The U.S. House, led by Republicans and backed by the Bush administration, passed a bill Tuesday that would allow hospitals and health care providers the right to deny the abortions to be performed in their facilities.

This measure should not be allowed to go further, as it is a violation of the Constitution. The Supreme Court has affirmed it is the right for a woman to have an abortion.

Any attempts of a public institution to infringe on that is a crime against U.S. law.

Although this bill does not mean all hospitals will begin refusing to perform abortive procedures, it does mean it is possible.

Public hospitals are federally funded and therefore should be open to perform all legal operations for all citizens.

If just one woman is denied access into one of these public facilities that infringes on her constitutional rights.

This run-around on the abortion issue by the Bush administration should no longer be tolerated.

It is argued that some doctors do not feel comfortable in dealing with abortive surgical procedures. This is fine. Doctors have that choice. But public hospital administrators who take public money do not.

This bill will do nothing but attempt to drive a wedge in the medical field and confuse the public as to how far its constitutional rights can be imposed upon.