AK bishops urge Begich to support health reform that does not expand abortion funding
Sen. Mark Begich
By JOEL DAVIDSON
Catholicanchor.org
So far, Alaska’s bishops have been unable to convince the state’s Democratic Sen. Mark Begich to support an amendment to health care reform legislation that would prohibit federal tax dollars from paying for abortion, except in the case of rape, incest or to save the life of the mother.
During a Dec. 9 Theology and Brew presentation in Wasilla, Anchorage Archbishop Roger Schwietz told a gathering of local Catholics that the state’s bishops attempted to contact Sen. Begich’s office and urge him to support an amendment to health legislation by fellow Democrat Sen. Ben Nelson, of Nebraska.
The amendment would have prohibited federal funding of most abortions.
“I managed to get to a staffer and asked that Senator Begich support the amendment, but despite all our efforts we did not get him on our side,” Archbishop Schwietz explained.
On Dec. 8 the U.S. Senate voted to table the bipartisan amendment with Sen. Begich joining the majority 54-45. Fellow Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski (R), voted unsuccessfully with the minority to move the amendment forward.
Archbishop Schwietz said the U.S Conference of Catholic Bishops had asked Alaska’s bishops to contact Sen. Begich because he was seen as a possible supporter of the amendment.
Despite several phone calls, however, efforts to convince Sen. Begich to support the amendment were unheeded.
“We tried to get through but were unsuccessful,” Archbishop Schwietz said, adding that without language to remove abortion funding, the bill would not receive the support from the U.S. bishops.
“We will not support the bill as it is now,” he said.
For the rest of the article go here: Bishops Urge Begich to support Pro-Life language in HCR
No comments:
Post a Comment