The American Family Association (AFA) is joining with other pro-family organizations to call for the elimination of abortion from health care reform legislation.

"The plain truth is that abortion is not health care. Every abortion involves the destruction of human life, and abortion services should not be part of anything that claims to be about health or uses money from pro-life American families,” Bryan Fischer, AFA's director of issues analysis.

"Our Senators and Representatives must see to it that there is specific language in the bill prohibiting the use of taxpayer funds for abortions, because if it's not expressly prohibited it will in fact be funded."

Catherine Snow, AFA's Washington director of communications, adds that when the president's spokesman, Robert Gibbs, says that a federal law prohibits funding of abortion in health care legislation, he's just wrong.

Says Snow, "He's either mistaken or just not telling the truth. He knows, or should know, that the Hyde Amendment only restricts the use of Medicaid funds for abortions. Even the Associated Press, which is hardly a right-wing media outlet, admits that abortions will be covered under the non-Medicaid parts of health care legislation.  Plus, I've talked with medical professionals who've told me that the absence of conscience protections will put them out of business.”

The AFA sent an action alert today to its 2.6 million member network, urging members to contact their Senators to urge them to drop abortion from health care reform. Ms. Snow will represent the AFA at a press conference sponsored by Focus on the Family Action to be held on Wednesday, October 21, at 3 p.m. at the Capitol Visitors Center.