I previously noted that The Washington Times' Deborah Simmons today attacked Democratic Reps. John Dingell (MI) and Lois Capps (CA) for their support for federal funding for the 2,000 or so school-based health clinics nationwide on the basis of conduct by one clinic Simmons admits was legal.

Media Matters has since obtained a letter to the editor which Capps and Dingell have submitted to the Times. The members call Simmons' column “yet another transparent attempt by opponents of health care reform to spread lies about” health care reform legislation. According to Capps' office, they have spoken to the Times, which has said it will revisit the issue next week.

The letter states:

Dear Editor,

Deborah Simmons column in the Friday, April 23^rd edition of Washington Times “Peek into the School Medicine Cabinet” is yet another transparent attempt by opponents of health care reform to spread lies about this legislation. The author used one unfortunate example to make ridiculous assumptions about the more than 2,000 school based health clinics nationwide and attempted to detract from the outstanding work that these facilities do each and every day.

In the Senate legislation which is now law, a school based health center is explicitly defined as a facility that does not provide abortions, and no federal funding awarded to a school based health center can pay for an abortion. It is clearly written in the law that school based heath centers that receive federal funds cannot provide services to an individual without consent from a parent or guardian and must comply with all federal, state, and local laws.

Sincerely,

Rep. Lois Capps (D-CA) and Rep. John Dingell (D-MI)

The ball is now in the Times' court. That usually ends well...