Republican Legislators Reward Radical Right with Dangerous Anti-Abortion Provision

Republican Legislators Reward Radical Right with Dangerous Anti-Abortion Provision

November 22, 2004

After heated debate in Congress Saturday night, anti-abortion legislators bullied into law broad new limitations on women's reproductive health care. The sweeping language, which was slipped into the massive budget bill, makes all health care providers eligible for federal dollars — regardless of their unwillingness to provide a full-range of health care services for women. House and Senate Republicans added this language to the 1,000 plus page spending bill late in the afternoon on Friday — allowing no time for reproductive rights supporters to react to the sudden attack. The National Organization for Women is appalled by this tactic, a despicable move by the Republican leadership to thank its right-wing base by surrendering hard-fought and often life-saving medical care options for women and girls.

"Right-wing legislators are sacrificing legal health care and jeopardizing women's health to please their base," said NOW President Kim Gandy. "This is a hypocritical act of the so-called party of 'moral values' and 'compassionate conservatism.'"

The provision permits health care entities that refuse to provide abortion services, counseling or referrals (even in cases of rape, incest, or danger to the woman's life) to collect federal, state and local tax dollars. It overrules state and local regulations requiring full coverage for such services. Current federal law, previously aimed at protecting Roman Catholic doctors who do not want to undergo abortion training or perform abortions, now provides a farther-reaching 'conscience clause.' The new language expands the exemption to all health care providers, including hospitals, doctors, clinics, HMOs, and insurers that profess a corporate or individual objection to providing abortion or reproductive health services.

"This will allow HMO bureaucrats to deny women their constitutional right to reproductive health care," said Gandy. "The wrath of the anti-abortion movement is going to send women back farther than the back alleys — we're heading toward the black market."

Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., courageously threatened to use procedural tactics to slow Senate debate in protest. Joining Boxer in defending women's health care against the Republican leadership were Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., and Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Wash. A compromise was eventually reached with Senate Majority Bill Frist, R-Tenn., after he promised to schedule a vote on the abortion provision when Congress meets next spring. It seems unlikely, however, that this provision will be overturned, since it takes many more votes to repeal an existing law than to prevent original passage.

"This is just the beginning of a battle to save women's reproductive health care," said Gandy. "We are calling on all NOW activists and supporters to help us stop this sacrifice of women's bodies and women's rights to repay political favors to a vocal minority."

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