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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 4, 2011
CONTACT: Kerry Brown at (703) 470-1926 or [email protected]

Pro-Life Americans Urge Passage of Government-Wide Prohibition

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the Susan B. Anthony List (SBA List) called on the House of Representatives to pass the bi-partisan “No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act” (H.R. 3) and released videos (available here https://sbaprolife.org/hr3) featuring the bill’s sponsors, Reps. Chris Smith (R-NJ) and Dan Lipinski (D-IL), explaining the bill and encouraging the pro-life grassroots to urge Members of Congress to pass the legislation. Introduced in January, the bill currently has 227 co-sponsors and is expected to come to a vote in the House today, Wednesday, May 4.  The bill establishes a permanent, government-wide prohibition on federal funding for abortion, prohibits federal subsidies for health plans that include abortion, and strengthens conscience protections for health care professionals.

“The American people gave this Congress marching orders to end taxpayer funding of abortion,” said SBA List President Marjorie Dannenfelser. “The No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act aims to do just that, permanently prohibiting taxpayer funding for abortion across all federal programs.  It ensures that federal subsidies do not go to health care plans that cover abortion and protects the consciences of health care workers. By bringing H.R. 3 to the floor, House Republican leadership is sending the American people the message that it is serious about protecting unborn children, women and taxpayers from the horror of abortion.”

The No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act codifies the following pro-life riders:

• The Hyde Amendment which prohibits funding for elective abortion coverage through any program funded through the annual Labor, Health, and Human Services Appropriations Act
• The Helms Amendment which prohibits funding for abortion as a method of family planning overseas
• The Smith FEHBP Amendment which prohibits funding for elective abortion coverage for federal employees
• The Dornan Amendment which prohibits use of congressionally appropriated funds for abortion in the District of Columbia
• The Hyde/Weldon Amendment which ensures that recipients of federal funding do not discriminate against health care providers, including doctors, nurses and hospitals, because the providers do not provide, pay for, provide coverage of, or refer abortions

Earlier today, the Pro-Life Woman’s Caucus released a letter, signed by 17 representatives urging their colleagues to support the bill.  An April 2011 CNN poll showed that 61 percent of Americans oppose the idea of “using public funds for abortions when the woman cannot afford it.” A May 2011 poll conducted by the polling company,inc/WomanTrend found 77 percent of Americans said it was important that “health care professionals are not forced to participate in procedures or practices to which they have moral objections.”

The Susan B. Anthony List spent $11 million during the 2010 midterm election cycle. Overall, the SBA List was involved in 90 races including 62 wins and 28 losses. Successes included: defeating 15 of 20 so-called “pro-life” Democrats who voted for abortion funding in the health care reform bill; increasing the number of pro-life women in the House by 70 percent; filling the void of pro-life women in the U.S. Senate and increasing the number of pro-life women governors from one to four. 

For further information, please contact Kerry Brown at (703) 470-1926 or [email protected].

 

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