Obama Administration: Protecting Babies Born Alive During Abortions Would Have ‘Chilling Effect’ on ‘Access to Care’

In a statement issued last week, the Obama administration said the president will veto a bill that would protect babies born alive during abortion procedures because such a measure would have a “chilling effect,” reducing “access to care.”

The statement of administration policy, issued September 16, says the Obama administration opposes H.R. 3504, the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors’ Protection Act, and H.R. 3134, the Defund Planned Parenthood Act of 2015, because the measures “would have the same consequence of limiting women’s health care choices.”

Both measures passed in the House last week.

The policy statement continues:

By eliminating Federal funding for a major provider of health care, H.R. 3134 would limit access to health care for men, women, and families across the Nation, and would disproportionately impact low-income individuals.

H.R. 3504 would impose new legal requirements related to the provision of abortion services in certain circumstances, which would likely have a chilling effect, reducing access to care.

If the President were presented with H.R. 3134 or H.R. 3504, he would veto them.

The statement does not address the fact that H.R. 3134 would redirect funds from Planned Parenthood to many other qualified health care facilities that provide more robust services while not performing abortions.