Obama Culture of Death Update™: Administration Now on Record That Promoting "Reproductive Health" Equals Promoting Abortion Abroad

The Cathoholic reports:

... Today, Secretary of State Hilary Clinton essentially confirmed what pro-lifers have argued for years [that inclusion of "reproductive rights" and "reproductive health" into broader international documents was code for creating an international "right" to abortion]. In an appearance before the House Foreign Affairs Commttee, she primarily responded to questions related to U.S. foreign policy regarding Iran. However, an exchange with two pro-life congressmen elicited a revealing response from the new Secretary of State.

***
"Clinton was at her most emotional in batting down questions from Reps. Chris Smith, R-N.J., and Jeff Fortenberry, R-Neb., about the Obama administration's support for international family planning services. Smith and Fortenberry are among Capitol Hill's staunchest abortion opponents.

"Smith asked if the administration was seeking "in any way to weaken or overturn pro-life laws and policies in African and Latin American countries." Fortenberry asked: "Is forcing U.S. taxpayers to fund abortion in keeping with the highest values of the United States of America?"

"We have a very fundamental disagreement," Clinton told Smith, describing how she had seen women suffering in Africa, Latin America and Asia because of inadequate family planning and health care.

"It is my strongly held view that you are entitled to advocate, and everyone who agrees with you should be free to do so, anywhere in the world and so are we," Clinton said. "We happen to think that family planning is an important part of women's health and reproductive health includes access to abortion that I believe should be safe, legal and rare."

Now it's on the record: "reproductive health includes access to abortion."

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[Rep. Smith later responded:] "They’ve been stealthy about promoting abortion, ..and emphasize other issues on which people can agree. Now this reveals unambiguously that the U.S. definition of reproductive health includes abortion."

[More]

(emphasis and bracketed material added)


This Obama Culture of Death Update™ has been brought to you by Prof. Douglas Kmiec, Eric McFadden, all the fine folks at Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good / Catholics United / Catholic Democrats, and countless other Catholics for whom "Hope" and "Change" trumped LIFE.







UPDATE
(Hat tip: Cranky Conservative)



You go, Rep. Fortenberry! Hillary, just go ...


Previous Pro Ecclesia posts on this subject:
Obama Culture of Death Update™: President Lifts Ban on Federal ESCR Funding

Obama Culture of Death Update™: Obama Nominee for Deputy Sec. of State Says Taxpayers Constitutionally Obligated to Fund Abortion

Moral Accountability . com

Obama Culture of Death Update™: Abortion Necessary to "Ensure Our Daughters Have the Same Rights and Opportunities As Our Sons"

Obama Culture of Death Update™: "White House Web Site Becomes Pro-Abortion After Obama Takeover"

Obama Culture of Death Update™: Among President Obama's First Official Acts is Promoting Abortion Abroad [UPDATED]