FRC urges Obama to support the exclusion of abortion coverage from healthcare plans

Aug 25 2009

Perkins: 'Mr. President, If You Mean What You Say, Support the Stupak Amendment'

Over the weekend, the White House released President Obama's weekly video address in which the President falsely stated that abortion coverage is not mandated under his health care reform plan. Last week the President accused FRC and other opponents to his plan of breaking the 9th Commandment.

However, even Members of Congress within the President's own party, are questioning his claims about abortion funding in the health care overhaul. In today's Time Magazine, Michigan Democratic Congressman Bart Stupak says President Obama either doesn't understand the bill or "if he is aware of it, and he is making these statements, then he is misleading people."

Family Research Council President Tony Perkins had this to say:

"President Obama seems to regard language as a magic wand he can use to change reality. But however much he protests, he cannot change the fact that under the provisions of his health proposals, the federal government will fund abortion. From TIME Magazine to the Associated Press to senior members of his own party, more and more leading legislators, commentators and policy analysts are acknowledging that taxpayers would, in fact, be paying for abortions under the Obama health insurance regime.

"The President has taken to quoting Scripture, so allow me to quote the words of Jesus, those Red Letters in the New Testament, where He says 'let your yes be yes and your no be no.' Mr. Obama knows very well that the 'current ban' known as the Hyde Amendment prevents taxpayer dollars for abortion, but he didn't endorse adding this amendment to the health care bill.

"Mr. President, if what you say is true, why not let your 'no be no' and tell Congress to accept one of the amendments that would prevent abortion from being part of any government health care plan? If you mean what you say, I urge you to announce your support for Congressman Bart Stupak's amendment which prevents taxpayer dollars from paying for abortion coverage," Perkins said.

Last month the House Energy and Commerce Committee rejected the Stupak amendment and instead adopted an amendment offered by U.S. Rep. Lois Capps (D-CA) which explicitly authorizes abortion coverage in the House bill.

"Last week, I sent a letter to the White House asking the Administration for a discussion on these issues so that they might clarify these discrepancies and take the opportunity to line up their speech with their actions.

"Until the President lets his 'yes be yes and no be no,' we cannot have a true debate about the core ethical and moral obligation of ensuring all Americans have access to affordable healthcare, one we look forward to having."