President Barack Obama's decision to sign an executive order reaffirming a ban on federal abortion funding was criticized by U. S. abortion rights groups on Sunday.

The White House agreed to issue the order in return for support for the legislation from anti-abortion Democratic members of the House.

The federal ban is "unfair and insulting" and should be repealed, said Nancy Keenan, president of NARAL Pro-Choice America.

Kennan said in a statement posted at the group's Web site, "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."

Obama's decision suggests "his commitment to reproductive healthcare is shaky at best," said National Organization for Women President Terry O'Neill.

O'Neill said in a statement, "The National Organization for Women is incensed that President Barack Obama agreed today to issue an executive order designed to appease a handful of anti-choice Democrats who have held up healthcare reform in an effort to restrict women's access to abortion."

The legislation Congress was preparing to vote on "maintains current law" on restricting federal funding of abortions but "the executive order provides additional safeguards to ensure that the status quo is upheld and enforced, and that the health care legislation's restrictions against the public funding of abortions cannot be circumvented," White House spokesman Dan Pfeiffer said. (With Inputs from Agencies)