Pro-choice advocates furious over abortion amendment in Health care bill
BY Meredith Kolodner
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER
Originally Published:Monday, November 9th 2009, 3:00 PM
Updated: Monday, November 9th 2009, 3:00 PM
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Wong/GettyPro-choice activists are angry by a provision in the health care bill that denies coverage of abortions. Take our PollLost Coverage
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Abortion may derail House's $1.2 trillion health care bill.
Pro-choice advocates were furious Sunday after House Democratic leaders allowed a deal to ban insurance coverage for abortions to be part of their health care reform bill.
"It's time that women stopped believing that the Democratic Party is always on their side," said Marcia Pappas, president of New York State"s chapter of the National Organization for Women. "This is a horrific move."
Under the amendment by Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich.), abortion would not be paid for in plans offered by a government-run insurance system. Also, people who took federal subsidies to buy insurance would not be able to use the money to buy such coverage.
House leaders allowed a vote on the measure to break a deadlock that threatened the overall bill. The Stupak amendment passed by a margin of 240 to 194, including 64 Democrats.
There were 176 Republican who voted for the amendment -- and then minutes later voted against the health bill.
"It's bad," said Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-Brooklyn, Queens). "It's so bad that I believe that if that language is not stripped out of the final bill, it might be bad enough that it shouldn't be passed."
But anti-abortion groups hailed the vote. The U.S. Conference of Catholics Bishops had written House members to support the Stupak amendment for "health care reform legislation that truly protects the life, dignity, health and consciences of all."
mkolodner@nydailynews.com
With Erin Einhorn
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If you want to have a damn abortion - pay for it yourself!
