(Photo: AP Images / Jeff Curry)People who are for and against health care reform demonstrate, before the arrival of President Barack Obama, at St. Charles High School Wednesday, March 10, 2010, in St. Charles, Mo.
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Conservative and pro-life groups are mobilizing Americans to make a final stand against a contentious health care bill that is now on the fast track toward a final vote.
Opponents of the legislation, including members of Congress, are scheduled to take part in a national townhall at the Family Research Council's headquarters in Washington, D.C., Tuesday night.
"This national townhall webcast will mobilize tens of thousands of Americans for a final stand against a bill that would force Americans to support Planned Parenthood in the killing of unborn children, saddle families with higher insurance premiums, raise our taxes, and deny our parents and grandparents the essential health care they need," said FRC Action President Tony Perkins in a statement.
The House Budget Committee on Monday voted 21-16, taking the first step to get the bill before the full House this week. Meanwhile, President Barack Obama made a stop in Ohio that same day to garner support for his bill.
White House spokesman Robert Gibbs expects this will be "the climactic week for health care reform."
Some Christians are pushing for the passage of the legislation. National Council of Churches General Secretary Michael Kinnamon said in a letter to the U.S. Congress on Monday that now is the time to pass a "desperately-needed reform of this country's health care system."
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"What is needed now is the political and moral courage to act on behalf of the most vulnerable members of our society – those who are uninsured," he wrote. "May we as a nation demonstrate a commitment to the common good through a health care reform that places the well being of all at the center of our national life."
But more conservative faith leaders are trying to look out for a different group of "vulnerable" members – the unborn.
The National Right to Life Committee has branded Obama's bill as "the most pro-abortion single piece of legislation that has ever come to the House floor for a vote."
The group is urging Americans to contact senators before House Speaker Nancy Pelosi tries to "ram" the bill through the House before Congress goes into recess for Easter on March 26.
"Whether she succeeds or not depends on what House members hear from their constituents during the days immediately ahead," the pro-life group stated.
The bill needs 216 votes to clear the House. A couple of pro-life Democrats have sided with Republicans in opposing the bill and calling for tougher restrictions on the federal funding of abortions.
Ahead of Tuesday night's townhall, Perkins stressed, "The American people have made their wishes clear through the ballot box, townhalls, rallies, and phone calls and letters. They will not accept this health care takeover or any variety of it. However, the Obama Administration and the Democratic leadership refuse to acknowledge that this health care, which indisputably funds abortion, is grossly out of step with the American people."
