Affordable Health Care For America Act

Floor Speech

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Ms. DeGETTE. Mr. Speaker, I rise to claim the time in opposition to the Stupak-Pitts amendment.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentlewoman from Colorado is recognized for 10 minutes.

Ms. DeGETTE. I yield myself 3 minutes, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, to say that this amendment is a wolf in sheep's clothing would be the understatement of a lifetime. The proponents say it simply extends the Hyde amendment, just a clarification of current law. Nothing could be further from the truth.

If enacted, this amendment will be the greatest restriction of a woman's right to choose to pass in our careers.

Here is why: The Hyde amendment states that no Federal funds shall be used for abortions. This has been contained in our annual appropriations bills for many years.

In the Energy and Commerce Committee, the pro-choice and some pro-life Democrats came together and compromised and we said no Federal funds in this bill will be used for abortions, the Capps amendment. This bill does not spend one Federal dollar on abortions.

This Stupak-Pitts amendment goes much further. It says that as part of their basic coverage, the public option cannot offer abortions to anyone, even those purchasing the policies with 100 percent private money. The amendment further says that anyone who purchases insurance in the exchange and who receives premium assistance cannot get insurance coverage for a legal medical procedure even with the portion of their premium that is their own private money.

Well, the proponents say women can just purchase supplemental insurance for abortions. This very notion is offensive to women. No one thinks that women will have an unplanned pregnancy or a planned pregnancy that goes terribly wrong. Would we expect to have people buy supplemental insurance for cancer treatment just in case maybe they might get sick? Like it or not, this is a legal medical procedure, and we should respect those who need to make this very personal decision.

Once again, the base bill contains language that preserves the Hyde amendment. Let's keep our eyes on the goal here, providing safe medical treatment for 36 million Americans. Let's not sacrifice reproductive rights today in pursuance of that noble goal.

I reserve the balance of my time.

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Ms. DeGETTE. Mr. Speaker, the gentleman from Pennsylvania said exactly what the intention is here. The intention is not simply to expand the Hyde amendment. The base bill does that. The base bill says that no Federal funds will be used in this bill for abortion.

It is the intention of our opponents to effectively stop a legal medical procedure from all plans that are in the exchange, even plans that are paid for with private dollars. This is the first time it would expand the Hyde exceptions to the private sector market. Mr. Speaker, it would not only affect the poor. It would affect the middle class.

Vote ``no'' on this ill-conceived amendment.

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