Indian Health Care Improvement Act Amendments of 2007
Floor Speech
INDIAN HEALTH CARE IMPROVEMENT ACT AMENDMENTS OF 2007 -- (Senate - February 25, 2008)
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Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I am pleased we are making headway and are approaching finality and conclusion in regard to the Indian Health Care Improvement Act. I give great credit to Senator Dorgan from North Dakota and Senator Murkowski from Alaska for their persistence in working with the leaders on both sides to get this legislation moved and ultimately adopted.
It has been a long time since we have had the Indian Health Care Improvement Act reauthorized. I think it goes back to about 2001. So this is a long overdue step toward attempting to improve health care throughout Indian Country, and I applaud the work that has been done. I hope tomorrow we can dispose of the final amendments that remain and get to a final vote on this legislation so we can begin to address what are some very serious needs regarding Indian Country and health care.
I wish to specifically acknowledge a couple of amendments--one that is still pending and one that has been adopted.
AMENDMENT NO. 3896
First, Mr. President, I wish to speak to the Vitter amendment, which is going to be voted on tomorrow. If adopted, this amendment would codify longstanding policy against the funding of abortions with Federal Indian Health Service funds.
Senator Vitter's amendment would permanently apply to the IHS the policy set forth by the Hyde amendment, which prohibits the Federal funding of abortions and has been national policy since 1976. For over 30 years, Democratic and Republican administrations, the U.S. Supreme Court, and bipartisan Congresses have all upheld and affirmed this essential policy. In addition to maintaining this legislative precedent, amendment No. 3896 includes important exceptions to save the life of the mother or in cases of rape or incest.
Now, some of my colleagues may ask why statutory codification of this policy is necessary. Let me assure them it is necessary to ensure this decades-long legislative precedent does not fall needlessly through procedural and political cracks.
Without this amendment, there is no true assurance that Federal IHS funds will not be used to pay for abortions on demand in the future. As everyone in this Chamber knows, the language of future HHS appropriations bills depends upon a host of political and legislative contingencies which can shift suddenly and unpredictably.
This amendment would extend and codify good policy--policy that protects the vulnerable rather than restricting rights. The Federal Register contains scores of national policies that are in place to protect women, young children, and citizens of minority status from harm.
Abortion is a practice that can harm women physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Statistics clearly demonstrate that abortion in this country falls disproportionately on minority populations, including Native Americans.
By supporting this amendment, we affirm life. As a nation we have come a long way in protecting the unborn since the Supreme Court's decision in Roe v. Wade. However, we still have a long way to go in the fight to protect life in this country. I believe there is an essential human dignity attached to all persons, including the unborn, and I will continue working with my colleagues in the Congress to promote a culture of life in this Nation.
As a cosponsor of this amendment, I offer my strong support of amendment No. 3896, and I urge my colleagues to support it.
I hope when the vote comes up tomorrow, we will have a good, strong bipartisan vote in support of this amendment.
Mr. President, I see the majority leader has come on the floor. I yield to him at this time. I assume he has some business to dispose of.
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