(CNSNews.com) – A bipartisan bill meant to permanently prohibit taxpayer-funded abortions in every federal program has been introduced in the House, with over 150 original cosponsors, including 16 Democrats.

“For decades, a patchwork of short-term policies have prevented abortion funding in many programs authorized by Congress, but it is time for a single, government-wide permanent protection against taxpayer funding for elective abortion,” Rep. Chris Smith (R-N.J.), the Republican co-chairman of the Bipartisan Congressional Pro-Life Caucus, said in a statement released last week.

Rep. Dan Lipinski (D-Ill.), a cosponsor of the bill, said the health-care reform legislation that passed Congress this year showed that the current system of preventing taxpayer funded abortions is “dangerously fragile”...