Contact: Brenda Steele, Catholic Advocate, 202-367-7456

WASHINGTON, Feb. 24 /Christian Newswire/ -- As the White House prepares to host the Blair House Health Care Summit on February 25, 2010, the leadership of Catholic Advocate has one simple question:

"Who will stand up when the cameras are on and oppose abortion funding?", asks Catholic Advocate President Deal Hudson.

President Obama's plan, announced Monday, used the Senate passed language as a starting point. Catholic Advocate agrees with the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops that the Senate language should be unacceptable to American Catholics.

"Repackaging the failed policies of the last 13 months is only progress for the abortion lobby," added former White House Catholic Liaison and Catholic Advocate Vice President Matt Smith. "American Catholics should be very concerned about the increased funding for community health centers without preventing federal money being used to pay for abortions in those centers."

Nine Catholic Members of Congress are currently scheduled to participate in the summit:

Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D, CA - 8th)

House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charles Rangel (D, NY - 15th)

House Education and Labor Committee Chairman George Miller (D, CA - 7th)

House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Emeritus John D. Dingell (D, MI - 15th)

Vice Chair of House Democratic Caucus Xavier Becerra (D, CA - 31st)

Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D, IL)

Democratic Conference Secretary Patty Murray (D, WA)

Senator Chris Dodd (D, CT), Senate Banking Committee Chairman

Senator Tom Harkin (D, IA), Senate HELP Committee Chairman

Recent Commentary by Catholic Advocate on Health Care Reform:

"Play It Again, Sam...Obama-care Still Funds Abortion"
www.catholicadvocate.com/?p=1349 -- 02/22/2010

"Boxer Confirms Senate Bill Does Not Restrict Abortion"
www.catholicadvocate.com/?p=778 -- 01/19/2010

"Virginia Catholics Take Up Arms Against Obamacare"
www.catholicadvocate.com/?p=711 -- 01/14/2010

"Four Things the President and Congress Can Do Right Away on Health Care Reform"
www.catholicadvocate.com/?p=520 -- 01/04/2010

Catholic Advocate is a non-partisan 501(c)(3) organization, including 95,000 members, addressing current ongoing debates about Catholic political participation, and calls upon Catholic voters to support candidates and policies faithful to the Magisterium of the Catholic Church. Columns by Hudson and Smith on various topics are available at www.catholicadvocate.com and http://twitter.com/CathAdv