The Collegian

Issue date: 11/17/09 Section: Opinion

We thought that the abortion debate had been settled with Roe V.Wade, but somehow it keeps surfacing, this time in the ongoing healthcare debate. The 1973 Supreme Court decision held that, because of privacy rights, abortion was legal, and women could choose to have an abortion.

Fast forward to 2009, and women's right to an abortion is being challenged again. This time, the issue is whether abortion should be covered in the Senate health care bill. In a November 9th article, Senate democrats said that they would vote against any health care bill that included abortion. Senator Ben Nelson, D-NE, said, "If there's public money going to fund abortions, I can't support it, period, no matter what else is in it." The House approved a health care bill November 7th that prohibits abortion coverage in the government-run plan, and also in private plans that accept anyone using government subsidies for insurance coverage. People would be permitted to buy supplemental coverage with their own money that covers abortions.

 While I think this is a fair option for those who don't want their tax dollars funding abortions, what about those who believe in a woman's right to choose? Even if you do have health insurance, can you not use it for an abortion? Being a young woman, I am sick and tired of 50-year-old men like Senator Nelson making decisions for me and hindering my right to choose.  Let me make myself clear here: I am not saying that every woman should have the right to numerous abortions. I do not believe that abortion is a form of birth control. I do, however, believe that under extenuating circumstances, like if a woman could not support her child, she should be able to have an abortion and NOT have to pay for it out of pocket. Senate sees this as a quick fix that satisfies the pro-lifers, but they need to think about the women who will put their lives at risk by performing their own abortions when they cannot afford to go to a doctor.

 Barbara Boxer, D-CA , stepped in to help the pro-choice side. "We want to make sure we don't deny women the opportunity to avail themselves of a totally legal procedure," Boxer told CNN in a phone interview. "We believe this is unfair to women. There is no other procedure in this bill that is denied." To view the article visit, http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/11/09/senate-controversy-over-abortion-already-underway/

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