Abortion legislation scheduled for House consideration this week

Some observers say Republicans may have been better off trying to stay focused on this week's series of votes on "coveted trade deals," but an abortion-related bill is scheduled for a vote on Thursday.

Roll Call: Abortion Bill May Muddy Message
With votes scheduled on a series of coveted trade deals this week, one would think House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) would stack the deck with noncontroversial votes to provide his Conference with a week's worth of jobs-related wins. ... And yet Cantor has decided to use Thursday for a floor vote on a bill to prevent federal funding for health care plans that provide abortion services -; a topic guaranteed to polarize (Stanton, 10/12).

Politico Pro: Abortion Argument: Could Bill Endanger Care?
Abortion rights supporters are warning that an anti-abortion bill coming to the House floor this week could allow hospitals to refuse to treat a patient in need of a life-saving abortion. It's a theory that the bill's backers call "preposterous" -; arguing that health care providers would never refuse to do what's needed to save a patient's life. But the claim represents yet another escalation of the emotional debate that's set to return to the House floor on Thursday, and it's likely to play a role in shaping the arguments inside and outside the Capitol. The Protect Life Act, sponsored by Rep. Joe Pitts (R-Pa.), would allow hospital and health care providers to refuse to provide abortions if they have objections on grounds of conscience (Haberkorn, 10/12).