[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 19]
[House]
[Page 26553]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                    HEALTH CARE REFORM AND ABORTION

  (Mr. CAO asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. CAO. Mr. Speaker, health care reform is an issue of paramount 
importance, and we must be deliberative in solving the main question, 
which is: How can we make our health care system affordable, 
accessible, and accountable? Unfortunately, the health care reform 
forum has not been used to address the problem of affordable health 
care, but to expand the controversial issue of abortion.
  When President Obama addressed a joint session of Congress on 
September 9, he said, ``Under our plan, no Federal dollars will be used 
to fund abortion, and Federal conscience laws will remain in place.'' 
The health care reform plan presented by Speaker Pelosi does not 
reflect the long-standing policies that ban Federal abortion funding.
  America needs responsible health care reform, and it should not be a 
vehicle for expanding the abortion agenda. The majority of the American 
people, including those in my home district of Louisiana, are against 
the Federal funding of abortion. Real health care is about saving and 
nurturing life, not about taking life.

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