anti-abortion tacked on to spending bill......no Senate vote

[bobbieinok]

http://www.truthout.org/docs_04/112104Y.shtml

....

The abortion language would bar federal, state and local agencies from withholding taxpayer money from health care providers that refuse to provide or pay for abortions or refuse to offer abortion counseling or referrals. Current federal law, aimed at protecting Roman Catholic doctors, provides such "conscience protection'' to doctors who do not want to undergo abortion training. The new language would expand that protection to all health care providers, including hospitals, doctors, clinics and insurers.

"It's something we've had a longstanding interest in," said Douglas Johnson, a spokesman for the National Right to Life Committee. He added, "This is in response to an orchestrated campaign by pro-abortion groups across the country to use government agencies to coerce health care providers to participate in abortions."

The provision could affect millions of American women, according to Senator Barbara Boxer, Democrat of California, who warned Friday that she would use procedural tactics to slow Senate business to a crawl if the language was not altered.

"I am willing to stand on my feet and slow this thing down," Ms. Boxer said. "Everyone wants to go home, I know that, and I know I will not win a popularity contest in the Senate. But they should not be doing this. On a huge spending bill they're writing law, and they're taking away rights from women."

Ms. Boxer said that she complained to Senator Ted Stevens, the Alaska Republican who is the chairman of the Appropriations Committee, but that he told her that House Republican leaders insisted that the provision, which was approved by the House in July but never came to the Senate for a vote, be included in the measure.

....

[__Inanna__]

1. Yeah, I heard about this

early this a.m. I am so glad SOMEONE is taking the time to read through this stuff and fight back. There just may be hope.

[aquart]

2. Why is Barbara standing alone?

Is she the only Democrat in the Senate?

[Old and In the Way]

3. Why do Republicans tack these things on spending bills?

Why not submit these bills by themselves for debate and let Congress vote up or down on them? They have no relevance to the spending bill. These issues were their core campaign agenda...so why stick it on a spending bill? Scumbags...

[LizW]

4. Exactly what I asked my Senators today in e-mail

I told them it was cowardly to hide this provision in a huge spending bill. If they want to outlaw abortion, fine. But they should write the bill, and put their names on it. Bring in up for a vote so that the voters can know who they represent, the women of this state or Jerry Falwell and James Dobson.

:grr: