WASHINGTON, Dec. 21 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Early this morning, the U.S. Senate voted for cloture on the manager's amendment which includes abortion language that would force the federal government to pay premiums for private health plans that will cover any or all abortions while doing nothing to protect individual conscience rights. Beyond the issue of abortion, the legislation has a myriad of other problems including increasing taxes on families while singling out and penalizing married couples through an increase in the payroll tax. Cuts to Medicare and the expansion of the federal role in personal health care decisions will inevitably lead to rationing of care for patients.

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Family Research Council President Tony Perkins had this to say about the legislation:

"While true health care reform is needed, this legislation does nothing to alleviate the problems facing American families. Under this bill, families face an increasing tax burden that will be used to further devalue human life. A federal government run health care system will create a nationwide abortion network funded by government dollars resulting in the greatest abortion expansion since Roe v. Wade.

"The Senate's cloture vote reflects the whole process leading up to it - ugly, partisan and dangerous. This legislation was drafted by a handful of people, supported by only one political party and will negatively affect every single American citizen.

"What is most disappointing is that while some Democrats in the House of Representatives put the sanctity of human life first and foremost, not one Senator from the Democratic Party could be bothered to stand up for mothers and their unborn children.

"Senators Ben Nelson (D-Nebr.) and Robert Casey (D-Penn.) gave mere lip service to protect the most innocent among us by placing their stamp of approval on government funding for abortion coverage in direct conflict with longstanding policy. I ask them to reverse course in any future votes to move this deadly bill forward."

SOURCE Family Research Council

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