Below is an email I received from my Missouri Congressman, Russ Carnahan. I have bolded the paragraph that quotes Mr. Carnahan as saying “there are no provisions” in the health insurance reform legislation now before Congress.
The first thing that leaps out of this paragraph is that Mr. Carnahan states that abortion will not be covered in the bill. Obama has been recorded as saying that “reproductive health care” includes abortion and although there is, to my knowledge, no specific language in the bill that mentions abortion, it is understood that it will be covered.
The other thing that I noticed in the bolded paragraph is that the Dems are consistently using the talking points and refering to the bill as health insurance, not health care delivery reform. IMHO, that shows that Obama and Congressional Dems are responding to the message they got in the Town Hall meetings this summer and to the Tea Party march on Washington this past weekend.
Since Roe v. Wade is now considered “settled law” in America, how could any government run health insurance bill not cover abortion?
IMHO, if this toxic bill passes, every taxpayer will be forced to fund abortions, regardless of their religious or ethical position.
If you have not yet called or written to your Congressional delegation, please do so today. If they think you don’t care about abortion coverage, this bill may pass and you will be forced to violate your conscience by helping to fund the grizzly abortion industry.
As you all know, the voters never got the chance to vote on Roe v. Wade, but this time we have the chance to stop this bill and protect innocent human life in the womb.
~~John Cronin~~
Dear Mr. Cronin:
Thank you for contacting me with your concerns about funding for abortion in the health insurance reform legislation now being considered by Congress. I appreciate hearing from you and welcome the opportunity to respond.
As I meet with my constituents, I am constantly reminded that health insurance reform is one of the most pressing issues affecting Missouri families and the economy. More than 70,000 citizens in the 3rd Congressional District lack health insurance, and premiums have doubled over the past nine years for those Americans who have health insurance. If we do not act to reform health insurance now, it will become more and more difficult for families and small businesses to afford the health insurance they need.
As you know, Congress has consistently refused to fund abortions since the Supreme Court decision of Roe v. Wade, and there are no provisions in the health insurance reform legislation now being considered that would provide federal funds for abortion.
I understand your strong views regarding abortion. While I support the right of individual women to make decisions that are most appropriate for their health, I have consistently supported efforts to ensure that abortion is safe, legal and rare, consistent with Roe. I have supported multiple initiatives in Congress to reduce unintended pregnancies by advocating for increased access to education and preventive healthcare, including abstinence counseling, family planning and emergency contraception. I am also a member of the bi-partisan Congressional Caucus on Adoption, which promotes legislation to support adoption.
Missouri families will benefit tremendously from the health insurance reforms now under consideration. Health insurance companies will be prohibited from denying coverage from pre-existing conditions, preventive care services will become more affordable and families will no longer be at risk of bankruptcy due to catastrophic health care costs.
Please be assured that I will keep your concerns in mind as Congress continues to debate health insurance reform. Please feel free to contact me again on this or any other issue of concern.
Sincerely,
Russ Carnahan
