In Congress, a Predicament for Abortion Supporters
By Katharine Q. Seelye Published in the New York TimesThe abortion issue has put members of Congress who support abortion rights in a quandary over the health care legislation. Do they stick to their longstanding principles and fiercely resist the legislative effort to limit access to insurance for abortions? Or should they compromise on the issue and vote for legislation that in other ways could greatly improve health care for women? The bill that the House narrowly approved on Nov. 7 would severely restrict access to insurance for abortions. But that same bill also tries to improve health insurance for many millions of women, chiefly by expanding coverage to the uninsured and eliminating sex discrimination. Marcia Greenberger, co-president of the National Women’s Law Center, said supporters of abortion rights should not have to make such a choice.
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