Social Policy & Politics Program | Memo
Abortion Coverage in the House-Passed Version of Health Care Reform
SUMMARY
This memo offers an analysis of abortion coverage in the House-passed version of health care reform, explaining that the Stupak-Pitts Amendment is not abortion neutral and offering an alternative path forward that truly achieves abortion neutrality and common ground.
Health care reform is now in jeopardy because some have tried to use it to gain ground in the abortion debate. Third Way supports an approach to reform that is strictly abortion neutral.
This memo explains the three ways in which the Stupak-Pitts Amendment, which was included in the House-passed version of health care reform, is not abortion neutral but instead upsets the delicate federal balance already in place when it comes to ensuring that federal funds are not used to cover abortion.
The memo also offers an explanation of the pro-life Ellsworth Amendment, which represents a far better approach that adheres to abortion neutrality and common ground.
