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H.Res. 237 - Rule providing for consideration of H.R. 3 - No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act (Rep. Smith (NJ) – Judiciary/Ways and Means/Energy and Commerce) (1 Hour of Debate) The Rules committee has recommended a closed Rule that allows no amendments to be considered. The Rule would provide 40 minutes of debate equally controlled by the Chair and Ranking Member of the Committee on the Judiciary. The Rule would also provide 10 minutes of debate equally controlled by the Chair and Ranking Member of the Committee on Ways and Means, as well as 10 minutes of debate equally controlled by the Chair and Ranking Member of the Committee on Energy and Commerce. It allows for one motion to recommit with instructions. The Rule also merges the text of H.R. 3 and H.R. 1232 , as reported by the Ways and Means committee, into one bill.
The Rules committee did not allow several amendments offered by Democratic Members, including an amendment offered by Rep. Baldwin, which would prohibit the bill from taking effect should it cause taxes for small businesses or individuals to increase.
H.R. 3 - No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act (Rep. Smith (NJ) – Judiciary/Ways and Means/Energy and Commerce) (1 Hour of Debate) H.R. 3 would prohibit the use of federal funds to pay for any abortion services. It prohibits individuals and small businesses from claiming various tax credits and deductions for health plans that provide any abortion coverage, and from using tax-preferred dollars to pay for medical services that include abortion services. It would also maintain “conscience protections” for individual health professionals and health providers that do not provide abortion services – but repeal those same protections for those providers that do offer abortion services. Lastly, it would again interfere with the District of Columbia, placing more restrictions on DC with respect to abortion.
Although this bill is advertised as reinforcing existing law, in truth H.R. 3 goes beyond current law. It applies the federal tax code to the issue of abortion for the first time, and restricts the private insurance choices that consumers have today. This bill exemplifies the republican social agenda instead of working to create jobs.
CRS Report – Abortion: Judicial History and Legislative Response
Complete Consideration of H.R. 1214 - To repeal mandatory funding for school-based health center construction (Rep. Burgess – Energy and Commerce) (1 Hour of Debate) H.R. 1214 would repeal a provision in the Affordable Care Act that provides funding for the construction of school health centers. It also rescinds any unobligated funds that have already been appropriated to this program.
Currently, over 1,900 school based health centers (SBHCs) provide more than two million students with access to primary, mental and oral health care services, and this legislation ignores the studies which have demonstrated that the SBHC model is a critical and cost-effective part of our nation’s health care safety net for children and adolescents. Currently, there are over 350 applications pending for these one-time grants, submitted from all regions of our country and representing rural, urban and suburban communities. This bill does not create jobs and continues the GOP Leadership’s pattern of pursuing an ideological agenda and focusing on the wrong priorities.
The House completed general debate and debate on all amendments yesterday. There are two recorded votes pending on the following amendments:
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