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The "No Taxpayer Funding For Abortion Act"> would redefine rape:
"As of now, federal dollars cannot be used for abortion except in cases of rape, incest, or when the woman's life is in danger.
The Smith bill would narrow that use to 'cases of 'forcible' rape but not statutory or coerced rape.'" Other types of rapes that would no longer be covered by the exemption include rapes in which the woman was drugged or given excessive amounts of alcohol, rapes of women with limited mental capacity, and many date rapes. "There are a lot of aspects of rape that are not included," Levenson says. As for the incest exception, the bill would only allow federally funded abortions if the woman is under 18.
The bill also "makes it difficult for women to obtain abortion coverage from their private insurance companies by eliminating tax exemptions for employers or individuals who purchase health insurance plans that offer coverage for abortion.
Read more:
http://motherjones.com/politics/2011/01/republican-plan-redefine-rape-abortion
http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/01/dem-rep-opens-up-on-rape-redefining-bill.php?ref=fpa
MoveOn.org's petition opposing it:
http://pol.moveon.org/smithbill/?r_by=25965-5910888-nwQvSCx&rc=mailto
"As of now, federal dollars cannot be used for abortion except in cases of rape, incest, or when the woman's life is in danger.
The Smith bill would narrow that use to 'cases of 'forcible' rape but not statutory or coerced rape.'" Other types of rapes that would no longer be covered by the exemption include rapes in which the woman was drugged or given excessive amounts of alcohol, rapes of women with limited mental capacity, and many date rapes. "There are a lot of aspects of rape that are not included," Levenson says. As for the incest exception, the bill would only allow federally funded abortions if the woman is under 18.
The bill also "makes it difficult for women to obtain abortion coverage from their private insurance companies by eliminating tax exemptions for employers or individuals who purchase health insurance plans that offer coverage for abortion.
Read more:
http://motherjones.com/politics/2011/01/republican-plan-redefine-rape-abortion
http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/01/dem-rep-opens-up-on-rape-redefining-bill.php?ref=fpa
MoveOn.org's petition opposing it:
http://pol.moveon.org/smithbill/?r_by=25965-5910888-nwQvSCx&rc=mailto
