The Latest “Culture of Life” Bill Would Allow Hospitals to Let Women Die

Talking Points Memo has the details:

The bill, known currently as H.R. 358 or the “Protect Life Act,” would amend the 2010 health care reform law that would modify the way Obamacare deals with abortion coverage. Much of its language is modeled on the so-called Stupak Amendment, an anti-abortion provision pro-life Democrats attempted to insert into the reform law during the health care debate last year. But critics say a new language inserted into the bill just this week would go far beyond Stupak, allowing hospitals that receive federal funds but are opposed to abortions to turn away women in need of emergency pregnancy termination to save their lives.

The sponsor of H.R. 358, Rep. Joe Pitts (R-PA) is a vocal member of the House’s anti-abortion wing. A member of the bipartisan Pro-Life Caucus and a co-sponsor of H.R 3 — the bill that added “forcible rape” to the lexicon this week — Pitts is no stranger to the abortion debate. But pro-choice advocates say his new law goes farther than any other bill has in encroaching on the rights of women to obtain an abortion when their health is at stake. They say the bill is giant leap away from accepted law, and one they haven’t heard many in the pro-life community openly discuss before.

Under the 1986 law, EMTALA, hospitals that get funds from Medicare or Medicaid must provide emergency care regardless of a patient’s ability to pay. If they can’t provide care, they must transfer the patient to another hospital for care. If a woman needs an abortion to save her life, the hospital has to perform the procedure or move the woman to another hospital that will. Not so with the newly proposed law.

Pitts’ new bill would free hospitals from any abortion requirement under EMTALA, meaning that medical providers who aren’t willing to terminate pregnancies wouldn’t have to — nor would they have to facilitate a transfer.

The hospital could literally do nothing at all, pro-choice critics of Pitts’ bill say.

Can you believe that 100 members of Congress are co-sponsoring this bill so far? There’s more information on the bill at RH Reality Check, including a list of current co-sponsors, which .

Rep Aderholt, Robert B. [AL-4] – 1/20/2011
Rep Akin, W. Todd [MO-2] – 1/20/2011
Rep Austria, Steve [OH-7] – 1/20/2011
Rep Bachmann, Michele [MN-6] – 1/20/2011
Rep Bachus, Spencer [AL-6] – 1/20/2011
Rep Barton, Joe [TX-6] – 1/20/2011
Rep Bilirakis, Gus M. [FL-9] – 1/20/2011
Rep Black, Diane [TN-6] – 1/20/2011
Rep Blackburn, Marsha [TN-7] – 1/20/2011
Rep Brady, Kevin [TX-8] – 1/20/2011
Rep Broun, Paul C. [GA-10] – 1/20/2011
Rep Buchanan, Vern [FL-13] – 1/20/2011
Rep Buerkle, Ann Marie [NY-25] – 1/20/2011
Rep Burgess, Michael C. [TX-26] – 1/20/2011
Rep Canseco, Francisco R. [TX-23] – 1/20/2011
Rep Carter, John R. [TX-31] – 1/20/2011
Rep Cassidy, Bill [LA-6] – 1/24/2011
Rep Chaffetz, Jason [UT-3] – 1/20/2011
Rep Coffman, Mike [CO-6] – 1/20/2011
Rep Conaway, K. Michael [TX-11] – 1/20/2011
Rep Costello, Jerry F. [IL-12] – 1/20/2011
Rep Crawford, Eric A. “Rick” [AR-1] – 1/20/2011
Rep Critz, Mark S. [PA-12] – 1/20/2011
Rep Davis, Geoff [KY-4] – 1/20/2011
Rep Ellmers, Renee L. [NC-2] – 1/20/2011
Rep Flake, Jeff [AZ-6] – 1/20/2011
Rep Fleming, John [LA-4] – 1/20/2011
Rep Flores, Bill [TX-17] – 1/25/2011
Rep Fortenberry, Jeff [NE-1] – 1/20/2011
Rep Garrett, Scott [NJ-5] – 1/20/2011
Rep Gibbs, Bob [OH-18] – 1/20/2011
Rep Gingrey, Phil [GA-11] – 1/20/2011
Rep Gohmert, Louie [TX-1] – 1/20/2011
Rep Graves, Sam [MO-6] – 1/20/2011
Rep Guthrie, Brett [KY-2] – 1/20/2011
Rep Hall, Ralph M. [TX-4] – 1/20/2011
Rep Harper, Gregg [MS-3] – 1/26/2011
Rep Harris, Andy [MD-1] – 1/20/2011
Rep Hartzler, Vicky [MO-4] – 1/20/2011
Rep Huelskamp, Tim [KS-1] – 1/26/2011
Rep Huizenga, Bill [MI-2] – 1/20/2011
Rep Jenkins, Lynn [KS-2] – 1/20/2011
Rep Johnson, Timothy V. [IL-15] – 1/20/2011
Rep Jones, Walter B., Jr. [NC-3] – 1/20/2011
Rep Jordan, Jim [OH-4] – 1/20/2011
Rep Kelly, Mike [PA-3] – 1/20/2011
Rep Kingston, Jack [GA-1] – 1/20/2011
Rep Kinzinger, Adam [IL-11] – 1/20/2011
Rep Kline, John [MN-2] – 1/20/2011
Rep Lamborn, Doug [CO-5] – 1/20/2011
Rep Lance, Leonard [NJ-7] – 1/20/2011
Rep Latham, Tom [IA-4] – 1/26/2011
Rep Latta, Robert E. [OH-5] – 1/20/2011
Rep Lee, Christopher J. [NY-26] – 1/20/2011
Rep Lipinski, Daniel [IL-3] – 1/20/2011
Rep Long, Billy [MO-7] – 1/20/2011
Rep Luetkemeyer, Blaine [MO-9] – 1/24/2011
Rep Lungren, Daniel E. [CA-3] – 1/20/2011
Rep Manzullo, Donald A. [IL-16] – 1/20/2011
Rep Marchant, Kenny [TX-24] – 1/20/2011
Rep McCaul, Michael T. [TX-10] – 1/20/2011
Rep McClintock, Tom [CA-4] – 1/20/2011
Rep McCotter, Thaddeus G. [MI-11] – 1/20/2011
Rep McKinley, David B. [WV-1] – 1/20/2011
Rep McMorris Rodgers, Cathy [WA-5] – 1/20/2011
Rep Miller, Candice S. [MI-10] – 1/20/2011
Rep Miller, Jeff [FL-1] – 1/20/2011
Rep Murphy, Tim [PA-18] – 1/20/2011
Rep Neugebauer, Randy [TX-19] – 1/20/2011
Rep Nunnelee, Alan [MS-1] – 1/24/2011
Rep Olson, Pete [TX-22] – 1/20/2011
Rep Paul, Ron [TX-14] – 1/20/2011
Rep Pence, Mike [IN-6] – 1/20/2011
Rep Petri, Thomas E. [WI-6] – 1/25/2011
Rep Poe, Ted [TX-2] – 1/20/2011
Rep Pompeo, Mike [KS-4] – 1/20/2011
Rep Roe, David P. [TN-1] – 1/20/2011
Rep Rogers, Harold [KY-5] – 1/20/2011
Rep Rogers, Mike D. [AL-3] – 1/24/2011
Rep Rogers, Mike J. [MI-8] – 1/20/2011
Rep Roskam, Peter J. [IL-6] – 1/20/2011
Rep Ross, Dennis [FL-12] – 1/20/2011
Rep Ross, Mike [AR-4] – 1/20/2011
Rep Ryan, Paul [WI-1] – 1/20/2011
Rep Scalise, Steve [LA-1] – 1/20/2011
Rep Schmidt, Jean [OH-2] – 1/20/2011
Rep Sessions, Pete [TX-32] – 1/20/2011
Rep Shimkus, John [IL-19] – 1/20/2011
Rep Shuler, Heath [NC-11] – 1/20/2011
Rep Shuster, Bill [PA-9] – 1/20/2011
Rep Smith, Christopher H. [NJ-4] – 1/20/2011
Rep Smith, Lamar [TX-21] – 1/20/2011
Rep Stutzman, Marlin A. [IN-3] – 1/20/2011
Rep Sullivan, John [OK-1] – 1/20/2011
Rep Terry, Lee [NE-2] – 1/20/2011
Rep Thompson, Glenn [PA-5] – 1/20/2011
Rep Upton, Fred [MI-6] – 1/20/2011
Rep Walberg, Tim [MI-7] – 1/24/2011
Rep Whitfield, Ed [KY-1] – 1/20/2011
Rep Young, C.W. Bill [FL-10] – 1/24/2011

If you representative is on the list, you might want to give him/her a piece of your mind.