Can we achieve a real “common ground” on abortion?

Remember U.S. Rep Tim Ryan’s ousting from Democrat’s for Life of America’s advisory board for supporting contraception? Well, it looks like he’s taken an initiative from the experience to reintroduce a bill that’s garnering support from folks on both sides.
Ryan co-authored the bill with Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn) titled Unintended Pregnancies, Reducing the Need for Abortion and Supporting Parents Act, which focuses on creating programs that improve access to family planning in low-income communities, reinstating Title X funding as well as fund comprehensive sex education. It’s being backed by pro-choice organizations like NARAL as well as supported by a range of religious organizations and leaders.
Religion Dispatches has an excellent overview of the previous bill (that actually had anti-choice restrictions) and how the new version is encompassing so much of what reproductive health organizations have been saying all along (and doing in their work): preventing unintended pregnancies through comprehensive sex education, increasing access to family planning and contraception and supporting low-income women and their families.
The question of stigmatizing abortion around the bill is still a concern, particularly concerning the language coming from pro-life organizations that are backing the bill like Obama-instated Director of Faith-based and Community Partnerships’ Alexia Kelley’s former organization saying that, “preventing the tragedy of abortion requires elected officials to find common ground and support comprehensive efforts to help women and families choose life.” But as long as the bill itself doesn’t include that rhetoric or any other abortion restrictions, people think this could be a “common ground” bill that may actually work. SIECUS said in its’ statement of support:

“We recognize that the framing of this bill creates discomfort for some in its potential to stigmatize the legally recognized right to abortion. We share your concerns, but believe the important pieces of this bill warrant our support.”

However, we can’t let the new warm, fuzzy feelings between supporters blind folks to the reality that supporting and funding abortion care mustn’t be put at the wayside. After all, solving women’s financial problems isn’t going to eliminate the need for abortion, not to mention the possibility of funding abortion care in health care reform is looking bleak.
Thoughts?

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