Where is Bill Simon on the Right to Life?

March 12, 2002

Where is Bill Simon on the Right to Life?
Now that Bill Simon has defeated the pro-abortion former Mayor of Los Angeles Richard Riordan in the California Republican primary for Governor, we are getting questions about his position on the right to life. During the campaign, Mr. Simon didn’t say much about it. He ran as a conservative against a liberal Democrat in Republican clothes, despite the fact that Riordan was reportedly hand-picked by President Bush to run for the seat.

A column by Marvin Olasky in the November 17, 2001 issue of World sheds some light on the subject. Mr. Olasky writes: "On abortion, Mr. Simon is 'definitely pro-life' but his wife is pro-choice: 'We don't always agree. She's really strong in the belief that it's the woman's choice.' He haltingly explains, 'My dad was pro-life, my mother pro-choice . . . It's an emotional issue for many women . . .' "

SCHIP Comments Needed Now
Finally, the Department of Health and Human Services on March 5, 2002, published the regulation saying that the term "Child" means an individual under the age of 19 including the period from conception to birth "for the purpose of eligibility under the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). States are free to cover unborn children but can still choose not to. Please act now by taking advantage of the public comment period, which ends at 5 p.m. on May 6, 2002.

Your comment can be as simple as this: It is simply common sense that unborn children are human beings who should be eligible for health care. That is what pre-natal care is all about.

No fax or e-mail comments will be accepted. You must comment only via mail or hand delivery.

INSTRUCTIONS:

Please refer to file code CMS-2127-P.
Mail one original and three copies.
Send them to the following address only:

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
Department of Health and Human Services
Attention: CMS-2127-P
P.O. Box 8016
Baltimore, MD 21244-8016

You may read the regulation as it appears in the Federal Register, March 5, 2002 (Volume 67, Number 43) [Proposed Rules] by visiting the Federal Register Online at http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/fedreg/frcont02.html, or ask your Congressman to send it to you.

How important is it that we all comment favorably on this new regulation? Here is what Kate Michelman had to say in a recent communication to the supporters of the National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League (NARAL): "The Bush Administration recently proposed funding to recognize fetuses as children 'from conception' — a step toward making abortion illegal. This is a clear message to women: a woman's right to choose is not safe." The abortion industry is pulling out all the stops to pressure the Bush Administration to withdraw the regulation. Please help now!