National Healthcare Debate Brings to Mind Dangerous Texas Legislative Healthcare Efforts

As Texas and the nation focus in on the national health care issue, the talk of protecting health care providers from being forced to violate their conscience and specific exclusion for taxpayer funding of abortions and government bailout of Planned Parenthood brings to mind a few outrageous pieces of legislation filed by some extreme left Texas House members during this past Texas Legislative session which ended in June.

HB 2221, by Rep. Jessica Farrar (D-Houston),  filed this past Texas Legislative session, would have forced Texas hospitals to give out emergency contraception (which can cause an abortion) to alleged sexual assault vicitms.  This would apply to public and private hospitals, including Catholic (as was specifically pointed out during the testimony of another person) and other faith-based hospitals, which would force doctors to violate their conscience by forcing them to participate in causing an abortion.

This bill received a hearing in the House Public Health committee, and committee member Rep. Garnett Coleman (D-Houston), thundered away at us, in favor of this bill, when we testified against it.  Thankfully, this bill was never voted out of this committee.

Rep. Coleman himself, filed a bill during the now ended Texas Legislative session, H.B. 2968, that would have removed the current law that informs women, as a part of informed consent before an abortion, that there is a possibility of increased risk of breast cancer following an induced abortion.  This bill was supported by Rep. Farrar and Rep. Cohen, though it thankfully never received a hearing. 

These two bills failed in Texas Legislative session, but are prime examples for what the government is capable of doing when if it has ultimate control over healthcare.  Forcing Catholic and other faith-based hospitals and health care providers to cause abortions, against their conscience, and censoring information about risks to women is the wrong directions for our state and our country.

Additionally, the enormous public outcry to stop taxpayers dollars from being used to pay for abortions is being heard across the country.  It is no suprise to us here in Texas, though, that there is an effort to have abortions paid for by taxpayers, as we know that Planned Parenthood is in trouble with the State of Texas for performing abortions illegally (click here-https://txvalues.org/2009/04/14/state-orders-cease-desist-against-illegal-planned-parenthood-facilities-in-texas/  ) and their decrease in financial resources has caused them to close facilities here in Texas and has them likely hoping for a bailout (click here-https://txvalues.org/2009/06/29/planned-parenthood-closes-6-clinics-in-el-paso/)

Please continue to contact your U.S. Senator and Congressman and let he/she know that you oppose nationalized healthcare, taxpayer funded abortions, and a bailout of for Planned Parenthood.