Family Research Council Praises House Vote to End Taxpayer Funding of Abortion

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Jan 22, 2015, 01:35 ET

WASHINGTON, Jan. 22, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today the U.S. House of Representatives passed the "No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion and Abortion Insurance Full Disclosure Act," authored by U.S. Reps. Chris Smith (R-N.J.) and Dan Lipinski (D-Ill.). This bipartisan bill would permanently prohibit taxpayer dollars from being used to pay for abortions in Obamacare health plans starting the next plan year. This bill also protects Americans of conscience by requiring the full disclosure of abortion coverage in Obamacare plans so people can make informed decisions about their healthcare plans right now.

Family Research Council (FRC) President Tony Perkins responded with the following comments:

"This is another victory for taxpayers, women, and their unborn children.

"To the credit of House leaders, all but 1 Republican -- even the wobbly ones -- voted yes on the bill, which would create a blanket ban on taxpayer-funded abortion across the entire government, permanently.

"The GAO, a federal government agency, found in its own investigation last year that the government is indeed dipping into taxpayer dollars to cover abortion subsidies in 1,036 Obamacare health plans. This is unconscionable. This report put to rest claims that Obamacare doesn't subsidize abortion. If abortion is a 'private choice,' as they say, then it shouldn't receive taxpayer dollars to fund it.

"While I am disappointed that Rep. Renee Ellmers (NC-R) and a handful of Republicans caused a delay in the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, I commend the House leadership for their efforts to get taxpayers out of the abortion business. We look forward to the House returning to the Pain-Capable Unborn Child bill later this year.

"Pro-abortion House Members have refused to explain to the American people why they are opposed to the bill and instead have spent much of their time on the floor talking about other unrelated topics instead of the matter addressed in bill, the issue of taxpayer-funded abortion. They don't want to talk about abortion funding because they know that more than two-thirds of American people are opposed to paying for the abortions of others.

"Abortion is an evil that haunts the American people. And it's time to make it right. Until every child is welcomed in life and protected in law, we must pray and work to end abortion in America," concluded Perkins.

Read FRC's analysis: "Abortion Funding and Obamacare."

SOURCE Family Research Council