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United Church of Christ, Justice and Witness Ministries

Sandra Sorensen, Director of the Washington Office

The United Church of Christ joins many other faith groups in applauding the House version of health care reform which was passed on November 7, 2009, as a good step towards providing affordable health care for more Americans. However, we join with those same groups in expressing our disappointment that the House bowed to pressure exerted at the last minute from anti-abortion lobbyists by attaching the Stupak Amendment to the bill. This amendment would bar any of the health care plans grouped under a public option from covering abortion even when those funds are privately sourced.

The UCC has for 40 years supported the full range of reproductive health care for women, including access to abortion. And yet, once again, women’s health and well-being have been compromised away in the halls of Congress. We call upon the pro-choice leadership in the House and Senate to boldly stand up for women’s reproductive health care rights and join the majority of religious Americans who believe that decisions around the termination of a pregnancy are a private matter between a woman and her physician.