Abortion, Health Reform Among Top Issues At Values Voters Summit

Main Category: Abortion
Also Included In: Health Insurance / Medical Insurance
Article Date: 22 Sep 2009 - 3:00 PDT

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At the annual Values Voter Summit over the weekend, conservative leaders claimed that President Obama's health care reform plan will lead to more abortions unless opponents become more vocal in attempts to defeat the plan, CQ Today reports. The event, sponsored by the Family Research Council, serves as a forum for political discussion and a chance for religious conservative voters to get a glimpse at prospective presidential candidates. According to CQ Today, about 2,000 people were registered for the event.

Several members of Congress spoke at the event. Despite assurances from Obama and other Democratic leaders that health reform will not include federal funding for abortion, Rep. Christopher Smith (R-N.J.) told attendees that Obama's plan would be "the greatest expansion of abortion since Roe v. Wade." Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind.) claimed, "The American people will not stand for health care reform that uses government funds to pay for government-funded abortions." Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) pledged that conservatives in Congress "will keep up the pressure until your voices are heard" (Kapochunas, CQ Today, 9/18).

Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R) also spoke, saying that Democrats have wasted tax dollars and pushed immoral policies, including Obama's repeal of the "global gag rule," which banned federal funding to international family planning groups that offer abortion information and services. Perry also lauded Texas' "traditional values," such as the state's Prenatal Protection Act and Woman's Right to Know Act, both of which pertain to abortion rights (Korn, Dallas Morning News, 9/20).

Straw Poll Finds Huckabee Favorite for 2012

Other speakers at the event included former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee (R), former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney (R) and Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R) (CQ Today, 9/18). According to a straw poll taken at the event, Huckabee is the favorite potential 2012 presidential candidate among religious conservatives, the AP/Google reports. Huckabee received 28% of the vote, which surveyed about one-third of the registered attendees. Pawlenty, Romney, Pence and former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R) all tied for second, each receiving about 12% of the vote. Abortion was among the top issues cited by those casting ballots, who also listed religious liberties, tax cuts and same-sex marriage among their priorities (AP/Google, 9/19).

CQ Weekly Examines Role of Religion in Health Reform

In related news, CQ Weekly on Monday examined the "spiritual dimension" of the health reform debate, particularly religious conservatives' concerns over federal funding for coverage of abortion services. Obama has said that abortion services will not be funded by the government under his health reform plan, and Democrats in Congress have "tried to keep abortion from becoming an issue" by accepting compromise language like the Capps amendment, which ensures that federal funds are not used to pay for abortion coverage, CQ Weekly reports. The amendement prohibits abortion coverage in the minimum benefits package but allows plans to offer abortion coverage if paid for with private premiums. However, religious conservatives remain unconvinced. Rep. Joe Pitts (R-Pa.) called the Capps amendment "an effort to get pro-life votes, but this is not a pro-life amendment" (Weyl, CQ Weekly, 9/21).

Reprinted with kind permission from http://www.nationalpartnership.org. You can view the entire Daily Women's Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery here. The Daily Women's Health Policy Report is a free service of the National Partnership for Women & Families, published by The Advisory Board Company.

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