KS US Reps Huelskamp, Jenkins, Pompeo, Yoder (photo Alton/CJOnline)
U.S. Congressional reps Tim Huelskamp (1), Lynn Jenkins (2), Kevin Yoder (3), and Mike Pompeo (4) have been voting 100% pro-life for Kansans. All 4 voted Wednesday for a successful cut-off of abortion-training and protection of medical rights of conscience.
The U.S. House of Representatives today adopted, 234-182, a pro-life amendment offered by Rep. Virginia Foxx (R- NC) and backed by the National Right to Life Committee (NRLC).(details here)
The amendment sets up conscience protections for “teaching health centers” (THCs) that receive certain federal funds for graduate medical education; it
- will prohibit any medical center that receives funds from the program from discriminating against any doctor, nurse, or other health care provider — for example, a medical resident — on grounds that the provider refused to “provide, pay for, provide coverage of, or refer for abortions;” and
- will prohibit the use of any federal funds in the program to provide abortions or training in abortion, with narrow exceptions.
‘Obamacare’ provides guaranteed grants — $230 million over the first five years — to THCs for graduate-level training in certain “primary care” fields of medicine, including obstetrics and gynecology. It targets care in “community-based” health centers, including federally funded community health centers and family planning clinics.
The House Republican leadership authored a bill [HR 1216] changing the funding from mandatory to an annual appropriation The Foxx amendment was added to HR 1216, and won the support of 221 Republicans and 13 Democrats. It was opposed by 10 Republicans and 172 Democrats.
However, the amendment faces tough odds in the pro-abortion-controlled U.S. Senate.
Planned Parenthood and NARAL want the federal taxpayer to fund training of the next generation of abortionists, said NRLC Legislative Director Douglas Johnson.
“In fact, pro-abortion activists are also trying to make it impossible to become certified in, and to practice in, some medical fields without participating in providing abortions. Stronger federal anti-discrimination laws are needed to counter these efforts, especially since the Obama Administration has severely weakened enforcement of the existing protective laws,” Johnson concluded.
Thank you for voting pro-life: All 4 – Huelskamp, Jenkins, Yoder, Pompeo voted Wednesday for a successful cut-off of abortion-training and protection of medical rights of conscience.