Expressing a sense of Congress that a government-defined or public option insurance plan should not be used to fund abortion and taxpayer-funds should not be used to provide abortion under a benefit package within any health care reform package.

Whereas in a 1996 ruling upholding the Hyde Amendment (Medicaid prohibition of abortion funding), a Federal appeals court clearly stated that abortion would be included as a covered medical service if Congress did not prohibit the inclusion, Because abortion fits within many of the mandatory care categories, including family planning, outpatient services, inpatient services, and physicians’ services, Medicaid covered medically necessary abortions between 1973 and 1976.; and

Whereas Congress acted preemptively in other government-subsidized health care programs, including SCHIP and DOD, to prevent publicly funded abortion through these programs: Now, therefore, be it