A Bill Has Passed the House Restricting Federal Funds for Abortions
February 24th, 2015
Recently the House voted to pass an anti-abortion bill severely limiting the federal funding of abortions. The Universal Life Church is interested in the outcome of any bill that may restrict another’s constitutional rights.
The Anti-Federal Funding Abortion Bill
The bill will restrict federal funds from being used for abortions. The restrictions of federal funds being used for abortions will include the use of Medicaid, federal-state insurance programs for low-income individuals, government-owned health care facilities, and the use of tax credits provided under the Affordable Care Act. There are exceptions in the bill in cases of rape or incest or if the pregnant woman is in danger of death. The bill passed the House of Representatives by 242 votes to 179 votes. The bill is expected to be vetoed by President Obama if it reaches his desk. A federal law that restricts access to federal funds for abortions will be felt by low-income women the most.
Another Crucial Bill Coming to the House Soon
The House may soon hear another bill that would greatly affect abortion laws in the United States. A bill is proposed that would ban abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy. The bill was halted from reaching the House floor because of a controversial clause within it. The bill as it read recently included a clause that would require rape victims to report their rape to law enforcement if they wanted an exception to the 20 weeks of pregnancy limit. Sponsors of the bill pulled the bill back in fears that it would not pass with the rape clause as it is. There is currently 13 states with 20 weeks of pregnancy abortion bans without any exception for rape victims.
42nd Anniversary of Roe v. Wade
The two bills come amidst the 42nd anniversary of the landmark decision in Roe v. Wade and while thousands of anti-abortion supporters march on Washington in protest against Roe v. Wade and abortion. In Roe v. Wade, the court determined that the due process clause of the Fourteenth Amendment gives the right to privacy, including a woman’s right to terminate her pregnancy against state action. The court also determined that although a state could not completely deny a woman the right to terminate a pregnancy, the state has a legitimate interest in protecting the pregnant woman’s health and the potentiality of human life at certain stages of pregnancy.
If a bill denying federal funding for abortions makes it to the president and he signs the bill into law, this will greatly impact the access woman have to abortions, especially low-income woman. The strong Republican presence will bring a plethora of newly proposed anti-abortion bills. The Universal Life Church will continue to follow the abortion debate across the country this year and in the coming years. Universal Life Church Case Law takes an interest in any proposed law that may affect the constitutional right of Americans.
