I am concerned about government funding being used to support abortion and especially about government funds being made available for abortion under the pending health care legislation.

I want to thank Baron Hill for supporting Rep. Bart Stupak’s pro-life amendment to the House version of the bill. Any final version should include these restrictions on government funding of abortion.

Let us as a nation continue to preserve life.

— Jim Goodwin, Charlestown

I would like to support the sentiments expressed by Jim Goodwin in his recent letter, “Reader Worries About Abortion Funding.” I agree with him that “as a nation [we need to] continue to preserve life.” And it is true that Congressman Baron Hill voted for the amendment to restrict government funding of abortion…..for now. However, I’d make sure to check Congressman Hill’s voting record on the issue before I became too complimentary about his stand on the issue.

It appears that our Ninth District Congressman isn’t real consistent in exactly how he feels about abortion and government funding. In July of 2000, Baron Hill voted for an amendment “that would strike language from the bill that prohibits using any of the funds it distributes to pay for abortions or the administrative expenses connected to any federal health plan that provides benefits or coverage for abortions.” (ref: www.votesmart.org) In other words, previous legislation prohibited government funding of abortion and our Congressman voted to strike that prohibition from the bill. The house rejected the amendment 184-230, but Baron voted for it.

Earlier that month, Baron also voted for an amendment “that would strike language from the bill that prohibits giving United States funds to any organization working overseas that uses its own funds to provide abortion services or engage in advocacy related to abortion services.” Sure sounds like voting to use our tax dollars to promote foreign abortion services to me! Again, the vote failed 206-221.

In May of 2000, Baron Hill voted for the Oversea Military Abortions Amendment which “would repeal a provision that forbids service women and dependents from getting an abortion in overseas military hospitals.” Again, the bill failed passage 195-221, but I have to wonder how many of our servicemen and women he sought counsel from before he voted this way. Oh, and let’s be reminded that Baron Hill voted in 1999 against the bill to prohibit any funds to be used by the FDA for the testing, development, or approval of any drug for the chemical inducement of abortion.

As I said, I’m all for votes to prohibit taxpayer money from being used to provide abortions. However, lest we give Congressman Hill credit for being anti-abortion, remember his voting record above. I remember receiving campaign literature in the mail from the Hill campaign in 2008 in which he titled himself “Pro-Life.” It seemed inconsistent to me then. Viewing his voting record, I’d say I had reason to feel so.

Dave Matthews
Chairman, Floyd County Republican Party