Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius told ABC’s George Stephanopoulos yesterday that President Obama is committed to signing a health care bill that excludes federal funding of abortion.

Stephanopoulos: “So you are saying that he [the president] will go beyond what we have seen in the House and explicitly rule out any public funding for abortion?”

Sebelius: “Well that’s exactly what the president said and that’s what he intends that the bill he signs will do.”

Commenting on this exchange is Catholic League president Bill Donohue:

It is easy to be skeptical given that both President Obama and Secretary Sebelius are rabid supporters of abortion-on-demand, but fairness dictates that we take both of them at their word.

Last Friday night, Ed Schultz asked me on his MSNBC show whether the president was lying when he said there’s not going to be any money for abortion in the health care bill. I replied, “If he’s saying—if it’s interpreted that he said that in H.R. 3200, there’s no provision for abortion, then he’s simply wrong. If the one he puts his imprimatur on—I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt.”

So fine, let’s see what happens. One thing is for sure: After what Obama and Sebelius have recently said, there is no more wiggle room left on this issue. They have both made declarative, straight-up statements, leaving no room for caveats of any kind.

Catholic League president Bill Donohue comments on President Obama’s speech last night on health care reform:

Yesterday, I said the president would not mention abortion in his speech. I was wrong about that. But I was right to say, “The rational thing to do would be to drop abortion from the health care bills and support conscience rights for health care workers.” Obama did nothing of the sort. Indeed, his one sentence denial that his health care proposals would result in federal funding of abortion is simply not true.

Even the New York Times, which issued a strong editorial endorsing his speech, said in a news analysis that his claim that there is no federal funding for abortion “is not so clear-cut.” In practice, the Times said, “the public and private money would all go into the same pot, and the source of money for any single procedure is largely a technicality.”

More pointedly, if there is no federal funding for abortion in these plans, then why have there been several attempts to bar such funding? Tell that to Rep. Bart Stupak, Rep. Joe Pitts, Rep. Eric Cantor, Rep. Sam Johnson, Sen. Orrin Hatch and Sen. Mike Enzi. Why would they seek to ban something that doesn’t exist?  Just as revealing, why did Obama’s friends defeat every one of these amendments?

President Obama is playing a shell game. He defended the public option plan last night, and under that plan, the person in charge of deciding whether abortion coverage will be mandated is his Secretary of Health and Human Services, Kathleen Sebelius. This is the same woman who befriended George Tiller, the infamous abortionist who specialized in killing babies 80-percent born. Is there anyone who doubts what her decision will be? If President Bush appointed a secretary of education who was pro-school vouchers, and an education plan allowed the secretary to decide whether to fund them, would anyone conclude that federal dollars for vouchers were not in the plan?

Being wrong is one thing. Being deceitful is quite another.

Catholic League president Bill Donohue commented today on the health care bills:

In today’s New York Daily News, there is an article seeking to debunk various myths about the health care bills. Unfortunately, the two reporters were guilty of floating the myth that “None of the bills working their way through Congress provides any federal funds for abortion.” Thus does the Daily News join a list of other media outlets that have disseminated this nonsense; AP had the decency to reverse itself.

Abortion is in the bills. Here’s the proof: Amendments to explicitly exclude abortion from the bills have been sponsored by Rep. Bart Stupak, Rep. Joe Pitts, Rep. Eric Cantor, Rep. Sam Johnson, Sen. Mike Enzi and Sen. Orrin Hatch. In every case, they lost. Want more proof? When Rep. Pitts asked Committee Counsel about whether the amendment by Rep. Lois Capps would allow the secretary of health and human services (HHS) to cover abortion in the public plan, he was told it did. And since HHS head Kathleen Sebelius supports partial-birth abortion, is there anyone in his right mind who thinks she would balk at authorizing abortion? Want more proof? On Aug. 10, when Rep. Zoe Lofgren was specifically asked about this subject, she said, “Abortion will be covered as a benefit by one or more of the healthcare plans available to Americans, and I think it should be.”

Let’s be frank: abortion is no more mentioned specifically in these bills than appendectomies are, but because both are legal, both are understood to be included. That is why attempts to exclude abortion were made. That they failed should settle the issue. Yet the following pro-abortion groups continue to lie and say abortion isn’t covered: NARAL, Planned Parenthood, Center for American Progress and People for the American Way. Interestingly, MoveOn.org is firing e-mails all over debunking five myths about the bills. It is correct on all five. Noticeably absent from its list is abortion. That’s because they know it’s in the bills.

Catholic League president Bill Donohue discusses Section 1233 of H.R. 3200, the health care reform bill that was introduced in the House:

There is language in this section of the bill that implies that the federal government may become involved in euthanasia. So over the past two days, July 27-28, Catholic League staff contacted the following persons, committees or offices looking for clarification:

Rep. Nancy Pelosi; Rep. John Dingell; Rep. Rob Andrews; Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr.; Rep. Charles Rangel; Rep. Pete Stark; Rep. Henry Waxman; Rep. George Miller; Rep. Dale Kildee; Rep. Carolyn Maloney; Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius; HHS Center for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives; HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Aging; HHS Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Legislation for Discretionary Health Programs; HHS Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Legislation for Mandatory Health Programs; HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation; HHS Congressional Liaison Office; HHS Office of Human Services Policy; HHS Office of Disability, Aging and Long-Term Care Policy; HHS Office of Planning and Policy Support; HHS Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Legislation for Human Services; Ways and Means Committee; Education and Labor Committee; Energy and Commerce Committee; Oversight and Government Reform Committee; Budget Committee; White House Health Reform Office.

No one with whom we spoke said the government is entering the business of euthanasia. But this is not enough. We need to know exactly what is meant by the following: “An explanation by the practitioner of the continuum of end-of-life services and supports available….” We also need to know exactly what is meant by “The Secretary shall publish in the Federal Register proposed quality measures on end of life care and advanced care planning….” The public has a right to know exactly what is meant by terms like “end-of-life services” and “quality measures.” Now is the time to settle this issue.

Contact healthreform@hhs.gov

White House budget director Peter Orszag was asked yesterday whether “no taxpayer money will go to pay for abortions” under proposed health care legislation. “I’m not prepared to say explicitly that right now,” he said.

Catholic League president Bill Donohue picked up on that remark:

There was no reason for Orszag to sound tentative—everyone who has been following this issue knows that President Barack Obama has been very explicit about his support for abortion, as well as his desire to make the public foot the bill. Yes, he says he wants “common ground,” but there is absolutely no evidence of his budging on this issue when it gets to the policy stage. And that is the only stage that matters in the end.

Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius, another champion of abortion-on-demand through term, commented yesterday about health care reform saying, “There are basically five different plans in Congress right now and there are a variety of ways.” Is there even one plan that explicitly says abortion will not be subsidized? We know that the Democrats, following the party line adopted by the White House, have killed every amendment that would bar public funding of abortion. So who is kidding whom?

If the Bush administration had said that it wants to seek “common ground” on gun control, and then decided to subsidize handguns in high crime areas, it would have been condemned from high heaven. The Obama administration’s game of playing footsy with the abortion industry should similarly be condemned. Indeed, it represents the audacity of duplicity to dialogue about abortion and then send the public an invoice for killing kids in utero.

Catholic League president Bill Donohue comments on President Obama’s choice of Miguel H. Diaz, a Catholic theologian, to be his ambassador to the Vatican:

In choosing professor Miguel H. Diaz to be the U.S. Ambassador to the Vatican, President Obama has selected a man whose writings do not address such hot-button issues as abortion, embryonic stem cell research, doctor-assisted suicide and gay marriage. In that regard, it appears this is a safe choice.

It is disconcerting, nonetheless, to learn that Diaz supported Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius for the position of Secretary of Health and Human Services. Sebelius is so extreme on abortion that she has been publicly criticized by the last three archbishops in Kansas City, Kansas. Moreover, when the current archbishop, Joseph F. Naumann, asked her to name a single instance in 30 years of public service where she supported restrictions on abortion, she could not name one. Thus, his decision to request that she not present herself for Communion.

It is a lame argument to say that it is morally acceptable to promote abortion-reducing public policies while jettisoning all legal remedies. If we applied this same logic to racial discrimination, no one would regard someone who worked to reduce the incidence of discrimination while abandoning all legal strategies as a bona-fide opponent of racism. Both approaches would be demanded.

It is a sad commentary on the Democratic party that out of the entire country they can’t field a candidate to represent the U.S. to the Vatican who is unequivocally opposed to abortion-on-demand.

Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius, nominated to be the next secretary of health and human services, vetoed a bill yesterday that would have placed new restrictions on third trimester abortions. Catholic League president Bill Donohue spoke to this issue today:

“The veto by Sebelius was a political kickback to Dr. George Tiller, the infamous abortion doctor who specializes in killing kids just before they are born (and in some cases when they are mostly born). It was also a clear rejection of women’s rights.

“Tiller is a long-time donor and friend of Sebelius, having greased her with so much dough that she can’t even remember how much he has forked up. All along he was buying protection from lawsuits, and yesterday he got what he wanted. Sebelius, like all pro-abortion Catholics, says she wants to reduce abortions, yet what she just did was to shield abortionists like Tiller from publicly stating why it is necessary to kill a kid after the 22nd week of pregnancy. Now he can go about his death trade willy nilly, without any accountability. Moreover, the bill would have allowed a woman to sue if she believed the abortionist lied to her about the need for a late-term abortion. So much for women’s rights.

“Sebelius seems incapable of shame. She waited until the 11th hour yesterday to deliver her body blow: she vetoed the bill at 4:45 p.m. on the 10th and last day before the clock ran out. And President Obama wants to put a person like this in charge of the nation’s healthcare? It just doesn’t get any dirtier than this.”

The Associated Press reports that in documents it recently reviewed, President Obama’s choice to head the department of health and human services, Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius, received three times as much money from late-term abortionist Dr. George Tiller than she previously acknowledged.

Catholic League president Bill Donohue weighed in on this issue today:

“The name Dr. George Tiller is synonymous with death. By his own admission, he has performed over 60,000 abortions. His specialty is killing babies in utero who are nearly born, or are already partially born. He is a master at that. This is the same guy who lavished Kathleen Sebelius with cash when she ran for office in Kansas: he knew what he was buying—a public official he knew wouldn’t betray him. Now we know how really generous he was.

“Sebelius testified that she received $12,450 from Tiller between 1994-2001. Here is what AP is reporting today: ‘What Sebelius left out: Campaign finance documents show that Tiller also contributed $10,000 to Sebelius’ Bluestem Fund PAC in September 2000, and his clinic, Women’s Health Care Services, contributed $8,000 to the PAC in December 2001 and another $5,000 in March 2002.’

“The real problem is not Sebelius’ habitual underreporting (she also had to pay more than $7,000 in back taxes): the real problem is the source of her PAC money. Tiller has to kill kids—he admits to killing 100 per week—in order to get the dough he needs to grease Sebelius. No wonder the last three archbishops of Kansas have publicly criticized her.

“If I were to inadvertently shake Tiller’s hand, I would immediately repair to the bathroom for a cleansing. I can’t imagine what kind of person would take tens of thousands of dollars from him, year after year, as well as throw parties for him in the Governor’s Mansion. Gives me the creeps just thinking about it.”

Yesterday an amendment introduced by Sen. Tom Coburn to protect the conscience of patients and healthcare providers was defeated by a vote of 56-41. The amendment was proposed in light of the Obama administration’s plans to rescind the rule, which was issued in December by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), that protects the right of healthcare workers at federally-funded facilities to refuse to perform or be involved in medical procedures that violate their consciences.

Catholic League president Bill Donohue spoke to this issue today:

“The failure of the administration and the Senate to protect freedom of conscience is an outrageous violation of human rights and a slap in the face to Catholics and other people of faith. No one in the healthcare field should ever be compelled by law to perform or assist in a procedure that violates his conscience. This should be an elementary right, yet there are those who want to trespass on it.

“Francis Cardinal George, president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, has called upon Catholics to let the government know that conscience protections are fundamental rights of Americans. He expressed concern that reversal of the current rule ‘would be the first step in moving our country from democracy to despotism.’

“Failure to protect the right of conscience, combined with overturning the Mexico City Policy, supporting the United Nations Population Fund, funding embryonic stem cell research and nominating radical abortion rights supporter Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius to be the Secretary of HHS, sends the message to Catholics that their concerns are not important.

“We implore all lawmakers to reconsider this issue with an eye toward restoring the conscience rights of healthcare workers.”

Kansas City, Kansas Archbishop Joseph Naumann has written a column for his archdiocesan newspaper that will appear in tomorrow’s edition; to read it, click here. It is a lengthy and pointed statement concerning the nomination of Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius as secretary of health and human services (HHS).

Catholic League president Bill Donohue comments on it today:

“Left-wing Catholics who have rallied to Kathleen Sebelius’ side are now in a jam: their support pits them against her Ordinary, Archbishop Joseph Naumann. He regrets that he is not experiencing the ‘joy and pride’ he normally would of a Kansas Catholic being chosen for such a top post in a presidential administration. What troubles him, but not her Catholic supporters, is her relentless opposition to Church teaching on abortion.

“Naumann mentions that Sebelius has long been associated with organizations like Planned Parenthood and NARAL, the two most radical pro-abortion groups in the nation; they are also decidedly anti-Catholic. He mentions her willingness to accept cash from Dr. George Tiller, a man known for killing tens of thousands of unborn children, many of whom were partially born. He mentions that in her role as the head of HHS, she ‘will have to make many decisions that will in all probability continue her personal involvement in promoting legalized abortion and her cooperation in this intrinsic evil.’ (My italics.)

“It is painfully obvious that those who support Sebelius not only disagree with Archbishop Naumann’s characterization of abortion as intrinsically evil—they disagree with the teachings of the Catholic Church on this fundamental human right. The Catholic League is proud to stand with Archbishop Naumann and calls on Catholics everywhere to support him with vigor.”

Contact Archbishop Naumann’s Communications Director, Carroll Macke, to show your support. E-mail her at CMacke@archkck.org