The Bush administration has released a new proposal that would redefine some of the contraception methods as abortion. Under the new rule, a hospital which receives federal funds will have to declare that they do not provide any help for contraception .
In his last months in office, President Bush has brought another legislation that would satisfy the religious right. The Department of Health and Human Services proposal makes it mandatory for hospitals and other health care institutions to sign "written certifications" before receiving funds from department programs. The proposal aims to prevent giving federal aid to those institutions which helps or refers anybody for an abortion. The proposed legislation according to the department is on the basis of “religious beliefs or moral convictions ".
The draft proposal redefines
abortion as
Any of the various procedures — including the prescription, dispensing and administration of any drug or the performance of any procedure or any other action — that results in the termination of the life of a human being in utero between conception and natural birth, whether before or after implantation.
This brings almost all the contraceptive methods adopted by Americans into forms of abortion. Health care officials have opposed the legislation.
Mary Jane Gallagher, president of the National Family Planning and Reproductive Health Association said
The proposed definition of abortion is so broad that it would cover many types of birth control, including oral contraceptives and emergency contraception. We worry that under the proposal, contraceptive services would become less available to low-income and uninsured women.
Another serious consequence of the proposal is that it would even prevent hospitals in providing emergency contraception to rape victims.
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