Abortion Remains High Hurdle in Health-Care Push
The overhaul swirl of late has been focused largely on medical costs, insurance regulation, coverage mandates and the like. One pivotal issue has gotten less attention: abortion.
Republicans remain opposed to the health-care revamp, whether or not the legislation bans the use of federal money for abortion. But as many as a dozen Democrats in the House a big number in this showdown could vote against the overhaul if it doesnt contain stiffened abortion restrictions like what House passed in November, Rep. Bart Stupak has said.
There’s no solution to the impasse yet, but Democratic leaders are urging their fold to avoid making abortion a deal breaker. This is not about abortion,” said Speaker Nancy Pelosi said yesterday, the Associated Press reported. “This is a bill about providing quality affordable health care for all Americans.”
But the divide remains. Actually, neither camp on the abortion issue like mild abortion restrictions that passed the Senate in December, which is supposed to serve as the basis for the final legislation.
Abortion rights advocates have grown increasingly convinced that the language would restrict the reach of abortion coverage nearly as much as the Stupak language in the House bill passed in December, the Washington […]
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