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16Better1 on Jun 22, 2016

• Codify permanent protections for life and conscience. Our plan permanently enacts the Weldon Amendment to give all doctors, nurses, hospitals, and providers the freedom to exercise their conscience.
• Real enforcement of the Hyde Amendment. Our plan protects federal taxpayer dollars from being used for abortion or abortion services and ensures the Hyde Amendment is actually applied.

OnTheIssues explanation of Hyde Amendment and Weldon Amendment In passing the Consolidated Appropriations Act on Dec. 23, 2011, the Weldon Amendment established the right to refuse abortion services (including counseling or referrals) if against the conscience of the healthcare provider, applying to "a physician or other health care professional, a hospital, a provider-sponsored organization, a health maintenance organization, a health insurance plan, or any other kind of health care facility," even in cases of rape, incest, or medical emergency.

The Hyde Amendment, passed on Sept. 30, 1976, bars the use of federal funds to pay for abortion except in cases of rape or incest, or to save the life of the mother. Because restrictions include funds allocated by the Department of Health and Human Services, that can include Medicaid recipients. Also see Overview of "A Better Way"; details of "Vision for Poverty & Opportunity"; and related GOP plank on choice & cost

Participating counts on VoteMatch question 1. Question 1: Abortion is a woman's unrestricted right Scores: -2=Strongly oppose; -1=Oppose; 0=neutral; 1=Support; 2=Strongly support.
• Topic: Abortion
• Headline: Permanently protect life and conscience (Score: -2)
  
  
• Key for participation codes:
• Sponsorships: p=sponsored; o=co-sponsored; s=signed
• Memberships: c=chair; m=member; e=endorsed; f=profiled; s=scored
• Resolutions: i=introduced; w=wrote; a=adopted
• Cases: w=wrote; j=joined; d=dissented; c=concurred
• Surveys: '+' supports; '-' opposes.