« Population Research Institute using the new technology | Main | Irish neurologist: Patients being misled by Embryo Stem Cell research »

August 06, 2007

Comments

John Lally

The letter that I recently sent to Senators Clinton and Schumer, effectively accusing them of refusing prenatal care to poor pregnant women and their unborn children by their vote against the Allard amendment to the SCHIP (State's Children Health Insurance Program) bill, was mistaken in that charge.

I have just learned that the LifeNews report from which I drew my information was inaccurate and misleading in this respect. (See http://www.lifenews.com/nat3248.html, which includes the following opening paragraph, not included in your summary above:
“In an ironic vote, Senate Democrats led a fight against an amendment to the SCHIP bill on Thursday night that would have helped poor pregnant women and their unborn children obtain prenatal care. They voted against restoring a program that allows states to provide help for pregnant women in difficult financial circumstances.”)

In fact, both the House bill and the Senate bill reauthorizing SCHIP allowed continuation of coverage, under the pre-existing regulations, for prenatal care to the child and the child’s pregnant mother. However the House bill shifted the focus of coverage from the child to the pregnant woman; and the Senate bill included the qualification that no congressional intent was to be inferred "regarding the legality or illegality" of the regulation. The legitimate pro-life concern here is that these changes open the possibility of moves to have SCHIP cover abortions in the future.

It was to protect the existing "unborn child" regulations that Senator Allard introduced his amendment. Clinton’s and Schumer’s votes contributed to the close defeat of the amendment, thus retaining the objectionable changes in the final Senate bill.

However, as to the point in question regarding continuation of SCHIP coverage for prenatal care for pregnant women and the babies they are carrying, in both the Senate and the House, happily, that has been reauthorized through passage of the Children's Health and Medicare Protection (CHAMP) Act by majorities, including both Clinton and Schumer.

John Lally


Verify your Comment

Previewing your Comment

This is only a preview. Your comment has not yet been posted.

Working...
Your comment could not be posted. Error type:
Your comment has been posted. Post another comment

The letters and numbers you entered did not match the image. Please try again.

As a final step before posting your comment, enter the letters and numbers you see in the image below. This prevents automated programs from posting comments.

Having trouble reading this image? View an alternate.

Working...

Post a comment

Your Information

(Name and email address are required. Email address will not be displayed with the comment.)

My Photo
Blog powered by Typepad