Reps. Calley, Lund, Kurtz, Walsh, Moore, Hansen, Paul Scott, Bolger, McMillin, Mayes, Wayne Schmidt, Spade, Haines, Opsommer, Proos, Horn, Pavlov, Daley, DeShazor, Terry Brown, Espinoza, Haveman, Stamas, Amash, Marleau, Denby, Moss, Knollenberg, Rick Jones, Meltzer, Genetski, Hildenbrand, Green, Meekhof, Schuitmaker, Sheltrown, McDowell, Roy Schmidt, Agema, Crawford, Caul, Elsenheimer, Kowall, Tyler, Slezak, Pearce, Booher, LeBlanc, Lori, Neumann and Rogers offered the following resolution:

            House Resolution No. 162.

            A resolution to memorialize Congress and the President of the United States to explicitly exclude coverage for abortion from any government health care plan that is created.

            Whereas, The ongoing national discussion over health care reform is more than a public debate centering on governmental policies and procedures. The central nature of health care to all of our lives makes this issue more challenging and significant than other legislative initiatives in Washington; and

            Whereas, While there are vigorous examinations of the wide range of proposals that have been made, including studies of such key ideas as a public option and how to pay for universal health care, it is essential that the aim of health care--protecting life--not be lost in the debate. Any health care plan that would ignore this by providing or requiring coverage for abortions would run counter to the respect for life that is a core value of our people; and

            Whereas, A frequent element of arguments presented to advocate for health care reform is the moral imperative of being compassionate and being concerned with the health and well-being of others. Providing for coverage to pay for abortions would be the antithesis of this notion and contrary to the deeply held beliefs of tens of millions of Americans; and

            Whereas, For 3 decades the nation's government-funded program of health care for the indigent--Medicaid--has explicitly excluded elective abortion funding by means of the Hyde Amendment. Any reform plan adopted in Washington must include a parallel abortion exclusion to avoid future bureaucratic interpretations or a fungible accounting process that would result in de facto abortion funding; now, therefore, be it

            Resolved by the House of Representatives, That we memorialize Congress and the President of the United States to explicitly exclude coverage for abortion from any government health care plan that is created; and be it further

            Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and the members of the Michigan congressional delegation.