Dem Rep Opens Up On Abortion Bill That Redefines Rape

[RandySF]

Rep. Daniel Lipinski (D-IL) is going on the record about the controversial abortion bill he co-sponsored in the House that would only allow pregnant women to obtain insurance coverage for an abortion if they were the victims of a so-called "forcible rape," rather than other criminal sexual act.

In a statement sent to TPM, Lipinski says the intent of the abortion law -- known in the House as H.R. 3, or the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act -- was to make permanent the existing limits on abortion in the federal code, including the existing exemptions for women who were raped. Lipinski suggests he will reexamine the issue as the bill moves forward.

"The language of H.R. 3 was not intended to change existing law regarding taxpayer funding for abortion in cases of rape, nor is it expected that it would do so," Lipinski said in the statement. "Nonetheless, the legislative process will provide an opportunity to clarify this should such a need exist."

Lipinski is a chair of the House Pro-Life Caucus, and one of the Democratic party's most ardent opponents of abortion. H.R. 3 is a Republican-led effort to turn things like the Hyde Amendment -- which is passed every year as part of the budget process -- into permanent law. The bill would also make it harder 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. The rape clause in the bill would deny abortion coverage to victims of some types of legal rape in which the sexual assault is not accompanied by violence.


http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/01/dem-rep-opens-up-on-rape-redefining-bill.php

[bluestateguy]

1. There is no such thing as a permanent law

Congress passes laws, Congress amends, reforms and repeals laws.

Wasn't the Fugitive Slave Act supposed to be permanent too?

[CreekDog]

2. "Dem Rep" --that's a good way to describe him

:rofl:

can't stand Lipinski.

[riderinthestorm]

3. His statement is gibberish and does not address the core concerns

that the language defining who is eligible under the bill is changing regardless of what was "intended" or "expected".

Full statement:
"The No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act, H.R. 3, will eliminate the need for numerous separate annual abortion-funding prohibitions (called riders) and ensure that no program or agency is exempt from the long-standing ban on taxpayer funding of abortion. The bill also codifies the conscience clause known as Hyde-Weldon. H.R. 3 maintains the status quo prohibition on taxpayer funding for abortion that has long been embodied in the Hyde Amendment. The Hyde Amendment allows for taxpayer funding of abortion in very limited cases, including if the pregnancy is the result of rape. The language of H.R. 3 was not intended to change existing law regarding taxpayer funding for abortion in cases of rape, nor is it expected that it would do so. Nonetheless, the legislative process will provide an opportunity to clarify this should such a need exist."

[Warpy]

4. There's no such thing as a non violent rape

The fact that a woman has a drug hangover rather than a black eye or broken bones should make absolutely no difference.

I wonder how these men would feel if they woke up from being drugged, with bloody assholes.

That's what they need to think about, not that there are degrees of rape. There are not.

[Guilded Lilly]

5. ANY clauses denying ANY access to health insurance for ANY legal abortions

can be DEFINED as BULLSHIT.

[HockeyMom]

6. Going backwards in time

This is how rape used to be defined decades ago. Unless you were a minor child, a woman had to resist and show physical signs (get beaten up) to say she was raped.

No, no, NO!

[RC]

7. Redefine rape to include any conservative having sex with anyone, other than another conservative.

[Odin2005]

8. So these ASSHOLES think my friend wasn't raped? FUCK THEM!!!