The U.S. Conference of
Catholic Bishops is urging the Obama administration to comply with a
long-standing policy against subsidizing federal employee health care
plans that cover abortions for members of Congress and their staffs. A new rule proposed by the federal government makes no "mention of any limitation with respect to abortion coverage" for members of Congress and their staff, according to comments submitted by the USCCB to the federal Office of Personnel Management.
Currently, the federal government is able to make contributions to health care plans purchased by federal employees, but a long-standing provision called the Smith Amendment -- authored by Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J. -- states that federal funding cannot be used toward plans that cover abortion except in the cases of rape, incest or danger to the life of the mother.
In 2010, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act provided that members of Congress and their staff only may be offered health plans on the newly created state health insurance exchanges.