Surprising pro-life wins in CROmnibus

Jill Stanek ^ | Jill Staenk

[Morgana]

You’ll recall that in August the California Department of Managed Health Care issued a mandate requiring all insurance issuers to immediately add surgical and RU-486 abortion coverage to their plans, even those for nonprofit religious institutions and churches.

This was a violation of the decade-old Weldon Amendment, one of several pro-life riders included in appropriations bills every year. The Weldon Amendment blocks government agencies receiving federal funds from discriminating against any health care entity for not covering abortions.

The only recourse for victims seeking protection under the Weldon Amendment is to file a complaint with the Office for Civil Rights at the Department of Health and Human Services.

In late August and early September that is exactly what two Catholic universities and seven churches in California did.

But to date HHS has taken no action, and the violation is ongoing.

Because the Obama administration has failed to enforce the Weldon amendment, pro-life leaders have pressed to enact the Abortion NonDiscrimination Act, which would make the Weldon amendment permanent and offer judicial recourse for victims impacted by the violation.

Pro-lifers in Congress tried to insert ANDA into the Continuing Resolution Omnibus appropriations bill, i.e., CROmnibus, which will fund the government through September 2015 (except DHS, which is only funded until March, so the GOP can revisit Obama’s immigration executive order after the new legislative session begins, at which point Republicans will control both houses).

But with many Republicans opposing CROmnibus for other reasons, it needs Democrat votes to pass and must also pass the Democrat-run Senate.

Since both parties are loathe to risk shutting down the government over the budget, pro-lifers behind the scenes were instead able to squeeze verbiage into the Explanatory Statement noting the complaints and directing the HHS Secretary to take action.

This is a step toward obtaining relief for the victims of the California mandate and warning other states considering similar action (like Washington) Congress takes the Weldon Amendment seriously. It reads:

Healthcare Provider Complaints. Legislation appropriating funding for the Department of Health and Human Services has carried a general provision relating to health care providers since fiscal year 2005 (Division H, Section 507(d) of Public Law 113-76). Complaints regarding reported violations of these provisions have been filed with the Office for Civil Rights at the Department of Health and Human Services. The Secretary is directed to respond to these complaints expeditiously in accordance with final rule 45 CFR Part 88 published in Federal Register Vol. 76 No. 36.

What this does is put the HHS Secretary (and other states that might want to follow California’s lead) on notice that Weldon is a law that Congress – including the Appropriators – take very seriously.

HHS now has a little time to actually enforce Weldon, but the next appropriations cycle starts in a few months, and this language shows that Congress is not going to let California’s action’s slide.

A source on the Hill noted in an email, “A LOT of work went into pulling this off, and I was actually impressed that they got the report language in.” Again, Democrats as well as Republicans had to agree to this language before it was inserted.

Pro-lifers in Congress will still work to pass ANDA next year easier without Harry Reid blocking everything.

Pro-lifers were also able to add an Explanatory Statement noting the shroud of secrecy surrounding Obamacare-approved insurance plans that cover abortions and directing the HHS Secretary to provide transparency.

The explanatory statement agreed to by both Republicans and Democrats calls for transparency BEFORE enrollment… huge.

It’s not just that pro-lifers care only about transparency, the explanatory statement gives them opportunities to address the issue of abortion coverage under Obamacare. This is no fix for sure, but it’s a move in the right direction.

Additional information on CROmnibus for pro-life budget wonks:

Funding for the UNFPA remains the same as FY14: $35 million Funding for International Family Planning/Population Control Activities remains the same as FY14: not less than $575 million Title X Family Planning Program remains the same as FY14: $286 million

[Top photo via Getty‘; bottom photo via Salon] - See more at: http://www.jillstanek.com/2014/12/gops-attempted-sneak-attack-contraception-mandate-cromnibus/#sthash.rQH3M5ru.dpuf

[Baynative]

"...add surgical and RU-486 abortion coverage to their plans"

Where are single males speaking up about this?

This illustrates one of the simple problems with progressive controlled legislation. They are bound by their secular support to include everyone and everything in an all encompassing plan. As personal health morphs into emotional well being everyone will be forced to pay for accu puncture, massage, obesity counseling, tattoo removal, hair straightening, gender reassignment, hair removal, hair replacement, lypo suction, face lifts, tummy tucks and all forms of cosmetic procedures that can be ruled as improving one's life or self esteem.

Wait until some clinic says they can make people taller...

[Baynative]

Oh goodness, I forgot aroma therapy!

[Morgana]

“Oh goodness, I forgot aroma therapy! “

Oh you need that. To kill (no pun intended) the smell of death in abortion clinics.

[EternalVigilance]

Jill Stanek is so naive.

[EternalVigilance]

Or, if she’s not naive, she’s become little more than a shill for the useless “pro-life” “movement.”

[GeronL]

how much will that cost taxpayers.

[Morgana]

Jill Stanek is a reporter. She just delivers the message. Don’t shoot the messenger.

Sometimes I feel the some aspects of the “prolife” movement is useless.

[EternalVigilance]

She’s not a reporter. She’s an activist with a website.

[Morgana]

http://stanekreport.com/

She’s the messenger. You take that message and you be the fighters in this pro life battle. Jill can’t do this alone.

[Morgana]

For that matter I can’t do this alone. Every FReeper needs to be involved.

[EternalVigilance]

You’re not understanding what I’m saying, so let me be clearer.

Jill is part of the problem.

Adding “verbiage into the Explanatory Statement,” of a massive ominbus bill is not some huge pro-life victory. It’s not even a little victory. Frankly, it’s pathetic and embarrassing.

[Morgana]

If I read this article correctly, which was hard because it looked like it was written by lawyers, it looked to me as if it was saying they, as in the Republicans got the Democrats to delay the HHS system to delay the forcing of people to pay for abortion/ru886 for another six months due to “transparency”.

Now mind you that was my take on it but it was very very hard to read.

[wagglebee]

Or, if she’s not naive, she’s become little more than a shill for the useless “pro-life” “movement.”

I agree, there is no "win" here and to portray it as such is absurd. I think Jill Stanek is a wonderful woman, but over the past decade she has increasingly become a shill for National Right to Life.

Over the past four decades, the pro-life movement has turned into a business with National Right to Life and some other groups becoming "Pro-Life, Inc." They are part of the abortion industry just as the Democrats and most of the GOP are part of big government.

These groups certainly have individuals who are pro-life and want to abolish abortion and all forms of euthanasia, but the groups themselves are little more than money-making bureaucracies that claim "victory" every time an "and then you can kill the baby" law passes. And BECAUSE of these laws, the American Holocaust continues unabated with thousands more dying each day.

Here are a couple of examples:

• "Partial birth abortions are illegal, except when the mothers life is at risk...so, find a pro-abortion doctor to say her life is at risk...AND THEN YOU CAN KILL THE BABY"

• "No abortions for underage girls without parental consent or a judge's consent...so, find a pro-abortion judge to sign off...AND THEN YOU CAN KILL THE BABY"

As far as Pro-Life, Inc. is concerned these are both "victories" even though they will never save a single life.

And now, we have a spending bill that basically says:
You claimed that Obamacare doesn't pay for abortions even though it does, now you have to admit that it pays for abortions. Here's your funding.

There is NOTHING pro-life about this. Everyone who cares at all has known for years that Obamacare pays for abortion, this bill doesn't change that one bit. The American people elected a GOP Congress and de-funding Obamacare was one of the main reasons -- now, it's funded.

Being pro-life is about protecting ALL innocent life from the moment of conception until the moment of natural death. And a bunch of lobbyists will never accomplish this. Laws regulating abortion won't end abortion, they facilitate it.

If anyone wants to know how to end abortion, all they need to do is look at the Roe v. Wade decision, Blackmun tell us exactly how to end it:

The appellee and certain amici argue that the fetus is a "person" within the language and meaning of the Fourteenth Amendment. In support of this, they outline at length and in detail the well known facts of fetal development. If this suggestion of personhood is established, the appellant's case, of course, collapses, for the fetus' right to life would then be guaranteed specifically by the Amendment. The appellant conceded as much on reargument.

And if anyone wants to know what the real pro-life movement looks like, these pictures explain it all:

[EternalVigilance]

You nailed it.

Of course, folks don’t need to carry a cross or get arrested. All they have to do is stop supporting politicians who refuse to carry out their sacred oath to provide equal protection for the life of every innocent person in this country, and raise up leaders who will do that most crucial duty.

[wagglebee]

Of course, folks don’t need to carry a cross or get arrested. All they have to do is stop supporting politicians who refuse to carry out their sacred oath to provide equal protection for the life of every innocent person in this country, and raise up leaders who will do that most crucial duty.

You're right.

Unfortunately, there are few if any politicians on the national scene who are willing to do this.

[EternalVigilance]

Well, it has to start with the people.

Specifically, the Christians.

[wagglebee]

Agreed.