White House Betrays Women with Abortion Restriction Deal, says Center for Reproductive Rights

The Center for Reproductive Rights is deeply disappointed with President Obama’s decision to issue an executive order on abortion restrictions after the House of Representatives approves the healthcare bill. The order, intended to secure support from anti-choice Democrats for healthcare reform legislation, essentially imports the Hyde Amendment strictures to an executive order. Nancy Northup, president of the Center for Reproductive Rights has this response:
 
“The President’s decision to issue an executive order designed to assuage Representative Stupak and his cohorts is a betrayal of millions of women across this country and of his campaign promises.  The order lends credibility to an already impossibly flawed policy that punishes and discriminates against poor women by denying them the full range of reproductive health services and their constitutional right.  Current policy known as the Hyde Amendment was denounced by President Obama himself as a presidential candidate.
 
 “Current law withholds funding for abortion under Medicaid and other federal programs even though the service is one of the most common procedures for American women. For millions of women, these federal programs are their sole means of getting health services, including reproductive healthcare. Abortion is the only medically necessary health service excluded from this coverage.  Failure to provide insurance coverage for a medical procedure that only women need is discrimination.
 
 “It is unacceptable that a pro-choice President has put his imprimatur on a highly restrictive and unjust anti-choice measure.  Early on in this debate a good faith compromise supported by pro-choice groups was tossed out to appease Representative Stupak and his cohorts.  It is tragic that, under a pro-choice administration and a Democratic majority in Congress, harmful anti-choice policy will be the price American women will pay for healthcare reform.”