FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 30, 2009
Leading Pro-Life Group Outraged by the Defeat of Pro-life Amendments in Senate Finance Committee
Washington D.C. -- Today, in a vote of 10-13 in the Senate Finance Committee, the Hatch Amendment #C14 was defeated. The amendment would have explicitly prohibited federal funding and coverage of abortions. The Committee also voted down an amendment by Senator Hatch that would have prevented discrimination against any individual or entity who refused to provide, pay for, provide coverage of, or refer for abortions.
Dr. Charmaine Yoest, President and CEO of Americans United for Life, recently met with the White House to discuss conscience protection and the lack
of explicit language banning abortion funding and coverage in health care
reform.
Dr. Yoest said that the defeat of these important amendments
illustrate the gap between rhetoric and reality on the Hill over abortion in
health care reform:
“President Obama, Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Reid have all told the American people that abortion will not be in health care reform. Nevertheless, the defeat of these amendments demonstrates the gap between rhetoric and reality. These rhetorical assurances are not adding up to action. The pro-life community will continue a vigorous fight to keep abortion out of health care reform.”
Here are the defeated pro-life amendments voted down in
the Senate Finance Committee:
Hatch Amendment #C14 Description:
No funds authorized or appropriated under this Mark may be
used to pay for any abortion or to cover any part of the costs of any health
plan that includes coverage of abortion, except in the case where a woman
suffers from a physical disorder, physical injury, or physical illness that
would, as certified by a physician, place the woman in danger of
Nothing in this amendment would preclude an insurance issuer
from offering a separate, supplemental policy to cover additional
abortions. Such a supplemental policy would be funded solely by
supplemental premiums paid for by individuals choosing to purchase the
SENATE VOTE
Republicans
CHUCK GRASSLEY - yes
ORRIN G. HATCH - yes
OLYMPIA J. SNOWE - no
JON KYL - yes
JIM BUNNING - yes
MIKE CRAPO - yes
PAT ROBERTS - yes
JOHN ENSIGN - yes
MIKE ENZI - yes
JOHN CORNYN - yes
Democrats
MAX BAUCUS - no
JOHN D. ROCKEFELLER - no
KENT CONRAD - yes
JEFF BINGAMAN - no
JOHN F. KERRY - no
BLANCHE L. LINCOLN - no
RON WYDEN - no
CHARLES E. SCHUMER - no
DEBBIE STABENOW - no
MARIA CANTWELL - no
BILL NELSON - no
ROBERT MENENDEZ - no
THOMAS CARPER - no
Not Agreed to (10-13)
Hatch Amendment #C13: Non-discrimination on abortion and
respect for right of
conscience
Description:
Non-Discrimination on abortion and respect for rights of
conscience
(a) NON DISCRIMINATION.-A Federal agency or program, and any
State or
local government that receives Federal financial assistance
under this Act ( or and amendment made by this Act), may not-
1) subject any
individual or institutional health care entity to
discrimination, or
2) require any health
plan created or regulated under this Act (or an amendment made by this Act), to
subject any individual or institutional health care entity to discrimination,
on the basis that the health care entity does not provide, pay for, provide
coverage of, or refer for abortions.
(b) DEFINITON.-In this section, the term "health care
entity" includes an individual physician or other health care
professional, a hospital, a provider-sponsored organization, a health
maintenance organization, a health insurance plan, or any other kind of health
care facility, organization, or plan.
(c) ADMINISTRATION.-The Office for Civil Right of the
Department of Heath and Human Services is designated to receive complaints of
discrimination based on this section, and coordinate the investigation of such
complaints.
SENATE VOTE
Republicans
CHUCK GRASSLEY - yes
ORRIN G. HATCH - yes
OLYMPIA J. SNOWE - no
JON KYL - yes
JIM BUNNING - yes
MIKE CRAPO - yes
PAT ROBERTS - yes
JOHN ENSIGN - yes
MIKE ENZI - yes
JOHN CORNYN - yes
Democrats
MAX BAUCUS - no
JOHN D. ROCKEFELLER - no
KENT CONRAD - yes
JEFF BINGAMAN - no
JOHN F. KERRY - no
BLANCHE L. LINCOLN - no
RON WYDEN - no
CHARLES E. SCHUMER - no
DEBBIE STABENOW - no
MARIA CANTWELL - no
BILL NELSON - no
ROBERT MENENDEZ - no
THOMAS CARPER - no
Not Agreed to (10-13)
About Americans United for Life
Americans United for Life (AUL) is a nonprofit, public-interest law and policy organization whose vision is a nation in which everyone is welcomed in life and protected in law. The first national pro-life organization in America, AUL has been committed to defending human life through vigorous judicial, legislative, and educational efforts at both the federal and state levels since 1971. The Wall Street Journal has profiled AUL, and PBS' Frontline program chronicled AUL's successful efforts in Mississippi.
Media Contact
Heather Smith
202-270-9962
heather.smith@aul.org
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