Obama to sign executive order on abortion funding in private ceremony

Washington Times: The President will sign an executive order Wednesday at 2:30 p.m. in a much smaller ceremony than the one for the health care reform bill Tuesday. "The order bans the federal government from using taxpayer money for abortions offered through insurance exchanges created under the new law. Critics feared that community health centers would be allowed accept federal money for abortions. ... [A]ccording to the White House: Not even a photographer will be allowed into the Oval Office to capture the moment" (Curl, 3/24).

Politico: "The invite list includes the abortion opponents who have supported the bill. Absent from the list is Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.), who helped craft the language in the Senate bill but is expected to oppose the reconciliation measure because of other issues" (Budoff Brown, 3/23).

Roll Call: The members invited to the ceremony include: "Democratic Reps. Bart Stupak (Mich.), Kathy Dahlkemper (Pa.), Marcy Kaptur (Ohio), Nick Rahall (W.Va.), Jerry Costello (Ill.), Christopher Carney (Pa.), Steve Driehaus (Ohio), Charlie Wilson (Ohio), James Oberstar (Minn.), Alan Mollohan (W.Va.), Brad Ellsworth (Ind.), Henry Cuellar (Texas) and Mike Doyle (Pa.). Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.) was also invited" (Bendery, 3/23).

The New York Times Prescriptions Blog: "For Mr. Stupak, it is probably a good thing that Wednesday's signing is in private. He is being hammered by both the right and the left for bringing along the votes that, in the end, helped turn Mr. Obama's health care overhaul into law" (Stolberg, 3/23). 

Kaiser Health News has the text of the president's executive order (3/24).