make up 15-20% of all hospitals in the country.  If they are forced to perform abortions under the new government healthcare plan, it is possible that many would close their doors rather than violate the ethical and religious directives of their church.  Strong, clear protections for private conscience must be included in any healthcare legislation.

Even if the word abortion does not appear in the bill text, abortion will be construed to be a required benefit if it is not excluded.  The National Abortion Federation supports “health care reform as a way to increase access to comprehensive reproductive health care, including abortion care.”  The Religious Coalition for Reproductive Health says, “Let there be no mistake, basic healthcare includes abortion services.”  Nancy Keenan, president of NARAL, says “(I)f, indeed, we can advance a panel or commission, then I am very optimistic about reproductive health care being part of this entire package.”

If any of the proposed plans move forward without explicit language ensuring that abortion is excluded from any government-mandated or taxpayer-subsidized benefits, health care reform will be a death sentence for thousands of unborn children.  Therefore, we urge you to oppose any health care proposal that does not permanently and explicitly state that abortion will never be included in any government mandated or taxpayer funded health plan.

The unborn and their mothers deserve better than abortion.  There are always two patients, mother and baby.  America deserves a health care system that respects, protects, and cherishes both.

Sincerely,

David Bereit
National Director
40 Days for Life

Father Frank Pavone
National Director
Priests for Life

Marjorie Dannenfelser
President
Susan B. Anthony List

Gene Rudd, M.D.
Senior Vice President
Christian Medical Association

Tom Minnery
Senior Vice President
Government and Public Policy
Focus on the Family

Andrea Lafferty
Executive Director
Traditional Values Coalition

Tom McClusky
Senior Vice President
FRCAction

Kris Mineau
President
Massachusetts Family Institute

Day Gardner
President
National Black Pro-Life Union

Kristen Day
Democrats for Life of America

Jim Backlin
Vice President for Legislative Affairs
Christian Coalition of America

Dr. Charmaine Yoest
Americans United for Life

Michael Gonidakis
Executive Director
Ohio Right to Life

Joseph A. Brinck
President
Sanctity of Life Foundation

Steven N. Brody
Executive Director
Dubuque County Right to Life, Inc.

John Helmberger
CEO
Minnesota Family Council

Jim Backlin
Vice President for Legislative Affairs
Christian Coalition of America

Brad Mattes
Life Issues Institute

Thomas Peters
Communications Director
American Principles Project.

Kristan Hawkins
Executive Director
Students for Life of America

William H. Shaker
American Council for Healthcare Reform

Melinda Delahoyde
President
Care Net

Margaret H. Hartshorn, Ph.D.
President
Heartbeat International

Richard W. C. Falknor
Chairman
Maryland Center-Right Coalition

Doris Gordon
Founder/Coordinator
Libertarians for Life

Jennifer Giroux
National Executive Director
One More Soul

Theresa Bonopartis
Director
Lumina

C. Preston Noell III
President
Tradition, Family, Property, Inc.

Dan Zeidler
Latin America Alliance for the Family

Lawson Lipford-Cruz
President
Black Students for Life

Father Benedict J. Groeschel, CFR
Humanae Vitae HDFC

Larry Cirignano
Catholic Activist

Joan Bell
Quo Vadis Apostolate
De Glorium Apostolate

Christopher Bell
President
Good Counsel

Joel Brind, PhD
Breast Cancer Prevention Institute

Population Research Institute

Joe Ortwerth
Executive Director
Missouri Family Policy Council

Eric Scheidler
Executive Director
Pro-Life Action League

Samuel E. Ericsson
President
Law of Life Project Advocates International

Dorothy Wallis
President CEO
Caring to Love Ministries

Dr. Patricia McEwen
Director
Life Coalition International

Pastor Stephen E. Broden
Fair Park Bible Fellowship
Black Pro-Life Movement

Karen Malec
President
Coalition on Abortion/Breast Cancer

J. C. Willke, MD
President
International Right to Life Federation

John F. Brehany, Ph.D., S.T.L.
Executive Director and Ethicist
Catholic Medical Association

Don Wildmon
Chairman and CEO
American Family Association

Steve Noble
Chairman, Called2Action
Host, Called2Action This Week

Tom Shields
Chairman
Coalition for Marriage and Family

Micah Clark
Executive Director
American Family Association of Indiana

Thomas A. Glessner, JD
President
National Institute of Family & Life Advocates

David Fowler
President
Family Action of Tennessee, Inc.