WASHINGTON - March 21 - Nancy Keenan, president of NARAL Pro-Choice America, issued the following statement regarding the agreement between some members of Congress and the Obama White House to issue an executive order regarding the ban on federal funding for abortion in the health-care legislation.

"On a day when Americans are expected to see passage of legislation that will make health care more affordable for more than 30 million citizens, it is deeply disappointing that Bart Stupak and other anti-choice politicians would demand the restatement of the Hyde amendment, a discriminatory law that blocks low-income women from receiving full reproductive-health care. Today's action is a stark reminder of why we must repeal this unfair and insulting policy. Achieving this goal means increasing the number of lawmakers in Congress who share our pro-choice values. Otherwise, we will continue to see women's reproductive rights used as a bargaining chip."