House inserts anti-abortion provision into must-pass spending bill

House inserts anti-abortion provision into must-pass spending
bill

Negotiators Add Abortion Clause to Spending Bill
By SHERYL GAY STOLBERG and CARL HULSE

Published: November 20, 2004 New York Times

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/20/politics/20spend.html...

WASHINGTON, Saturday, Nov. 20 - House and Senate negotiators have
tucked a potentially far-reaching anti-abortion provision into a $388
billion must-pass spending bill, complicating plans for Congress to wrap up
its business and adjourn for the year.

The provision may be an early indication of the growing
political muscle of social conservatives who provided crucial support for
Republican candidates, including President Bush, in the election.

House officials said Saturday morning that the final details of
the spending measure were worked out before midnight and that the bill was
filed for the House vote on Saturday.

The abortion language would bar federal, state and local
agencies from withholding taxpayer money from health care providers that
refuse to provide or pay for abortions or refuse to offer abortion
counseling or referrals. Current federal law, aimed at protecting Roman
Catholic doctors, provides such "conscience protection'' to doctors who do
not want to undergo abortion training. The new language would expand that
protection to all health care providers, including hospitals, doctors,
clinics and insurers.

The abortion language would bar federal, state and local
agencies from withholding taxpayer money from health care providers that
refuse to provide or pay for abortions or refuse to offer abortion
counseling or referrals.

Who didn't see this coming...its only the beginning!!

sigh.....

wonder what MDs think of this.....

hey, where is our new AS&AH MD?? Maybe he'll weigh in...but then maybe this is not the correct forum for that....


DR