Wilmington, Delaware (December 9, 2009) – The U.S. Senate on Tuesday defeated the Nelson-Hatch Amendment to the Senate healthcare bill (The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act), which would have denied federal funds from being used to pay for abortions in the public option plan, except in cases of rape, incest, or life of the mother. 

 Several recent polls by major media outlets have shown that over 60% of Americans believe abortion should not be paid for with federal dollars.  Yet Senator Harry Reid (D-NV), a self-proclaimed pro-life Democrat, effectively ignored the consciences of the majority of Americans by advancing the largest expansion of abortion since Roe v. Wade at taxpayers’ expense. 

Delaware Right to Life president, Nicole Collins remarked, “Congressional Democrats continue to assure us that abortions will not be federally funded; that this is not an ‘abortion bill.’  If this is true, why are amendments like Stupak in the House and Nelson-Hatch in the Senate so divisive?  They should simply be formalities.  Obviously, if the current language passes, abortion will be widely funded with federal taxpayer dollars.” 

Though the Nelson-Hatch Amendment would have been a small step in the right direction, Delaware Right to Life did not believe this was the only necessary step.  The amendment would have prevented federal funding of abortion in the public option, but did not address other concerning issues such as conscience protections for healthcare workers, healthcare rationing, provisions for euthanasia, and funding of Planned Parenthood, the nation’s largest abortion provider.  And even if it had passed, it would still allow for private plans to cover elective abortions, even if the purchaser was federally subsidized. 

“As a no-exceptions organization, Nelson-Hatch was a small step.  But DRTL’s mission is to defund the abortion machine entirely, which is why it was difficult for us to lend our full support to these amendments, as they do still provide for exceptions in certain cases, and don’t address other life issues beyond abortion,” Collins said.  “Modest improvements like Nelson-Hatch simply would not have been enough to make this a pro-life healthcare bill.” 

Delaware Senator Ted Kaufman voted nay (pro-life) on this amendment and Delaware Right to Life urges its supporters to call Senator Kaufman’s office and thank him for his vote, and to encourage him to vote against the overall bill.  DRTL hopes to find more common ground with Delaware legislators on this issue.

DRTL urges Senator Tom Carper, who voted yea (pro-abortion) on the amendment, to reconsider his position in the future, and vote against the healthcare bill as a whole, as even many pro-abortion Delawareans find it appalling to use taxpayer dollars to fund this procedure.

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