Advocates Speculate On Release Of White House 'Common Ground' Reproductive Health Policies

Main Category: Abortion
Article Date: 18 Jun 2009 - 7:00 PDT

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Advocates on both sides of the abortion-rights debate are anticipating the White House's release of its "common ground" reproductive health proposals, including policies aimed at preventing unintended pregnancies and reducing the need for abortion, U.S. News & World Report reports. President Obama in February tasked the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships with determining how to "support women and children, address teenage pregnancy and reduce the need for abortion." Along with the new White House Council on Women and Girls, the office since April has been conducting meetings with advocates on both sides of the abortion-rights debate to develop policy proposals. U.S. News reports that according to some involved in the process, the results could be announced as early as this summer. According to U.S. News, whether the White House can attract more support from conservative groups without alienating abortion-rights advocates at its base represents the "biggest test yet" of Obama's "vow to be a peacemaker in the nation's culture wars."

The White House solicited recommendations from groups in four areas: reducing unintended pregnancies, increasing access to adoption, supporting maternal health and reducing the need for abortion. The administration has stressed that it wants to avoid influencing women's decisions on abortion but that there needs to be support for individuals who decide to carry pregnancies to term. To date, the White House has given little indication on what the final plan will look like, and the wait for the proposals' release has left advocates on both sides of the debate "jittery" over whether their interests will be represented, according to U.S. News.

Kristen Day, head of Democrats for Life, said that "[t]here were definitely areas of disagreement" during the meetings but that "for the most part, people were respectful and were doing more listening than debating." Nancy Ratzan -- president of the National Council of Jewish Women and an abortion-rights supporter -- said, "I have real concerns about understanding those issues from a faith perspective as opposed to a scientific and individual rights perspective." She added, "You're creating the possibility that the religious views of some are going to be imposed on others." Richard Land, head of public policy for the Southern Baptist Convention, which opposes abortion rights, said, "I'm in a trust but verify mode." Land added that he has "seen some signs that they are eagerly seeking common ground and other signs that they're not."

According to U.S. News, some antiabortion-rights groups have said that too much emphasis on preventing unintended pregnancies through strategies like comprehensive sex education and increased access to contraception could cause them to oppose the White House's plan, even if they agree with certain aspects. Instead, these groups would like Obama to support the Pregnant Women Support Act, which aims to discourage abortion through assistance to economically distressed pregnant women. The Planned Parenthood Federation of America opposes the bill, which it says would "attempt to influence, rather than inform, a woman's decision whether or not to have an abortion."

Laurie Rubiner, vice president for public policy at Planned Parenthood, said that the Obama administration is "strongly pro-choice" and that she is "hopeful their policy will be helpful on reducing unintended pregnancies." Large religious groups that typically oppose abortion rights -- like the Southern Baptist Convention and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops -- also say they are hopeful that the White House's plan will satisfy groups on both sides. Nancy Wisdo, associate general secretary for USCCB, said the group is "willing to work with anyone who tries to reduce the number of abortions and help women who choose to bring their babies to term." She added that USCCB is "taking the White House at its word that this is going to be a serious effort" (Gilgoff, U.S. News & World Report, 6/16).

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