-
https://clinton.presidentiallibraries.us/files/original/4fececb24d7201532b8e5a8e90723047.pdf
50cc0d4ddee921a4a3289f5051e0c91e
PDF Text
Text
FOIA Number:
2006-0885-F
FOIA
MARKER
This is not a textual record. This is used as an
administrative marker by the William J. Clinton
Presidential Library Staff.
Collection/Record Croup:
Clinton Presidential Records
Subgroup/Office of Origin:
Health Care Task Force
Series/Staff Member:
Jamieson
Subseries:
OA/ID Number:
4787
FolderlD:
Folder Title:
[Abortion] [loose]
Stack:
Row:
Section:
Shelf:
Position:
S
53
3
4
1
��/"AM-HEALTH-ABORTION
/ "LAWMAKERS WANT ABORTION COVERAGE IN HEALTH PLAN
/
WASHINGTON (Reuter) - Thirty-three female House members urged F i r s t lady
Hillary Rodham Clinton Friday to include abortion coverage in any f i n a l
health care reform plan to be proposed.by President Clinton t h i s f a l l .
In a l e t t e r to Mrs. Clinton, the lawmakers said they believed Congress
would approve abortion coverage as part of the health care overhaul, despite
a recent House vote to retain tough r e s t r i c t i o n s on federal funding for
abortions.
~~Basic health care for women means reproductive services, including
family planning and abortions. This fact i s reflected, in the majority of
private plans, which currently cover abortion s e r v i c e s , ' the l e t t e r said.
"American women expect health care reform to expand access to health care
services, not take away coverage many have today, ' said the l e t t e r ,
sponsored by Rep. Nita Lowey, D-N.Y. and signed by 3 3 House members of the
Congressional Caucus on Women's Issues.
The women also asked for a meeting with Mrs. Clinton to discuss the issue.
Mrs. Clinton i s heading a task force charged with designing
a broad plan to reform the nation's health care system. The president i s
expected to announce a health care proposal in September.
Abortion rights advocates had expected that the administration plan —
which w i l l cover not only federal health care services but basic benefits for
a l l Americans — would cover abortion services.
But the White House has never publicly said abortion w i l l be covered,
although o f f i c i a l s say undefined reproductive services w i l l be included in
their proposal.
The election of more women and pro-choice lawmakers to Congress i n 1992
had led to expectations that current r e s t r i c t i o n s on federal funding for
abortion, which have been in place for years, could be overturned.
Pro-choice forces, suffered a major House defeat on June 30, however, when
they attempted to require federal funding for abortions during debate on the
Labor-Health and Human Services funding b i l l .
1
1
�John Llnder
(R-Ga.) knew
the rules, and
used one to
end debate,
; ihoddi^g colleagues who .
didn't know
him.
New guy Under
stunning!/ ends
abortion debate
By Jeanne Cummlngs
WASHINGTON DUREAU
Washington — Rop. John out that House rules allowed
Llnder (R-Ga.) ployed o koy further debate only If no Hoiwo
rolo fn Wednesday's House veto moinbors objected.
to maintain the governmcnt'B
"I object," Mr. Under said
16-yeor bnn on federal funding I quietly as (ho House fell Into
of nbortlons for most poor i stunned silence and reporters
women.
scrambled to figure out who he
Usiny ti pnr[innicntai7 nio- was nnd whose side he was on.
neitvor, the Ropublicon frcsh- The debate stilled, the House
miiti from Dunwoody silenced 'voted and Mr. Hyde's amendan cinotiotyil dobnto on Ihe ment was approved.
House door, clearing tlio way
In an Interview later, Mr.
for a 255-178 volo for Ihe niitlabortlon amondmcnt sponsored Lintler sold he was not encouraged by Republican leaders to
by Rep, Henry Hydo (R-Ill.).
Preliminary wrangling over close debate and that he even
the amendment came just min- startled Mr. Hyde and his allies
utes after the House defeated with the^suggestlon.
nn effort by atwrlion rights sup"I'm on the pro-life side,
porters to allow states to decide and I supported Hie Hyde '
whnt conditions, If nny, to place amendment," Mr, Under said.
on toypnyor-pnld abortions.
"We had tlw monionluni of SO to
Thiit debate disintegrated 60 voles, and It hud gotten so ncinto n rnncorom, emotional {rimonious, there was a real
floor show, with scvbrol female i chance Ihe tone of Ihe dobnle
Dcmociflts iiccusing mnlc Re- would change,
publlcaiis or being insensitive
Waahhtglan - Hmt'a lew flip qrarab (Woto poor women.
prtlon vutod A "yus" voto It D volotort m rbof
Mr. Under, fo;»rlng tlint ol- lloii ban.
lowiii(> such a discussion lo con- Volhiu V M : impi. Buddy Da don (Dt, Nolhwi
(D). Itoy nowlimd (D), John llixiM (II). Jnck
llnnc would jeopardize chances Don)
Ktngiloii (n). Nml Otngilnli (H) nml Mao Coffin*
for ultlniute pnssngii of llic
Hyde uinonchncnt, stopped up nVOIIIMJ IIOI Itaps. Bmiffti Dlihoii (Of, Don
lo the microphoiK! and polnled Jotumon (D), JOIHILowls f )J oivl r:ynlh<n Mokvi
1
I
�Abortion foes
win key vote
Bv \far,a P-;er.te
•nd '.V:[|iam M. "A'elc
LSA TODAY
TMe H::-ase voted cecisively
•Vecr.esday :o Keep ihe ban on
federal funding of most abor:ions for poor 'Aomen, a \iaory
for opponents of abortion
rights.
The J55-1TS vote also suggested trouble ahead for President Clinton s plan to include
abortion coverage in a national
lealth-care plan, and for the
proposed Freedom of Choice
Act. A iich would limit most
state restnctions on abortion.
This vote demonstrates that
most Americans oppose taxfunded abortion on demand,"
?a:d Douglas Johnson, spokesman for the Nauonal Right to
Life Committee. 'If (Clinton)
does what he says he's going to
do. he'll run into a buzzsaw."
Clinton has lifted the ban on
abortion counseling in federally funded clinics, a move appiauced by abortion-rights advocates. But Wednesday's vote
was the flrst significant test in
Congress this year.
Abortion-rights supporters
reacted with fury. "Callous and
outrageous." said Kate Michelman, president of ihe National
Abortion Rights Action League.
Its supporters say they hope
the Senate will soften the
House language and allow
funding if a woman's health is
at risk. Opponents say that
means abortion on demand.
u
The vote, on an amendment
to a spending bill for Labor and
Health and Human Services
departments, followed several
hours cf raucous debate, parliamentary manuevering and
weeks of intense lobbying.
It wasn't a total victory for
abortion foes: The House
agreed to allow funding in
cases ofrapeand incest. Since
1981. federal funding has been
permined only in cases when a
woman's life is in danger.
Clinton sought to end the
ban, called the Hyde amendment after sponsor Henry
Hyde. R-Ill.; it passed in 1976.
"Society doesn't have to subsidize a constitutional right."
said Hyde. "We have the right
to travel, but does the govern; ment have to provide us with a
plane ticket?"
Abortion-rights supporters
said the ban discriminated
against the poor. "Therightto
choose is meaningless without
the means to choose." said
Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y.
i J
THURSDAY. JULY
/2
�for
abortions
abortion
ABOmON, fnw Pa* U
tc praei hard to prevtU is the confer
enoe conunittee and in the expected
flght over iaclodhg abortion In health> BrlSft-na, tte Houae oa
can reform,
'WedMedey peeeed an
"h it aew up to tte Senate to make-aiwrtnant to ban Medicaid
a dear abatement that all women —' abortioni excepttocaaea of
BY KAKEN SCHNBIDSB
whether or not Aey depend on the rape, incest or a threat to the life
. WASHWGTON — Tha Kouae on govenunentfortheir health can — of cte woman.
All Michigan Repubhcaoa
^edn«^ay reuincd a ban cn uupay- have this ehofae," taid PaiMh; Mir"yeCwfek* wu a vote
er-funded abortioni ior poor *^nia. iMo, prttidff.t of tte Planned Parent" voted
tte ben on taipayer-funded
gMn« abortion oppooents crroctl mo hood Federation of America In New for
aborttai (cr poor women, but
Yorit
mpatumfara battle thii year ova
state Democnta were aplit.
Sara
Phw.
ttokeewooan
for
tte
wfaether u> mcluda abortion covengt
Hen'a how tte atate ddegaticn
tn the nador'a ccmprehenavt beafch National Abortion Righta Action
voted:
League
ia
W
a
a
U
&
g
t
o
n
.
Mkt
H
\
«•
can plan.
Thatopakicdvoto — 255-178 — pea tte preeldent toteeWeaS rmo^ lONCMTt:
came afw houri of heated debate and ductive health iericee,tochnfingabor
Yees Jamea Barda, David
procedural wangbng by abortiOR right*tion, labia pian. We will wort to make Hniv.
feleKOdee. Bart Stupak
aun
C
o
n
g
r
e
a
e
d
o
e
a
p
o
t
take
thk
auppcrten trying to block tte buL It
M
e
t
Bob Carr, Barbara>Roae
rcnewa a Ifryear ban OA gorenuneot
COOM; John Conyva, John
aubokted
a
b
u
d
g
e
t
ttet
fuodidgforiboniona egtcept to tava
the life at the pregnant woman or n wouk! have drtcped tte bin oe ipend> &^B. WSham Ford, Sander
ing govKnimt Tooocf OB abortioni
caaea of rape and faceet
for the peer, io abortion opponent!
Abordoo rtgbu snportert, who
uueuvend to bttig tte amentsMnt
had bees counting on tte new female to
• Teet Dave Cute, Peter
tteflo«fora vote.
aod bbck meniben in the Honee to
Heeketia.JoeKnSaibtrtNki
Rip.
Henry
Hyde,
MB.,
w
h
o
a
n
o
o
give then) the edge, now wfll cuni to
Smith,
Fred Upton.
•ored
tte
original
XU'rn*
he
e&ed
tte Senate, which is expected to adopt
•
Not
votfats Paul Henry iaiB
qceptiona
to
tte
b
e
n
tor
rape,
a
n
d
a leaa atringem venioa d the bdL
end
u
n
a
b
le to vote.
nceet
to
gals
non
voteti
The Houae vote had been tern ae a
He eno otter atertfon eppomen
•aWcal teat of tte atrength of each aide
tit the ongoing abortioo debate. The cned ttet taoif AaMloiL eMa ••
they a ^ ^ o ^ HSi, ' * i *
aae d the margin d victory wu
WPporMB^Ajfia^tekgued /tar
afgnifirantforabortion opponefita.
jfm. wVff doc Well give you a Me
It wiD give them clout thk year to
Stitee
moid
eonfiime
to
b
e
permit•
aberton/
flght the Freedom of Choice Act, which
ted to payfcrMedicaid abottkn
An Qtoda coSletgue, Denvooat
would limit tte ability of atatea to
they
chooae.
aa
13
etttea
do.
CBRHM
Cottna. uid ate wai offend*!
reetrict ibortkxu, regardieaa d wtet
Throughout tte day, then wai by Hyde'a commenta, and he aptif Supreme Court doea. ^e vote
alio is expected to influenoe CreaUai't much talk os bothrteeofwintkigtopraattedberoottefkMrtoapologiae.
BaH CUnton'a dedakn on whether to put thii eswtieni] Md dtvtefve iaeee to Weaa repieiBtativei "all not kt
no. Bw Houn meobera wen wUe myfae,"he laid liter. "Hen fw*
indude abortion in a beak benefta
Q^toi^ce»eec«.Ipuaada«ntetoBveoptotbatloftyotf.
peekage io hi* health care plan.
Tte»^WM«aodoadandtt»
.1 "Ira cieartyjrtng to hive • U|
Itppart on the national heelth debate, com. Soine nombert^ ^ei^ee WM
iow^nootno uibMiiy
Doutfaa Jotoeon, legMatlw dfrecta of met with aphwae, cuenwih htaeee..hirt
,
i"**
M about equittand UrMH
A
n
d
tte
datete
reweW
tmA
ta*,
the National Right to Life Gmngtee
alctj jender «nd nee.. ,.
j. jsr iSi wcr«n 3«w Kfp.
in' Waahingtco, aak! tfter SH?' votv,.
"Both M*-* rr-vs;!* i?
the/ facx&t.' TM VH4*:> y, *A .T&x Si rwtor? M::X!f:xV. t>-'^. 'T« it *it;-. .0'
Ir'wcuM be 3 cntica! vote"
ffttleaamtf wac vota ayintt pog wortiSeid Ritoh Seed executive dtrecWiad worn of odor."
'
of the Oiriittan Coattoe b Oeeepeate, Ve., "The tBMaage k: Keep
la^r nd OM. ov pMidMt am.
K e abcrtkea odd tte M £ S t
i CM podage or it wl tate a
^ttooopthiblMttcv
1
restriction
Hffl THEY VOW
,
,
B
(
Ae' ABORVW, hp llA
v
'.
- *
Be aid MKhftnUngwttld tefl {temiiot-*-..
.
bieckwflott'TouanttenaiA
AMI Jfirart tf <MtornPrh
YaTcBThm in edtntkrYou e £ l WaHn**tot!mtrib** to Hiii
hive i decent place to live, K ten'i
G e
9 O <£
m m a w^
'O G
s o
�nouse Keeps uau un i*jLcuicmu auut u^n^
Curses fly
infloorfight
By J Jennings Moss
THE MASHINCiTON IIMt
Abortion rights supporters and
P r e s i d e n t C l i n i o n lost a key vote i n
the House yesterday when law
m a k e r s voted to c o n t i n u e p r o h i b i t
ing worn* n on Medicaid f r o m usinn
f e d e r a l d o l l a r s f o r most a b o r t i o n s .
The Mouse voted 2.S.S 17H to keep
P r o - c h o i c e a c t i v i s t s said t h e y w i l l
keep p u s h i n g .
/
HYDE
• D e s p i t e today's s e t b a c k , t h e f i g h t
to r e s t o r e f a i r n e s s to g o v e r n m e n t
h e a l t h care; f u n d i n g ts f a r f r o m over."
l a m e l a . ) M a r a l d o . P l a n n e d Parent
hood p i e s . d e n l . said m a s t a t e m e n t
I h e u p c o m i n g Senate d e b a l e m u s t
c e n t e r o n t h e p u b l i c h e a l t h needs o f
o u r most v u l n e r a b l e c.t.zen.s not
m y o p . c a n d sell s e r v i n g d o g m a "
On t h e t h e H o u s e f l o o , . t e m p e r s
H a t e d w h e n t h e d e b a t e .shifted n ,
^ " h c r Ihe H y d e A m e n d m e n t
From page AI
1
" • V i n g to J e t t h e ? ' T ™
Act
^ " W
7TOCA , c o 7 ?
,
,
,
m
, , r
^
C
h
,
s
,
,
i
n
Put i n , n
l
f
K , M , a h o r
'uttonal.
,
care plan
h
t
,
n
e
n
.
d
m
c
n
^
"
"»nis«iiisti.
u
the H y d e A m e n d m e n t , w h i c h p r e vents M e d i c a i d f u n d e d a b o r t i o n s
e x c e p t in cases w h e r e t h e l i f e o f t h e
m o t h e r is i n danger. T h e v e r s i o n app r o v e d y e s t e r d a y also w o u l d a l l o w
f e d e r a l l y f u n d e d a b o r t i o n s i n cases
of r a p e o r incest.
D u r i n g o n e o f t h e most e m o t i o n a l
and h i t l e r debates o f t h e 103rd C o n
grcss, lawmakers ranted and cursed
at each o t h e r o n t h e H o u s e floor. The
tone m a y f o r e s h a d o w u p c o m i n g debates o n o t h e r b i l l s r e l a t e d to abort i o n , e s p e c i a l l y M r . C l i n t o n ' s national health care plan.
"Providing a constitutional right
to an a b o r t i o n does not m e a n s o c i e t y
• The lederal government
is prac
ung d.scr, ,i„ .
^ U c ^ n - s
" » " » •u-.-.lih
n
;ll()1 y
""''""'•••tiuiiy
and fairness with nil
-.men
and ,a„k,
, ve ..us,
K
H-'>l il will,
c.lleagues
who vote
••'RHiHsl .Hople of color, who
(
m
v
n
u
l l l U
(
w
islahve
d i r e c to
r.
h
S
." " ""
t v
•'"'""^ "'c P
and who vo'e
..Mams, w o m e n . " said K v p . C y n t h . a
NkKiMi.y.t.n.igi.ii^.n,,,.,.,,
Mr
vde r e s p , . , , „ such c o m ..« I N y saviiiM I , , ,
-sine,.,,.,,
H-ul Ins o p p „ . „ ,
,
,
- " " • . ' - . • c d h v . h e i , paren.s
W. c.m,.,,, s a v r t h i - . m l . , , , „ ,
.
(
^\zz*s: 5::,:": r**-"
S
•'
m, , , W
The amendment was part of the
. i ipropriations bill for the Labor and
) iealth and H u m a n Services departm e n t s T h e H o u s e passed t h e b i l l ,
Some D e m o c r a t i c w o m e n were infuriated b y what they consu.ered
M r H y d e ' s " p a t e r n a l i s t i c torn:
Rep. Cardiss Collins
Illinois
D e m o c r a t , asked that M r H y d e s
be s t n e k e n b e c a u s e o M h j j j r
o f f e n s i v e " n a t u r e M r . H y d e to Id t h e
s w o m a n h i s r e m a r k s m.ght
n o , o f f e n d i f she b o t h e r e d u
heck
with " m i n i s t e r s " i n her disti - con
ccrned about unwanted prcgnanc o n R r e S
" T h a t f u r t h e r e n r a g e d M r s CoUina
and other female House •ncT.bcra.
•1 felt h i s r e m a r k s w e r e h i g h l y
T
h
e
i
n
d
ofTens.ve." M r s C W ^ • « * » ; "
w h o l e tone w a s P
' ^ ,
Away f r o m t h e m i c r o p h o n e s and
. ^ v i s i o n cameras. R e ^ ^ w ^ s i
M f u ™ . Maryland Democrat . m l
a t e r n a , , S
n i
When Rep. C o r r i n e B r o w n , Florida D e m o c r a t , blocked M r . Obey's
amendment, the Wisconsin Democrat rushed over and began shouting
at M i s s B r o w n . T h e t w o e x c h a n g e d
a n g r y w o r d s , a n d soon o t h e r f e m a l e
lawmakers joined the dispute.
Finally, Rep. Bill Richardson,
New Mexico Democrat, ushered Mr.
Obey away f r o m the o t h e r lawmakers, and M r s . Collins was heard
to say," I d o n ' t c a r e . . . w h a t y o u d o . "
• Major Garrett and Frank J. Murray contributed
to this
report.
NO FEDERAL FUNDING
S i ^ S o S m S S ^ S y o Z 266-178 to raMn the
thr—t
women.
Vbtipg to
y ethe
s to IWe
k e e potthe
the abortion
b a n were
of rape,
9 8 D e m o c r a t s a n d 157
s
s
w
sir^ci'ir^a ****
M c . ^ . l o R - e . 0 the l w r n a k e n .
W h e n he d i d so. m a n y o r t h e f . n . a l e
i .vvnvikers r e b u f f e d h i m . H e ..iter
apologized to M - C o ^ n ,
• m e f r a c a s d i s t r a c t e d t h e l . nise
, ,, , e v r y m g on its legislative ^ u s r
or 114 fire
l l
-.M
see HYDE, page A8
Republicans
Voting n o o n the b a n v ^ r e 161 D e m o c r a t s . 16 R e p u b l i c a n s a n d o n e
i r t l a
J
305 124
Mr. Clinton made r e p e a l i n g t h e
H y d e A m e n d m e n t a c a m p a i g n is
sue, a l o n g w i t h a p l e d g e to l i f t o t h e r
federal restrictions on abortion.
Mr. Clinton had no i m m e d i a t e
comment a f t e r the vote, a n d W h i t e
House spokeswoman Dee Dee
M y e r s said she d i d not k n o w i f h e
w o u l d veto a b i l l c o n t a i n i n g a v e r s i o n
of the H y d e Amendment.
" H e never t h o u g h t i t w a s a s u r e
t h i n g that it c o u l d b e k e p t o u t , " M i s s
M y e r s said last n i g h t . " I d o n ' t k n o w
that he believed it w o u l d p a s s "
1
n r
M e s.-,,., " T . , „ s w h . , , I w a n ,
" s M - i c t . h e u s e o f M e d i c a i d r.ioney
lur .iburlions
afTeli
i<cp. P a t r i c i a S c h r o e d e r , C o l o r a d o
Democrat.
V o t i n g f o r t h e m e a s u r e w e r e 98
I k m o c r a t a a n d 157 R e p u b l i c a n s ,
w h i l e 161 D e m o c r a t s , 16 R e p u b l i
i m s a n d t h e sole i n d e p e n d e n t v o t e d
g a i n s t it. A m o n g t h e 114-member
11 e s h m a n c l a s s . I S D e m o c r a t s a n d
11 R e p u b l i c a n s w e r e i n f a v o r o f t h e
a m e n d m e n t , w h i l e SO D e m o c r a t s
m d four Republicans opposed it.
One D e m o c r a t i c f r e s h m a n d i d not
vote.
y
v
"<>usc actions
has to s u b s i d i z e t h e e x e r c i s e o f that
constitutional right," Rep. H e n r y
H y d e said. T h e H o u s e f i r s t a p p r o v e d
the Illinois Republican's measure in
1976.
M r . H y d e said t h e issue " f o r c e s u s
to c o n f r o n t w h e t h e r we w a n t to c o
e r c e — a n d t a x i n g is c o e r c i o n — lite r a l l y m i 11 ions o f p e o p l e t o s u b s i d i z e
the t r i u m p h o f K i n g H e r o d , the
slaughter of the innocent."
H i s o p p o n e n t s said t h e m e a s u r e
unfairly targets poor women who
c a n n o t a f f o r d to have a b o r t i o n s o r to
raise unwanted c h i l d r e n .
" W o m e n a r e not b e a s t s , a n d that's
w h a t w e ' r e r e a l l y h e a r i n g h e r e . " said
Independent
Vottng yes w e r e 15 D e m o c r a t s a n d 4 4 Republicans
Voting n o were 5 0 D e m o c r a t s a n d lour Republicans.
O n e Democrat d i d not vote
ore
�THE
:
NEW
YORK
TIMES
THURSDAY,
JULY
1, 1993
Bad Omen Is Seen
The Clinton Administration took no
role in today's fight, which began after
it made a budget proposal that included Federal financing for Medicaid
abortions; currenl law allows them
only when the life of the woman is
threatened. After making its budget
proposal, the Administration kept quiet
out of deference to the Appropriations
Committee chairman, Representative
William H. Natcher of Kentucky, an
abortion opponent who has been helpful to the Administration. It may be
heard from when the Senate takes up
the issue.
Abortion foes contended that today's
vote showed that the so-called Freedom of Choice Act, which would ban
ABORTO
IN FOES WN
I
VOTE IN THE HOUSE
ON FUNDS FOR POOR
CURBS DEBATED FURIOUSLY
Continued on Page A16, Column I
Hyde Restrictions Approved by
255 to 178, but Outlook in
the Senate Is Uncertain
A
ByADAMCLYMER
SpwIAI io The New York Times
WASHINGTON, June 30 - After furious debate, anti-abortion forces won
a significant victory today when the
House voted to retain curbs on Federal
financing of abortions for poor women
except in cases of rape, incest or
threats io the life of the woman.
Representative Henry J. Hyde, Republican of Illinois, succeeded in keeping alive the restrictions he has successtully championed since 1977, although they are slightly weaker than
(hose imposed since 1981. But the ultimate fate of Mr. Hyde's amendment is
uncertain; the Clinton Administrations budget proposal had no restrictions on abortion financing, and the
Senate, which will deal with the issue
next, has historically been more sympathetic to abortion rights than the
Hnusc
Thii iuaue .o> Jvb,v...<J seriousiy, if
briefly, today for the first time in several years, because supporters of abortion rights had hoped that the changing
political climate, including a President
who supports abortion rights, would be
reflected in the House. But the 259-10178 vote showed that the House's views
on Federal financing of abortions had
not changed very much. I Roll-call, '
page A16.|
Arguments Are Familiar
The arguments on both sides were
also familiar.
Mr. Hyde said financing abortions
through Medicaid, the health program
for the poor, would offend taxpayers
made "complicit" in abortion. He said,
"You're going to get a million more
abortions,'' and declared, "We're
awash in a sea of blood."
Representative Nancy Johnson, Republican of Connecticut, argued that
taxpayers already subsidized abortions for the middle class through the
tax deductibility of private health insurance plans that paid for them. Without similar provision for the poor, she
said, "this is an issue of discrimination
and fairness."
Continued From page Al
most state restrictions on abortion,
would be defeated. Its chief House
sponsor, Representative Don Edwards,
Democrat of California, said that issue
was very different from the-issue of tax
money for abortions. But he said he
would certainly wan a while before
trying the Freedom of Choice Act after
today's anger.
The fury of today's debate seemed to
start when Democratic women who
oppose restrictions on abortion financing discovered that Mr. Hyde had found
a way through the parliamentary
maze, which they had expected to protect their position. Mr. Hyde phrased
his amendment in a way that passed
parliamentary scrutiny; abortion
rights supporters thought the decision
to admit the amendment was wrong
but lacked the votes to challenge and
overturn it.
Representative Nita Lowey, Democrat of New York, challenged Mr.
Hyde. When the Illinois lawmaker, who
is widely respected hy many abortionrights suppfirtcr.: in the H'X;>e who
consider him si nee re and readier than
most conservatives to support spending for children, sought five minutes to
explain his amendment, she blocked
him by initiating a quorum call. For the
next hour and 25 minutes, members
milled around the House floor as tern
pers got hotter, before a 20-minute debate was agreed upon.
Arguments Run Together
That went relatively smoothly until
Mr. Hyde, in his final minute, ran his
arguments together. He seemed to
some members to endorse the argument that "there are too many of you
people and we want to refine, refine the
breed." He told reporters later said he
was arguing that those who supported
abortions for the poor had made that
demeaning argument, and that he was
merely trying to expose its insensitivity. "Thank God we can save some of
the lives of the children of the poor," he
said.
Represenutive Cardiss Collins, an
Illinois Democrat who is the senior
black woman in the House, jumped up
and said, " I am offended by that kind of
debate."
M r Hyde shot back, " I am going to
direct my friend to a few cninisters who
will tell her Just what goes on in her
community."
That comment enraged Ms. Collins,
and she sought to get his words strick
en from the record. But the parliamentarian ruled that her complaint had
come too late, after he had made additional comments. It also did not appear
that Mr. Hyde's comments had violated any rule.
But later Mr. Hyde took the floor and
announced that he would seek to have
i
the remark that Ms. Collins objected to
deleted from the Congressional
Record. " I think it was very improper
of me to say whom she should talk to in
her district," Mr. Hyde said. He added
that until the latest rcdistricting. he
had represented some of what is now
Ms. Collins's district and knew some
black ministers there who strongly opposed abortion.
Ms. Collins told reporters after the
first exchange that she considered Mr.
Hyde's comments "paternalistic." She
added, " I don't think he is in a position
to know what goes on in an AfricanAmerican district."
But after his apology on the floor, she
said she accepted it and regarded him
as a "gentleman and a scholar."
That was not the only angry dispute
between black women and white male
lawmakers. Representative David R
Obey, Democrat of Wisconsin, shouted
angrily at Representative Corhnne
Brown, Democrat of Florida, after she
objected to giving him three minutes to
explain a softening substitute for the
Hyde amendment, which he had first
planned to offer but then withdrew
before the vote.
Shooting Their Feet?
He said he withdrew it because liberals thought it would be defeated,
though it might be revived later. He
had planned to offer a provision to
allow abortions also for the "health of
the mother," which Mr. Hyde contended amounted to "abortion on demand."
Mr. Obey also would have prohibited
abortions in the third trimester except
in the case of threats to the life of the
woman. The Hyde amendment does not
treat the third trimester differently.
Ms. Collins said later that Mr. Obey
had no right to "yell and shake his
finger at her."
The abortion-rights advocates had at
first seemed to score a victory, when a
different version of the amendment
restricting financing of abortions was
stricken from the bill on a point of
order.
That left no restrictions at all on
Federal financing cif abortion in tli.;
bill, which provides IZi-j.'i billion fur
the Departments of Labor, Education
and Health and Human Services.
But then Mr. Hyde produced a slightly different version that passed parliamentary muster, and the angry debate
followed.
He argued that while there was indeed a legal right to abortion. "Providing a constitutional right to an abortion
does not mean society has to subsidize
the exercise of that constitutional
right."
When the issue came to a vote, 98
Democrats and 157 Republicans voted
with Mr. Hyde, while 161 Democrats. 1«
Republicans and 1 indpendent voted
against him. With Mr. Hyde's amendment, the bill passed easily, 305 to 124
�Hyde Abortion Ban Survives Bitter Debat
Clinton Opposition Rejected, 255-178, as Tempers Flare in Racially Charg
Hyde responded: "We tell poor
women, 'You can't have a job, you
Washmgton Post Staff Writer
can't have a good education, you
can't have a decent place to live. I'll
The House yesterday upheld a
tell you what we'll do. We'll give you
modified version of the 16-year-old
a free abortion because there are too
ban on federally funded abortions
for poor women after a bitterly con- many of you people and we want to,
kinda refine, refine the breed.' "
tentious and racially charged deAt that point, an angry Rep. Carbate.
diss
Collins (D-IU.) rose and grabbed
President Clinton had advocated
the
nearest microphone. "I'm ofrepealing the ban, and the 255 to
fended
by that type of debate," she
178 vote represented the first masaid.
jor test for the new Congress on the
To which Hyde replied: Tm going
highly emotional issue. Yesterday's
to
direct my friend to a few ministers
action—marked
by shouting
who
will tell her just what goes on in
matches, name-calling and fingerher
community."
pointing on the floor—left uncerSeveral other black female lawtain the fate of future abortion-re- makers
quickly got out of their seats
lated measures. Activists on both
and tried unsuccessfully to respond.
sides of the issue acknowledge that During a subsequent procedural
using federal tax dollars for abor- vote, tempers still raged as several
tions is one of the most controverblack women screamed at Hyde.^
sial aspects of abortion rights.
Soon, a bizarre kind of chaos en"It certainly wasn't a great day," veloped the floor, with Speaker
said Rep. Nita M. Lowey (D-N.Y.),
Thomas S. Foley (D-Wash.) huddfing
who along with other abortionwith various Democratic lawmakers
rights supporters ultimately were
trying to figure out what was going
outmanuevered on the floor by their
on. The confusion was dramatized
opponents. She complained that the
when Rep. Corrine Brown (D-Fla.)
tenor of the debate, led on the anobjected to Rep. David R. Obey (Dtiabortion side by Rep. Henry J.
Wis.) taking thefloorto explain why
Hyde (R-Ill.), was "uncalled for and
he had chosen not to offer an amendnasty."
ment he considered friendly to ator*
The vote was taken on a modified tion-rights supporters.
version of the Hyde amendment,
"I got shot in the fanny by people I
which since 1977 has banned Medwas trying to help; I don't appreciate
icaid funding for abortions except to that," Obey said later, exptaining
save the life of the woman. The new why he had yelled and waggedJiis
finger at Brown on the floor. •»«
Hyde amendment adds rape and
In the end, Hyde apologized' to
incest as conditions that would_ al-..
Collins.
And the debate contiau&I iii
low federal funds to be used for
the halls.
— I
abortions and is similar to a proviAbortion-rights supporte^Jpd
sion that was overwhelmingly apthe setback did not signal pemanfent
proved by the House Appropriadefeat on other issues, sudr-aifjhe
tions Committee last week.
battle to include abortion coveraigvin
On a day marked by furious prothe
finalClinton health care pacftige
cedural wrangling, abortion-rights
and
passage of the Free&S2&of
supporters tried to use parliamenChoice
Act, which would baivnffist
tary techniques to prevent the
state restrictions on abortion, rt^^ar
Hyde amendment from coming to a
as the Hyde amendment goeas aborvote. They had preferred to put off
tion-rights supporters hope the Senthe debate to another day. But they
ate adopts more moderate language
and the issue can be fought again in a
ABORTION, From Al "
later House-Senate conference after
were badly defeated on a procedural
the administration has weighed in.
vote, and then Hyde cleverly worded
But Maureen MalJoy of the Nahis amendment so that it could teara
tional Right to Life Committee called
challenge that it violated Houwrutes
the vote "a 98 percent victory for the
prohibiting legislation from -beirig
'pro-life' movement" that spelled
attached to spending bills, "SuHP as
trouble in Congress for Clinton and
the one the House was consideHfifcn.
abortion-rights proponents.
Tempers flared after ffteHH^a
Maryland and Virginia representRep. Cynthia A. McKinney ( W k X
atives mostly voted along party lines
who is black, characterized the tyrde
on the amendment, with Democrats
amendment as "nothing but a dign
opposed to the ban and Republicans
criminatory policy against poor won
in favor. The exceptions were Reps.
men who happen to be disproportio»i>
Constance A. Morella (R-Md.), who
ately black." She added that she had
voted against the abortion ban, and
"just about had it" with colleague
Lewis F. Payne Jr. (D-Va.), who
who continually cast votes that hurt j
voted for it.
the poor, people of color and women.!
Her remarks drew hisses from Re-j
publicans.
By Kevin Merida
TTT
3
�O F F I C E
N E W S
A N A L Y S I S
MORNING
NEWS
SUMMARY
Room I60OEOB, Ext 7151
HEALTH CARE/ABORTION —
The House voted d e c i s i v e l y Wednesday t o
keep the ban on f e d e r a l funding of most abortions f o r poor women,
"a v i c t o r y f o r opponents of abortion r i g h t s . " (USA Today) The
New York Times c a l l s i t "a s i g n i f i c a n t v i c t o r y " f o r a n t i - a b o r t i o n
forces. (Al)
The 2 55 t o 178 vote upheld a version of the Hyde amendment
t h a t adds rape and incest as conditions t h a t would allow f e d e r a l
funds t o be used f o r abortions. (WP Al) The A d m i n i s t r a t i o n "kept
q u i e t out of deference" t o Rep. Natcher, (D-Ky.). Rep. Natcher
thought some r e s t r i c t i o n s were needed t o p r o t e c t h i s b i l l from
attack; " i n pursuing t h i s strategy, however, he accepted a
precedent t h a t could haunt him as a chairman who has sought t o
block non budget-related amendments on spending b i l l s . " (WSJ)
A f t e r "several black women screamed a t Hyde... a b i z a r r e
kind of chaos enveloped the f l o o r , " w i t h House Speaker Foley
"huddling w i t h various Democratic lawmakers t r y i n g t o f i g u r e out
what was going on." (WP) "The arguments on both sides were
f a m i l i a r . " (NYT) "Given the i n f l u x of new black lawmakers i n
Congress, the debate's r a c i a l overtones were more s t a r k than i n
the past." (WSJ)
The 255-178 vote also "suggested t r o u b l e " ahead f o r
President's plan t o include abortion coverage i n a n a t i o n a l
health-care plan, and f o r the proposed Freedom of Choice Act,
which would l i m i t most s t a t e r e s t r i c t i o n s on a b o r t i o n . (USA
Today, NYT) The act's sponsor, Rep. Edwards (D-Ca.), said he
would wait a while before t r y i n g t o pass i t on the f l o o r . (NYT)
More than a dozen groups, including the AARP, the AFL-CIO,
and the American Hospital Association agreed to coordinate a .
nationwide campaign to promote the outlines of the President's
health care reform package. (WP) The coalition i s called the
Health Project, and i t "steps into the void created l a s t month"
when the DNC dropped i t s plans to coordinate the campaign. (WP)
r
v
�
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Health Care Task Force Records
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
White House Health Care Task Force
Is Part Of
A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included.
<a href="https://catalog.archives.gov/id/10443060" target="_blank">National Archives Catalog Description</a>
Description
An account of the resource
<p>This collection contains records on President Clinton’s efforts to overhaul the health care system in the United States. In 1993 he appointed First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton to be the head of the Health Care Task Force (HCTF). She traveled across the country holding hearings, conferred with Senators and Representatives, and sought advice from sources outside the government in an attempt to repair the health care system in the United States. However, the administration’s health care plan, introduced to Congress as the Health Security Act, failed to pass in 1994.</p>
<p>Due to the vast amount of records from the Health Care Task Force the collection has been divided into segments. Segments will be made available as they are digitized.</p>
<p><a href="http://clinton.presidentiallibraries.us/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=43&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=2006-0885-F+Segment+1"><strong>Segment One</strong></a><br /> This collection consists of Ira Magaziner’s Health Care Task Force files including: correspondence, reports, news clippings, press releases, and publications. Ira Magaziner a Senior Advisor to President Clinton for Policy Development was heavily involved in health care reform. Magaziner assisted the Task Force by coordinating health care policy development through numerous working groups. Magaziner and the First Lady were the President’s primary advisors on health care. The Health Care Task Force eventually produced the administration’s health care plan, introduced to Congress as the Health Security Act. This bill failed to pass in 1994.<br /> Contains 1065 files from 109 boxes.</p>
<p><a href="http://clinton.presidentiallibraries.us/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=43&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=2006-0885-F+Segment+2"><strong>Segment Two</strong></a><br /> This segment consists of records describing the efforts of First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton to get health care reform through Congress. This collection consists of correspondence, newspaper and magazine articles, memos, papers, and reports. A significant feature of the records are letters from constituents describing their feelings about health care reform and disastrous financial situations they found themselves in as the result of inadequate or inappropriate health insurance coverage. The collection also contains records created by Robert Boorstin, Roger Goldblatt, Steven Edelstein, Christine Heenan, Lynn Margherio, Simone Rueschemeyer, Meeghan Prunty, Marjorie Tarmey, and others.<br /> Contains 697 files from 47 boxes.</p>
<p><a href="http://clinton.presidentiallibraries.us/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=43&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=2006-0885-F+Segment+3"><strong>Segment Three</strong></a><br /> The majority of the records in this collection consist of reports, polls, and surveys concerning nearly all aspects of health care; many letters from the public, medical professionals and organizations, and legislators to the Task Force concerning its mission; as well as the telephone message logs of the Task Force.<br /> Contains 592 files from 44 boxes.</p>
<p><a href="http://clinton.presidentiallibraries.us/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=43&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=2006-0885-F+Segment+4"><strong>Segment Four</strong></a><br /> This collection consists of records describing the efforts of the Clinton Administration to pass the Health Security Act, which would have reformed the health care system of the United States. This collection contains memoranda, correspondence, handwritten notes, reports, charts, graphs, bills, drafts, booklets, pamphlets, lists, press releases, schedules, newspaper articles, and faxes. The collection contains lists of experts from the field of medicine willing to testify to the viability of the Health Security Act. Much of the remaining material duplicates records from the previous segments.<br /> Contains 590 files from 52 boxes.</p>
<p><strong><a href="http://clinton.presidentiallibraries.us/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=43&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=2006-0885-F+Segment+5">Segment Five</a></strong><br /> This collection of the Health Care Task Force records consists of materials from the files of Robert Boorstin, Alice Dunscomb, Richard Veloz and Walter Zelman. The files contain memoranda, correspondence, handwritten notes, reports, charts, graphs, bills, drafts, booklets, pamphlets, lists, press releases, schedules, statements, surveys, newspaper articles, and faxes. Much of the material in this segment duplicates records from the previous segments.<br /> Contains 435 files from 47 boxes.</p>
<p><strong><a href="http://clinton.presidentiallibraries.us/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=43&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=2006-0885-F+Segment+6">Segment Six</a></strong><br /> This collection consists of the files of the Health Care Task Force, focusing on material from Jack Lew and Lynn Margherio. Lew’s records reflect a preoccupation with figures, statistics, and calculations of all sorts. Graphs and charts abound on the effect reform of the health care system would have on the federal budget. Margherio, a Senior Policy Analyst on the Domestic Policy Council, has documents such as: memoranda, notes, summaries, and articles on individuals (largely doctors) deemed to be experts on the Health Security Act of 1993 qualified to travel across the country and speak to groups in glowing terms about the groundbreaking initiative put forward by President Clinton in his first year in the White House. <br /> Contains 804 files from 40 boxes.</p>
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
William J. Clinton Presidential Library & Museum
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
2006-0885-F
Text
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text.
Original Format
The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data
Paper
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
[Abortion] [Loose]
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Task Force on National Health Care
White House Health Care Task Force
Paul Jamieson
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
2006-0885-F Segment 2
Is Part Of
A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included.
Box 23
<a href="http://clintonlibrary.gov/assets/Documents/Finding-Aids/2006/2006-0885-F-2.pdf" target="_blank">Collection Finding Aid</a>
<a href="https://catalog.archives.gov/id/12093080" target="_blank">National Archives Catalog Description</a>
Provenance
A statement of any changes in ownership and custody of the resource since its creation that are significant for its authenticity, integrity, and interpretation. The statement may include a description of any changes successive custodians made to the resource.
Clinton Presidential Records: White House Staff and Office Files
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
William J. Clinton Presidential Library & Museum
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Adobe Acrobat Document
Medium
The material or physical carrier of the resource.
Preservation-Reproduction-Reference
Date Created
Date of creation of the resource.
2/6/2015
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
42-t-12093080-20060885F-Seg2-023-009-2015
12093080