WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. co-sponsored a bill to prohibit the use of taxpayer funds for abortions. The No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act, S. 582, enacts a permanent, government-wide prohibition of taxpayer funding for abortion. It also requires all health insurance plans offered by Obamacare exchanges to disclose coverage of elective abortion procedures and the abortion surcharge embedded into abortion-covering plans. The legislation was introduced by Senators Roger Wicker (R-MS) and Pat Roberts (R-KS).
The nonpartisan Government Accountability Office issued a report showing that taxpayer dollars paid for more than 1,000 health insurance plans that included elective abortion.
Dr. Cassidy released the following statement:
“Individuals’ tax dollars should not pay for things that violate their values. When selecting health insurance, individuals should know what is included so that they can choose an insurance plan aligned with their beliefs. We must continue to advocate for and defend those who cannot defend themselves, the unborn.”
This bill is the Senate companion to H.R. 7, introduced by Representatives Chris Smith (R-NJ) and Dan Lipinski (D-IL). It passed the House by a vote of 242-179 on January 22, 2015.
It is supported by the National Right to Life, the Family Research Council, the Susan B. Anthony List, Americans United for Life, March for Life, and U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, among others.