We've all seen the classic monster movie - the one where the everyone heaves a big sigh of relief after the hero/heroine defeats the monster, and then someone looks up to discover an even bigger monster bearing down on all of them. An epic battle ensues, the second monster is killed, peace and happiness prevail. But wait!! The camera pans into the neighboring woods. We see a nest, and in that nest is a litter of baby monsters....
We've got some baby monsters of our own to deal with. Turns out that even though the "Forcible Rape" language was removed from H.R. 3, it still exists in two other bills that are working their way through committee. Both H.R.358 - Protect Life Act and H.R.105 - Small Business Health Fairness Act of 2011 carry the language.
Here each are the germane passages of each bill:
HR358 Protect Life Act (sponsor: Joseph Pitts, PA16)
SEC. 2. MODIFYING SPECIAL RULES RELATING TO COVERAGE OF ABORTION SERVICES UNDER THE PATIENT PROTECTION AND AFFORDABLE CARE ACT TO CONFORM TO LONG-STANDING FEDERAL POLICY.
(a) In General- Section 1303 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Public Law 111-148), as amended by section 10104(c) of such Act, is amended--
...
(4) by inserting after subsection (b) the following new subsection:
‘(c) Limitation on Abortion Funding-
‘(1) IN GENERAL- No funds authorized or appropriated by this Act (or an amendment made by this Act), including credits applied toward qualified health plans under section 36B of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 or cost-sharing reductions under section 1402 of this Act, may be used to pay for any abortion or to cover any part of the costs of any health plan that includes coverage of abortion, except--
‘(A) if the pregnancy occurred because the pregnant female was the subject of an act of forcible rape or, if a minor, an act of incest; or
‘(B) in the case where a pregnant female suffers from a physical disorder, physical injury, or physical illness that would, as certified by a physician, place the female in danger of death unless an abortion is performed, including a life-endangering physical condition caused by or arising from the pregnancy itself.
link
This is the same language as was in H.R.3.
The language in H.R.105 is slightly different.
H.R.105 - Small Business Health Fairness Act of 2011 (aka Empowering Patients First Act?)(Sponsor: Dan Burton, IN5)
SEC. 105. LIMITATION ON ABORTION FUNDING.
No funds authorized under this Act (or any amendment made by this Act) may be used to pay for any abortion or to cover any part of the costs of any health plan that includes coverage of abortion, except in the case where a woman suffers from a physical disorder, physical injury, or physical illness that would, as certified by a physician, place the woman in danger of death unless an abortion is performed, including a life-endangering physical condition caused by or arising from the pregnancy itself, or unless the pregnancy is the result of an act of forcible rape or incest.
link
There are currently nine active bills in the House pertaining to women's health services; three of them contain this language. There may be more out there; I didn't look in any bills that are unrelated to women's health. This appears to be a concerted effort to load as much crap into as many bills as possible with the hope that one paragraph can sneak through undisturbed.
Many baby monsters.
I haven't been able to check with either Congressman's office to see if they will be changing the language in these bill to reflect the change in H.R.3. I'll keep trying. Neither have I checked to see if there might be other nests of baby monsters hiding in other bills, but we should be prepared to keep watch as these bills work their way through committee.
In the meantime, here is some contact information.
Joe Pitts http://www.house.gov/...
Dan Burton http://burton.house.gov/
Do this for our daughters.