Smith Caves on Defining Rape in Anti-Abortion Bill

[Ian David]

Smith Caves on Defining Rape in Anti-Abortion Bill

— By Siddhartha Mahanta
| Thu Feb. 3, 2011 6:55 AM PST

Last week, Mother Jones' Nick Baumann broke the story on Chris Smith's "No Taxpayer for Abortion" Act, which would rule out federal assistance for abortions in many rape cases, including instances of statutory rape. For years, federal laws restricting the use of government funds to pay for abortions have included exemptions for pregnancies resulting from rape or incest. But Smith's bill contained a provision that limited the rape exemption to "forcible rape," ruling out federal assistance for abortions in many rape cases—such as statutory rape—in which force was not involved or could not be proved.

The GOP effort to rewrite the meaning of rape sparked a firestorm. There was much media coverage and a Twitter campaign of protest (using the hashtag #dearjohn). Now, Smith has retreated, excising the "forcible" rape language from the bill, reports Politico. “The word forcible will be replaced with the original language from the Hyde Amendment,” Smith spokesman Jeff Sagnip says, referring to the ban on the federal government paying for abortions that's been in place since 1976. Differentiating between types of rape, Politico reports, befuddled some Republican aides. "Such a removal would be a good idea, since last I checked, rape by definition is non-consensual," said one aide.

More:
http://motherjones.com/mojo/2011/02/smith-caves-defining-rape

Hat-tip to: http://twitter.com/DavidCornDC/status/33183605505130496


See also:

GOP loses 'forcible rape' language


House Republicans plan to sidestep a charged debate over the distinction between “forcible rape” and “rape” by altering the language of a bill banning taxpayer subsidies for abortions.

The provision in question, written as an exemption from the ban for women who become pregnant as a result of “forcible rape,” touched off a firestorm of criticism from women’s groups, and it gained enough attention to become the subject of a satirical segment on Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.”

But a spokesman for the bill’s author, Rep. Chris Smith (R-N.J.), says the modifier “forcible” will be dropped so that the exemption covers all forms of rape, as well as cases of incest and the endangerment of the life of the mother.

<snip>

The underlying bill, which imposes sweeping new restrictions on existing taxpayer subsidies for health plans that cover abortion, has support from a bipartisan group of anti-abortion lawmakers, including several House GOP leaders who attended a press conference announcing its introduction last month.

More:
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0211/48766.html

Thom Hartmann: Drugged, raped, and pregnant? Too bad.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x549891

And, as usual, the best analysis is to be found HERE:

Daily Show: Schaal - Rape Victim Abortion Funding
Kristen Schaal doesn't think hard-earned tax dollars should go to women who have only been rape-ished.
http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/wed-february-2-2011/rape-victim-abortion-funding


And, just in case this turns out to be a trick, please sign this MoveOn Petition:
Stop the GOP attempt to redefine rape and set women's rights back by decades.
http://pol.moveon.org/smithbill/?rc=tw

[Angry Dragon]

1. some congress people are just mentally challenged

[GoneOffShore]

2. Some? 6 out of 10 more like it.

[Angry Dragon]

6. I was trying not to include everyone

There are some in congress that can think on their own

[tsuki]

3. This will not stop this abomination. They will lick their wounds,

regroup and try again. JOBS, who needs stinking JOBS when they are fighting the "good" fight. Culture wars reign.

[derby378]

4. I'm afraid you're right

This time, they were simply caught red-handed. They'll have to do what they've always done - sneak it into a defense appropriations bill that nobody would dare vote against, let alone veto.

[Ian David]

5. I had the same thought. Here, please sign this petition from MoveOn

Stop the GOP attempt to redefine rape and set women's rights back by decades. Sign the petition: http://pol.moveon.org/smithbill/?rc=tw

[femrap]

7. Signed...and K and R. nt

[tsuki]

9. Done.

[Ian David]

8. GA State Rep.: There’s No Such Thing as a Rape Victim

GA State Rep.: There’s No Such Thing as a Rape Victim
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=439&topic_id=342544&mesg_id=342544