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CONGRESSMAN

JERROLD
NADLER

8th Congressional
District of New York

Nadler’s
Statement Opposing the Anti-Choice Stupak Amendment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Saturday, November 7, 2009

CONTACT: John Doty, 202.225.5635

WASHINGTON,
D.C.
– Today, Congressman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), a leading proponent of women’s
reproductive rights and the Chair
of the Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil
Liberties, opposed the discriminatory Stupak Amendment to the Affordable
Health Care for America Act.  The Stupak Amendment would limit access to
reproductive health care.

“The Stupak amendment requires women to plan for unplanned
pregnancy,” said Nadler.  “This defies logic and is absurd,”
continued Nadler. “This is a bill to extend health care to all
Americans.  It should not be used as a political football to change
existing law regarding abortion coverage.”

The following is the
text of Nadler’s floor statement:

“Madam Chairman, I rise in opposition to the
Stupak amendment. 

“The bill before us is historic.  Not only
will it bring health care coverage to millions of Americans, it contains critical
provisions that support women’s health by ending domestic violence as a
preexisting condition, eliminating out-of-pocket expenses for prevention
services including mammograms, prohibiting plans from charging women more for
health coverage than men, and guaranteeing coverage for maternity care.

“Despite the significant efforts made by the
underlying bill to level the playing field for women and ending discrimination
against them in the health insurance market, this amendment seeks to add a new
discriminatory measure against women seeking health insurance coverage.  Under
the Stupak proposal, if a woman is of low- or moderate income and receives
assistance to afford the premiums for a health plan she purchases through the Exchange,
she cannot choose a plan that covers abortion services.  And if a woman chooses
the public option, she cannot receive abortion coverage – even if she
pays for the plan entirely by herself. 

“The Stupak amendment says to women – if
you think you might have an unintended pregnancy, you should purchase separate
insurance.  Put another way, this amendment requires women to plan that
they will encounter an unplanned pregnancy.  This defies logic and is absurd.

“The compromise provision inserted in the
underlying bill by my colleague, Rep. Capps, extends the Hyde Amendment in
current law by ensuring that no federal dollars will be used to fund
abortions.  It ensures that each woman can purchase the amount and type of
coverage she believes is appropriate without discriminating against her because
of her income level.  

“This is a bill to extend health care to all
Americans.  It should not be used as a political football to change
existing law regarding abortion coverage.    

“Madam Chairman,
I reiterate my opposition to this discriminatory amendment and ask my
colleagues to vote NO.”

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Jerrold
Nadler has served in Congress since 1992. He represents New
York’s 8th Congressional District, which includes parts of Manhattan and Brooklyn.