The decision to move critical health insurance reform toward passage by means of reconciliation may constitute a victory in the fight to preserve access to abortion services in reform. The Senate bill contains anti-abortion language that (though imperfect) is far less onerous than the Stupak Amendment in the House bill. Because the House will only have the opportunity to vote on the Senate legislation, the Stupak Amendment is, by all accounts, effectively dead.
For the last year, the Religious Action Center and other organizations which support reproductive rights have worked to pass meaningful and critical health insurance reform which does not constitute a further assault on a woman’s right to choose. We worked toward “abortion neutrality” in the legislation – language that would not advance or further limit reproductive rights. With 47 million Americans currently without health insurance, health reform should never have become mired in the controversial yet important issue of reproductive freedom.
Of course, the best laid plans did not work out as such. After months of debate, numerous votes, much advocacy, and deal-making on all sides, the House-passed bill included the onerous, anti-choice “Stupak Amendment” and the Senate-passed bill included the less-burdensome but still deeply flawed “Nelson Compromise.”
Now, the plan to pass desperately-needed health insurance reform is for the House to vote upon the Senate bill despite the reservations of more liberal members of the former and for any amendments to be made through the budget reconciliation process. However, because this process can only be used for budgetary measures, it appears that Stupak-style language (which failed in the Senate already) cannot be included in the ultimate form the legislation takes. A victory, of sorts.
The Nelson compromise language does constitute some restriction on access to abortion services. However, when measured against the myriad benefits of necessary reform, they cannot undermine our moral and religious obligation, our mandate to ensure the health and well-being of as many of the vulnerable members of our society as possible.
If you have questions or would like more information, please contact me at 202.387.2800 or at [email protected].