Posted on 03/24/2010 3:38:46 PM PDT by KTM rider
20 minutes ago WASHINGTON - Anything but jubilant, President Barack Obama awkwardly kept a promise Wednesday he made to ensure passage of historic health care legislation, pledging the administration would not allow federal funds to pay for elective abortions covered by private insurance.
Unlike Tuesday, when a beaming Obama signed the health care law in a nationally televised ceremony interrupted repeatedly by applause, the White House refused to permit coverage of the event. It occurred in the Oval Office in the presence of a small group of anti-abortion Democratic lawmakers who had extracted the commitment over the weekend. The president supports abortion rights.
The political maneuvering occurred as the FBI announced it was investigating threats received by about 10 Democratic lawmakers in recent days in apparent connection with the intensely controversial health care law.
(Excerpt) Read more at msnbc.msn.com ...
Video: Stupak Has Lied About Healthcare Vote All Along
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2476330/posts
He never intended to vote against the legislation when it came down to final vote. Listen to this video of Bart Stupak recorded last year, when he was unaware he was being recorded.
Obama quietly signs abortion order
The way Obama seems to love Abortion, I am almost getting ready to believe the crackpot theories that he is a Reptilian and his race of lizard people love to eat fetal humans the same way some people love to eat veal.
Margret Sanger did look a bit “Reptile” like....
I sure hope you are correct Danae. Outside of FR, I haven’t heard a grumble. Though the polls say otherwise, the msm’s propaganda machine is doing one hell of a job on the ignorant masses.
I am also hopeful that amnesty isn’t pushed though, making this a moot discussion.
Godspeed in the fight for our Republic, we’re getting down to crunchtime.
This sentence says it all. Keeping promises is awkward for Obama.
Evil can not stand the Light!
Get your flashlights and searchlights out spiritual Warriors!!!
Definitely noticed that. In actuality we have no idea WHICH Dems were supposedly threatened, or what was said within the threats themselves... Obviously including it within this article gives the impression that the holdouts were the ones threatened because of this particular provision.
Part of me wonders whether the threats were from those opposed to this legislation — or if it was a “reverse psychology” type psyops action on the part of fellow Democrats... I hope the FBI agents tasked with investigating these particular threats are “good guys” who care about truth... I KNOW there are a few good men (and women) left. Let’s pray those really responsible are held accountable for their actions, and this isn’t a political witchhunt.
Forest Gump asking, "What's an Obama Mama?"
I don’t see how an E.O. that could be rescinded with the stroke of a pen by the President can override legislation passed by Congress, really. There is no assurance here.
Also — who will be tasked with making sure our tax dollars are not put into a “General Fund”, and if those dollars are put into the pot will some funds be “earmarked” not to be used for “Women’s Health Services”???
All I see this EO as is an attempt to placate some in regards to our moral objections to funding abortion. It’s a piece of paper that I can’t see holding any REAL weight...
Exactly — if the “pro-choice” (Pro-Abortion) groups are screaming bloody murder over this (no pun intended), then it must mean absolutely NOTHING.
I see this the same — I too, do not believe this EO can override the legislation. And how would it possibly be enforced anyway? Once the money is received what is to prevent some “creative accounting” by these places?
Yep, not through PRIVATE INSURANCE - but it does nothing to prevent them from being paid for by our TAX DOLLARS through the “government option”.
Anyway, he's got some other definite Daniel-esque "world ruler" characteristics including coming in like a lamb to fool people - like his making a public show of being a praying Christian during his campaign.
He doesn’t have to sign anything to lift the “ban”. The EO isn’t worth the paper it’s written on. Besides, an EO isn’t used to alter legislation that has already been passed.
A lot of liberals are praising the downfall of all these insurance companies. The truth is — there will be a few still around... those companies who have lobbied for this to reduce their competition and get in bed with the gov’t. I’ll bet you and I can guess which companies those will be (Kaiser Permanente, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, and maybe a few more of the HUGE companies).
[However, I may be wrong about BCBS because they issued a study on their website a few days back detailing how this will negatively affect their providers, and clients... The executives at BCBS are most likely NOT in favor of this.]
bump
And now we’re stuck with a government owned insurance company.
And what with the way Medicare and Medicaid and the VA are run, people should be shaking in their boots over the thought of what healthcare will become.
Heck, the government can’t even run the post office efficiently.
Now we have lost the freedom to make our own healthcare choices.
Thanks a lot, guys......
where in the msnbc article..I couldn’t find it?
” pledging the administration would not allow federal funds to pay for elective abortions covered by private insurance.
“
So all elective abortions WILL be covered! If not by private insurance, then by federal funds. And Stupid Stupak and his minions didn’t “catch” this one? Duh!
Hyde looks to be inforced .....This is the actual order:
Restrictions on the Use of Federal Funds for Abortion
EXECUTIVE ORDER
ENSURING ENFORCEMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF ABORTION RESTRICTIONS IN THE PATIENT PROTECTION AND AFFORDABLE CARE ACT
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including the “Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act” (Public Law 111-148), I hereby order as follows:
Section. 1. Policy. Following the recent enactment of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (the “Act”), it is necessary to establish an adequate enforcement mechanism to ensure that Federal funds are not used for abortion services (except in cases of rape or incest, or when the life of the woman would be endangered), consistent with a longstanding Federal statutory restriction that is commonly known as the Hyde Amendment. The purpose of this order is to establish a comprehensive, Government-wide set of policies and procedures to achieve this goal and to make certain that all relevant actors — Federal officials, State officials (including insurance regulators) and health care providers — are aware of their responsibilities, new and old.
The Act maintains current Hyde Amendment restrictions governing abortion policy and extends those restrictions to the newly created health insurance exchanges. Under the Act, longstanding Federal laws to protect conscience (such as the Church Amendment, 42 U.S.C. 300a-7, and the Weldon Amendment, section 508(d)(1) of Public Law 111-8) remain intact and new protections prohibit discrimination against health care facilities and health care providers because of an unwillingness to provide, pay for, provide coverage of, or refer for abortions.
Numerous executive agencies have a role in ensuring that these restrictions are enforced, including the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), and the Office of Personnel Management.
Sec. 2. Strict Compliance with Prohibitions on Abortion Funding in Health Insurance Exchanges. The Act specifically prohibits the use of tax credits and cost-sharing reduction payments to pay for abortion services (except in cases of rape or incest, or when the life of the woman would be endangered) in the health insurance exchanges that will be operational in 2014. The Act also imposes strict payment and accounting requirements to ensure that Federal funds are not used for abortion services in exchange plans (except in cases of rape or incest, or when the life of the woman would be endangered) and requires State health insurance commissioners to ensure that exchange plan funds are segregated by insurance companies in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, OMB funds management circulars, and accounting guidance provided by the Government Accountability Office.
I hereby direct the Director of the OMB and the Secretary of HHS to develop, within 180 days of the date of this order, a model set of segregation guidelines for State health insurance commissioners to use when determining whether exchange plans are complying with the Act’s segregation requirements, established in section 1303 of the Act, for enrollees receiving Federal financial assistance. The guidelines shall also offer technical information that States should follow to conduct independent regular audits of insurance companies that participate in the health insurance exchanges. In developing these model guidelines, the Director of the OMB and the Secretary of HHS shall consult with executive agencies and offices that have relevant expertise in accounting principles, including, but not limited to, the Department of the Treasury, and with the Government Accountability Office. Upon completion of those model guidelines, the Secretary of HHS should promptly initiate a rulemaking to issue regulations, which will have the force of law, to interpret the Act’s segregation requirements, and shall provide guidance to State health insurance commissioners on how to comply with the model guidelines.
Sec. 3. Community Health Center Program. The Act establishes a new Community Health Center (CHC) Fund within HHS, which provides additional Federal funds for the community health center program. Existing law prohibits these centers from using Federal funds to provide abortion services (except in cases of rape or incest, or when the life of the woman would be endangered), as a result of both the Hyde Amendment and longstanding regulations containing the Hyde language. Under the Act, the Hyde language shall apply to the authorization and appropriations of funds for Community Health Centers under section 10503 and all other relevant provisions. I hereby direct the Secretary of HHS to ensure that program administrators and recipients of Federal funds are aware of and comply with the limitations on abortion services imposed on CHCs by existing law. Such actions should include, but are not limited to, updating Grant Policy Statements that accompany CHC grants and issuing new interpretive rules.
Sec. 4. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect: (i) authority granted by law or Presidential directive to an agency, or the head thereof; or (ii) functions of the Director of the OMB relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
(c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees or agents, or any other person.
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