The health care bill that was signed into law last March was not the reform that our country needs – I voted against the job-killing and anti-life legislation.  Thousands of my constituents contacted me in opposition to the bill, especially because it did not protect the sanctity of human life, and I know that Ohioans across the state shared in that sentiment. 

Today, I voted in support of H.R. 358, the Protect Life Act, during a meeting of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health.  The bill, as many of you know, would stop government-funded abortions under the health care law and would strengthen conscience protections for doctors and hospitals that refuse to perform abortions.  This is the first step toward putting an end once and for all to taxpayer funded abortions, as well as to fixing the deeply flawed health care bill. 

I firmly believe that we must be vigilant in protecting the sanctity of human life and in defending the right to life of unborn children.  Furthermore, it is imperative that government funds should not be used to pay directly for abortions or health care coverage that pays for abortions.  Abortion has claimed 50 million innocent lives since 1973.   This statistic is tragic enough, but the fact that the government will facilitates funding for abortion through the health care law is equally disturbing.  That is why I am committed to passing the Protect Life Act, so that your government dollars are not being used to pay for abortions through the health care law. 

The House Energy and Commerce Committee is expected to have a full committee vote on the Protect Life Act next Tuesday, February 15, 2011.  Ohioans please stay tuned and let’s make sure the right to life for the unborn is protected.

-Congressman Bob Latta, 5th Congressional District