A Call to Texans

March 17, 2012

Gov. Rick Perry

Office of the Governor
P.O. Box 12428
Austin, Texas 78711-2428

Governor Perry,

I am writing to encourage you and the Texas state legislature to act to remove the language from the Medicaid Funding Bill mandating that no funding under the program go to any facility that provides abortion services, even if no state money directly paid for abortions.   I also support dropping the lawsuit filed against the Obama administration.

You summarized the impetus for the lawsuit as, “"This is about life and the rule of law, which Texas respects and the Obama administration does not."  If the initial changes in the Medicaid Bill were made in an effort to protect life, then consider that the effect has been to endanger the lives of 130,000 Texas women dependent upon the Women’s Health Program.  The failure to recognize the risks to the program and more importantly, to the health and welfare of the women who need the program, is reckless and irresponsible.

Defending the lawsuit as necessary to protect the strength of state’s rights is not a reasonable argument in light of the fact that Texas’ leaders are asking federal government to refrain from exercising it’s will upon the state, while simultaneously asking the federal government to fund programs bent by the will of the state.

As with all political posturing and blustering, the effects of these machinations are always felt most keenly by those least able to defend themselves.  I ask that you and the state legislature reevaluate your motivation in this action and strive to see a more complete picture of the devastating effects.  The responsibility of your office demands that you act with humility and in service to the common good.  In the matter of the Medicaid Funding Bill, the common good is best served by protecting the health and welfare of Texas women.