By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer

A bill that would have stopped the Obama Administration’s plan to use taxpayer dollars to fund abortions in the nation’s capital was defeated by members of the House Appropriations Committee.

According to a report by LifeNews.com, Rep. Todd Tiahrt, who sponsored the Tiahrt-Davis bill to stop the funding, was disappointed by the vote, saying it would only lead to more abortions rather than the reduction that Obama claims to want.

“When given the opportunity this week, Democrat appropriators voted to allow the District of Columbia to use public funding for abortions without limitations,” Tiahrt said. “The door is now open for American taxpayers to pay for abortions, even into the ninth month of pregnancy. This was the wrong decision and one that is contrary to the will of the American people.”

Since the Tiahrt/Davis Amendment was rejected by the Appropriations Committee, the version of the bill that will go to the floor of the House will allow taxpayer-funded abortion in Washington D.C. Pro-life House members will not be able to introduce an amendment that would prevent taxpayer-funded abortion in Washington D.C. unless the Rules Committee allows it. The taxpayer-funded abortion in Washington D.C. could open the door to allowing taxpayer-funded abortion in other places as well.

Tiahrt cited a recent study showing nearly 70 percent of Americans oppose using taxpayer dollars to fund or subsidize abortions. He also pointed out that implementation of the same provision to prohibit funding of abortions caused a 34 percent decrease in the number of abortions between 1996 and 2000.

“We have heard the President himself say we need to reduce abortions,” the Kansas congressman continued. “The Tiahrt-Davis amendment would help accomplish that. This language should remain in place to help save the precious lives of the unborn.

Not surprising is the jubilant reaction of pro-abortion forces, such as Nancy Keenan of NARAL. She called prohibiting taxpayer funded abortions in the District of Columbia a “discriminatory policy” and applauded the panel for “follow[ing] President Obama’s lead.”

“We cleared an important hurdle, thanks to the leadership of subcommittee chairman Rep. Jose Serrano and our pro-choice allies on the House Appropriations Committee,” Keenan said.

Keenan urged members of the House Rules Committee to disallow a vote on a second Tiahrt amendment on the House floor to restore the abortion funding ban.

“As this bill moves to the full House, our activists are ready to work to ensure that Congress upholds the committee’s action,” she said.

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