To ensure support, Democratic leaders agreed to a bipartisan amendment, approved 240 to 194, prohibiting a future government-run insurance plan from offering abortion services, and barring anyone receiving federal subsidies from purchasing private plans that cover abortion.

VOA: standard.2009.11.08

The House wants to ban new government-funded plans from covering abortion at all, while the Senate will require patients pay separate premiums with their own money for abortion as a supplemental benefit.

FORBES: ObamaCare: Why Private Insurers Like Paying for Abortion

But speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Home Secretary Theresa May said the government was "right" to take the position it had, reiterating there were "no plans to reduce the abortion limit".

BBC: Abortion limit reduction favoured by Jeremy Hunt

"The Pennsylvania legislature could have rationally believed that some married women are initially inclined to obtain an abortion without their husbands' knowledge because of perceived problems -- such as economic constraints, future plans, or the husbands' previously expressed opposition -- that may be obviated by discussion prior to the abortion, " wrote Alito.

CNN: Alito's record shows conservative judge