WASHINGTON, March 22 -- Rep. Vicky Hartzler, R-Mo. (4th CD), issued the following news release:

Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler (MO-4) joined Members of the House of Representatives in condemning new rules issued by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that provide federal funding for abortion coverage under the Affordable Care Act. The HHS rules for new state health care exchanges require abortion surcharges on certain health care plans and permit federal tax credits to be used to purchase insurance plans that cover abortion.

"The new HHS rule allows federal subsidies to pay for insurance plans that cover elective abortions. This directly violates the Hyde Amendment which prohibits federal funding for abortion coverage," said Hartzler. "Though most Americans believe their tax dollars should not be spent on abortion, they will now be required to subsidize abortion coverage through new health care benefits from the federal government."

"Additionally, the HHS rule creates a monthly abortion surcharge in health care plans but keeps that information mostly hidden from the consumer, allowing this information to be made public only when a person enrolls in a health care plan," continued Hartzler. "This lack of transparency and secrecy involving abortion coverage in health care plans on state exchanges hides critical information from consumers and may force pro-life Americans to unknowingly pay for abortions. That is wrong!"

At the end of the day, this HHS rule requires Missourians to pay for a practice many believe to be a violation of their personal beliefs. "This is an unconscionable intrusion into the lives of Americans and yet another example of why the Obama Administration's government takeover of health care must be repealed," added Hartzler.

Vicky Hartzler, representing Missouri's4th Congressional District, serves on the House Armed Services Committee and the House Agriculture Committee.

TNS RadHar67-120323-JF78-3815627 StaffFurigay