[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 172 (Thursday, November 19, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2823]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 AFFORDABLE HEALTH CARE FOR AMERICA ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                           HON. MARCY KAPTUR

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                       Saturday, November 7, 2009

  Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the Stupak-Ellsworth-
Pitts-Smith-Kaptur-Dahlkemper Amendment that maintains existing Federal 
law on the compelling issue of abortion. For 34 years, citizens of 
conscience on all sides have weighed in on this important moral and 
legal question. Lawmakers have attempted to accommodate very divergent 
views, even on the meaning of life itself. Many lives must be 
considered--the life of the mother, the life of the child, including 
the unborn but conceived, and in my opinion the rarely mentioned 
responsibilities of the father as well.
  Our legislative struggle to do what is proper is rooted in 
interrelated moral, scientific, legal, and yes, theological 
dissonances. What is right? What should be legal? And what will lead to 
a just and responsible society for all? I continue to approach this 
deeply moving issue as a representative from a widely diverse 
Congressional district in northwestern Ohio, an area of our Nation 
comprised of people from many different ethnicities, races, faiths, 
denominations and belief systems. My representation of these varying 
views embodies the deepest respect for all our people, and for the 
integrity with which they have arrived at their values.
  This amendment reaffirms longstanding, existing law, and nothing 
more. It represents the broad consensus of the American people after 
decades of consideration on the issue. Recent Gallup polls show that 51 
percent of Americans consider themselves ``pro-life'' on the issue of 
abortion. But, this amendment does not resolve all moral questions that 
face pro choice, prolife, and non-aligned Americans on this issue. All 
it does is restate existing law.
  It states that no Federal funds ``authorized under this Act may be 
used to pay for any abortion, or to cover any part of the costs of any 
health plan that includes coverage of abortion,'' except in the cases 
of the life of the mother, rape or incest.
  Effectively, the precedent setting Hyde amendment--which has been in 
effect for 34 years in our Nation--will apply to the public option, and 
to any Federal plans which include elective abortion. The amendment 
does no more, and no less. Further, with the added coverage for all 
Americans that this bill provides, perhaps the abortion choice will 
become less attractive for those faced with such a life wrenching 
choice.
  This amendment will not bar any one from purchasing their own private 
supplemental rider. Our language is the same that applies in current 
law on Medicaid, Medicare, the Children's Health Insurance Plan, and 
the Federal Employee Health Benefits Plan, FEHBP, itself which offers 
many private insurance plans. The FEHBP is a model for how this 
language will be applied. It has been tried, tested, and proven.
  The inclusion of this amendment clarifies the bill's language on the 
potential fungibility of premium dollars deposited in Federal accounts 
that could result in federally sanctioned insurance paid for by taxes, 
premiums, or Federal subsidies diverted to pay for abortions by those 
who do not agree with the procedure.
  Importantly, for the first time, the base measure itself will help 
vast scores of women to obtain health coverage and, by so doing limit 
abortion by enhancing broad coverage options for women's and children's 
health. The rate of infant mortality, which is fueled by shamefully 
high rates of premature birth in the United States, shows us that we 
are not addressing the needs of mother's and their babies. Providing 
the necessary support for women is the answer. This bill will vastly 
improve preventive care, double funds available to community health 
centers including obstetric and gynecological care, and move America 
fully into this 21st century. No woman, no woman--including poor women, 
pregnant women, unemployed women, working women, single women, and 
nursing women--will be left out of health insurance coverage.
  I urge my colleagues to support the amendment.

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