Health Care Reform, Rep.Bart Stupak & Abortion

When the  health care reform battle first engulfed the the House, Rep. Chris Smith told me, "This is the big one"--the most important national battle over the future of abortion rights in modern history. This week in the National Catholic Register, my interview with Democratic Rep. Bart Stupak, another courageous pro-life soldier on Capitol Hill, confirmed that a great deal is at stake. Stupak explains that if the health care reform bill includes an abortion mandate or federal financing for abortion, it will be enshrined in law. The previous annual appropriations bills that provided an opportunity for including pro-life amendments will be a thing of the past. As Rep Smith said, "This is the big one."