Today,  with a vote of 251 to 172 the House of Representatives passed H.R. 358, “Protect Life Act” which amends the Affordable Care Act to ensure that U.S. taxpayers dollars are not used to fund abortions.  U.S. Representative Yvette D. Clarke released the following statement:

“Today, the House passed H.R. 358, Restricting Women’s Access to Reproductive Health Service Act (the so-called ‘Protect Life Act’).  This bill was a political tool to attack women’s access to adequate healthcare, rather than focus on America’s number one priority jobs!” added Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke.  “Under the Hyde Amendment, federal dollars are not spent on elective abortions.  This bill restricts, for the first time, how people with private insurance could choose to spend their private dollars in purchasing health insurance.  This restriction limits the freedom of Americans to make their own decisions.”

On March 22, 2010, President Barack Obama signed an executive order entitled ‘Ensuring Enforcement and Implementation of Abortion Restrictions in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.’  This ensures that the Affordable Care Act will maintain a ban on the use of federal money to pay for abortions, except in cases of rape or incest, or if the life of a woman is in danger.  It also provides clarification that the new health care laws legally protects hospitals, doctors and other providers that object to providing abortions as a matter of conscience. 

“While the nation’s unemployment rate is 9.1 percent and the American people protest for economic equality, Republicans would rather declare war on women’s sexual health and reproductive freedom than focus on job creation.  The American people deserve a Congress that is going to address their needs first, rather than pursuing an ideological agenda.  I call on Republicans to join Democrats in addressing job growth instead of putting the lives of women at risk for political showmanship.”

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