[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 19]
[House]
[Page 26555]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




          EXPRESSING PRO-LIFE CONCERNS WITH PELOSI HEALTH CARE

  (Mr. BOOZMAN asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. Speaker, as a strong believer in the dignity of all 
human life, I have worked to defend the rights of the unborn, but the 
Pelosi health care bill does not protect those rights.
  The newly created public option will be authorized to fund elective 
abortions. The Pelosi health care bill does not include the pro-life 
language, which was offered and rejected in committee, to prohibit the 
Federal funding of abortion and of plans that include abortion. As the 
bill is written, Federal funds will pay for elective abortions.
  This goes against a longstanding rule that government insurance 
programs, such as Medicaid or the Federal Employees Health Benefits, 
cannot cover elective abortions. Health care reform should be about 
improving the quality of life, not about taking it.
  The National Right to Life Committee has expressed its concerns with 
this legislation as have thousands of residents from the Third District 
of Arkansas.
  The respect for life needs to be a core value of our Nation, and it 
needs to be reflected in our national policies and health care reform.

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