Hillary Clinton says GOP deficit bill will increase abortions

[jefferson_dem]

Hillary Clinton says GOP deficit bill will increase abortions

By DEVLIN BARRETT
Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON -- Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton waded back into the highly charged abortion debate Tuesday, charging that a GOP cost-cutting measure will boost the number of abortions in the United States.

Clinton, D-N.Y., said a piece of a pending deficit-reduction measure would indirectly raise the number of abortions in the United States by leaving poor women with less Medicaid coverage for contraception.

"I sadly predict that if this measure stays in the bill ... the number of abortions will go up, the human and financial costs will go up, and many women will be really out of luck," Clinton said in a Senate floor debate on the bill, which is headed for a close vote later Tuesday or early Wednesday.

The former first lady spoke out against language in the bill that would allow states to choose whether to offer family planning services under Medicaid, a government-funded health care program for the poor.

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"We obviously have very strong opinions and deeply held convictions about abortion, but are we also divided about contraception and family planning? Are we not in this body committed to reducing the number of abortions? Apparently we're not," Clinton said.

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