Minnick against abortion amendment in healthcare bill

Summary

The Idaho congressman says, "... abortion should be safe, legal and rare."

Story Created: Nov 9, 2009 at 12:22 AM MDT

Story Updated: Nov 9, 2009 at 12:22 AM MDT

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The healthcare bill passed by the House Saturday came with an asterisk, and one Idaho lawmaker isn't happy.

Democratic congressman Walt Minnick says he opposed the bill and a controversial abortion amendment. The eleventh-hour change prohibited the the plan from covering abortions, except in the cases of rape, incest or danger to the mother. Minnick says he's not happy with it.

“... like most of my constituents, I believe abortion should be safe, legal and rare, and that a decision on the issue can be made only by a woman, her family, her doctor and her pastor,” Minnick said in a statement. “I do not want a federal judge overruling that decision. I do not want a government bureaucrat denying a medical procedure ordered by a woman’s physician. I do not want this Congress to give an anonymous insurance executive an excuse to gut coverage for women’s health.
“One of the reasons I oppose the House health care bill is that I do not believe the federal government should be making health care decisions for Americans. It is also why I oppose this amendment.”

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