Prometheus 6

His draft rule isn't redefining abortion but it would if it were a rule instead of a draft rule.

Birth Control Fears Addressed
HHS Chief Says Draft Rule Is Not Redefining Abortion
By Rob Stein
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, August 9, 2008; A02

Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt has denied that a controversial draft regulation would redefine common birth control methods as abortion and protect the rights of doctors and other health-care workers who refuse to provide them.

In a statement posted on his blog on Thursday, Leavitt appeared to try to allay fears that the proposed regulation would create sweeping new obstacles to women seeking a variety of commonly used contraceptives, such as birth control pills and the Plan B emergency contraceptive.

"An early draft of the regulation found its way into public circulation before it had reached my review," Leavitt said. "It contained words that lead some to conclude my intent is to deal with the subject of contraceptives, somehow defining them as abortion. Not true."