Republican ex-senator-- now with Catholic college-- blasts bishops on abortion, health care

November 13, 2009

David Durenberger, the former Republican senator from Minnesota who now heads the National Institute of Health Policy at the University of St. Thomas, has strongly criticized the nation’s bishops for their support of the Stupak amendment, which passed the House in a 240-194 vote and bars the use of federal funds from paying for most abortions in health care reform legislation.

“How did a national law to prevent insurance companies, whose premium costs are defrayed in part by tax subsidies, from providing medical services related to abortion get to be a higher public priority for all Americans, not just Catholics, than financing access to health care services?” Durenberger said. “As a Catholic Republican, I am puzzled by the way in which mere mortals can shift the moral priorities of a Church over what, for a 2,000-year-old religion, is a relatively short period of time.”

 

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Further information:

• Lori Sturdevant: Durenberger questions bishops on health care (Minneapolis Star Tribune)
• House approves Stupak amendment in major pro-life victory (CWN, 11/9/09)
• David Durenberger (Wikipedia)