GOP-led House aims to restrict abortion funding

February 7, 2011 at 12:00a.m.

McClatchy Newspapers

WASHINGTON

Two House subcommittees will have hearings this week on separate bills that would expand restrictions on federal funding of abortions.

One would eliminate tax breaks for abortions. The other would restrict use of federal funds for abortions under the new health-care law. While both may pass the Republican-controlled House, their prospects of passing a Democratic-held Senate or escaping President Barack Obama’s veto pen are slim to none.

Still, the bills have alarmed abortion-rights advocates, who say they are attempts to attack legalized abortion — federally funded or not — through the tax code and measures to deny women access to the procedure.

The No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act, designated H.R. 3 and sponsored by Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., would codify provisions of the Hyde Amendment, which prohibits federal funding for abortion but must be renewed by Congress annually.

Smith said his bill would “permanently end any U.S. government financial support for abortion whether it be direct funding or by tax credits or any other subsidy.” A House Judiciary subcommittee will have a hearing on it Tuesday.

Like Smith’s bill, the Protect Life Act (H.R. 358), sponsored by Rep. Joe Pitts, R-Pa., would restrict the use of federal funds under the new health-care law, but isn’t as aggressive in terms of using the tax code. The House Energy and Commerce health subcommittee, which Pitts chairs, will have a hearing on it Wednesday.

Abortion-rights supporters said Pitts’ bill contains language that would allow hospitals to deny a woman an abortion, even if her life were in jeopardy.

Andrew Wimer, a Pitts spokesman, said the accusation was false. He said the language is an attempt to include in the health-care law a “conscience clause” for doctors and hospitals that object to performing abortions.