Clinton Condemns Bush Administration’s Abortion Plan

Bush Administration plans to stretch the definition of abortion to include several contraception methods like, the morning-after pill and intrauterine devices. Senator Hillary Clinton strongly condemned the idea, calling it “a gratuitous, unnecessary insult to the women of the United States of America.”

Hospitals and states where medical providers are obligated to offer legal abortion and contraception to women would be devoid of Federal funds.

The law already does not allow discrimination against any individual or institution that declines to perform abortions or provide a referral for one. The Health and Human Services Department is considering asking health care providers and organizations to back up their conformity with the law.

The abortion rights groups and lawmakers fear that if the rule took effect, facilities would be obliged to employ workers who are reluctant to perform everyday job duties.

"If the administration goes through with this draft proposal, it will launch a dangerous assault on women's health," said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.

According to the former Democratic presidential candidate contraceptive coverage for women would disappear overnight.

It will make it worse for rape victims. "Under these Bush rules an ideologically-driven hospital administrator or an emergency room supervisor or a doctor or nurse on duty could deny this woman access to emergency contraception, so the woman who survived the assault would now be at risk of becoming pregnant," Clinton said.

Clinton urged people to sign a petition on her website, www.hillpac.com, against the proposed changes and has also asked Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt through a written letter, to reconsider and reject the release of the proposed rules.

Clinton is determined to try and get Bush administration to withdraw to regulation. "If that doesn't succeed, we're going to be looking for legislative steps that we can take to prevent this regulation from ever going into effect," she said.

Jo Ann Smith, CEO of Family Planning Advocates of New York, sided with Clinton, saying, “What kind of a world view would deny a woman a chance to use her own conscience to make her most basic health care decision?”