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Nebraska's Senator Ben Nelson introduced the Nelson-Hatch amendment yesterday (Dec. 7) which mirrors the Stupak language added to the House health care bill. "For more than three decades taxpayers’ money hasn’t been used for abortions," he said," and it shouldn’t under any new health reform legislation."
The effect of this amendment would be to prevent the proposed new government health insurance program from paying for abortions and also to prevent federal funds from being used to subsidize the purchase of private health plans that pay for elective abortion.
"I’d note that the Senate health care bill, if enacted would indeed chart new ground—it covers abortion," Nelson said. "The language in the bill goes around the federal standard disallowing public funding of abortion. A clear majority of Americans, including my constituents in Nebraska, support this prohibition against using public money to cover abortion. Our amendment formally extends that standard to this health reform bill." (See video below.)
The Washington offices of Senators Blanche Lincoln and Mark Pryor (and all U.S. Senators) can be reached through the Capitol Switchboard, 202-224-3121.
Sen. Ben Nelson, R-Neb. answer question for members of the media on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2009. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
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