Life Advocacy Briefing

Back to Business

THE SENATE TOOK TIME Thursday from deliberations on ObamaCare to begin deliberation on a conference report combining the following overdue appropriations bills for the 2010 Fiscal Year, which opened Oct. 1: Transportation/Housing & Urban Development, Commerce/Justice/Science, Financial Services (including District of Columbia), Labor/Health & Human Services, Military Construction/Veterans Administration and State/Foreign Operations. The House had passed the $446.8-billion conference report Thursday by a vote of 221 to 202; we publish the roll call at the close of this Life Advocacy Briefing.

At our deadline, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) was expected to file a cloture motion to close debate on the omnibus measure; a vote on cloture was expected as early as Saturday, though toward the end of the week, Sen. Reid was seeking to cancel the weekend session, as ObamaCare appeared to be going into a stall.

Readers who act immediately could be in time to weigh in against this monstrosity. Senators may be reached via the Capitol switchboard at 1-202/224-3121 or by electronic mail at www.senate.gov, where citizens can also obtain contact information for Senators’ in-state offices.  Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC), with 34 colleagues, sent a letter to Leader Reid Dec. 2 warning him they will “take full advantage of our rights under Senate rules to prevent massive taxpayer subsidies for abortion and abortion-related activities” in the omnibus measure. Can we do any less than “take full advantage of our rights” as citizens to petition our government?

The omnibus conference report corrupts the long-standing Dornan Amendment, by which Congress has historically blocked taxpayer subsidies for abortions in the District of Columbia; because DC is the seat of government, the Constitution calls for even its local spending to be subject to Congressional approval.

The new language inserts the word “federal” before “funds.” The implication of this change is Congressional approval of public funds being paid to DC abortionists so long as those funds are not specifically furnished by the federal government – an accounting gimmick.

As Marjorie Dannenfelser of the pro-life Susan B. Anthony List notes, “Already half of all pregnancies in the District of Columbia end in abortion. According to recent estimates,” she writes in an SBA List bulletin, “this legislation will result in 1,000 more abortions every year – funded by you and me.” (Money is fungible! Whatever local monies the DC city council uses for abortions will be replaced by federal funds appropriated for supposed other purposes.)

The only saving grace in the omnibus bill: conferees dropped earlier efforts to codify the Obama order overturning the Mexico City Policy and to cover abortions in the Federal Employee Health Benefits Plan. (Pres. Reagan’s Mexico City Policy disqualifies from US Agency for International Development funding any organization which commits or refers for abortion or which lobbies to overturn pro-life laws in other countries, such as International Planned Parenthood and its ilk.)

But what else was hidden in the omnibus spending measure? Writes Family Research Council president Tony Perkins in his Dec. 9 Washington Update: “HR-3288 also opens new funding streams for needle exchange programs and promotes the legalization of ‘medical’ marijuana, same-sex partner benefits and the Fairness Doctrine.

“After a small victory for abstinence education in the healthcare bill,” he writes, “the omnibus would zero out any abstinence money and instead direct $110 million to condom-pushing programs – on top of $315.7 million for Title X groups like Planned Parenthood. This would all be buttressed by an international message of sexual irresponsibility,” writes Mr. Perkins, “with a $103-million increase in overseas ‘family planning’ projects, bringing the total dollars to a whopping $648.5 million. America will also do its part [in this omnibus spending bill] to endorse [Red] China’s one-child policy with a boost in United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) support to $55 million.”

Coburn Guards Conscience

SEN. TOM COBURN (R-OK) HAS FILED AN AMENDMENT to the Reid/Obama healthcare takeover bill to protect medical providers from being compelled to participate in objectionable procedures, such as abortion.

Readers are asked to contact their Senators to ask for “a ‘yes’ vote for the Coburn Conscience Amendment.” Senators may be reached via the Capitol switchboard at 1-202/224-3121 and at their in-state offices, which can be found by checking with the reference desk at public libraries or by visiting the Senate’s Internet website at www.senate.gov, which can also be used for electronic mail to Senators.

‘Nelson’ Blocked

THE SENATE TUESDAY TABLED THE NELSON/HATCH/HYDE AMENDMENT to ObamaCare, by which Senators Ben Nelson (D-NE) and Orrin Hatch (R-UT) sought to explicitly exclude abortion coverage from the massive medical takeover proposal Leader Reid is pushing in the Senate. The amendment’s language was nearly identical to the Stupak/Pitts/Hyde Amendment which received strong support in the House. We publish the Senate’s 54-to-45 roll call on the tabling motion near the close of this Life Advocacy Briefing.

Debate on “Nelson” offered Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA) the opportunity to display once again the wackiness of the abortion lobby she so faithfully represents, and she could not resist. “The men who have brought us this [amendment] don’t single out a procedure that is used by a man – or a drug that is used by a man – that involves his reproductive health care. … There is nothing in this amendment that says if a man some day wants to buy Viagra, for example, that his pharmaceutical coverage cannot cover it …” Way to go, Senator!

For his part, Sen. Nelson “has said he refuses to vote for cloture [ending a filibuster] on the overall bill” if his amendment failed, reports Family Research Council’s Tony Perkins in FRC’s Dec. 7 Washington Update. We commend Sen. Nelson for this tough stand but raise the caution that, should Maine’s lady Senators Collins and Snowe bolt their party to support a cloture motion, two additional Democrats would be needed to stand with Ben Nelson to block the bill.

Bottom Line

TO BE FRANK, even if abortion were excluded – which it is now not, in this legislation – even if a medical conscience clause were attached, the ObamaCare proposal still would lead inevitably to rationing of medical care and a further coarsening of America’s attitude toward the dignity of every human life. Much as we would like to see these amendments adopted, this Trojan Horse cannot be fixed.

Bailing Out Planned Parenthood

Dec. 10, 2009, commentary by Bradley Mattes, executive director, Life Issues Institute

Despite becoming the world’s largest chain of abortion mills, even receiving $350 million of your tax dollars, Planned Parenthood is struggling. They need a bailout, and the Senate is giving it to them.

On Tuesday night, Senate leadership pushed aside the Nelson/Hatch Amendment. The bipartisan proposal would have upheld decades of tradition and policy. Healthcare plans supported by public dollars would not have paid for abortions – just as they don’t today and haven’t since the 1977 Hyde Amendment. Of course, women could still obtain abortions but with their own money. Not ours.

But no, instead, the Senate is pushing legislation that not only pays for abortion-on-demand, it also rations care to American citizens and will likely force medical professionals to provide abortion services.

Planned Parenthood is thrilled. Abortions bring in more than 30% of their income. Picture a board room of executives, dreaming of the day they convince the government to send our money to their abortion mills. A Planned Parenthood bailout.

We can’t let it happen. So get ready to get loud.

The Senate bill needs the approval of the House before it can become law. The Obama Administration will be pressuring the House to accept it with few if any changes. However, most House Members support the idea of keeping tax dollars out of the pockets of abortion mills, so the battle is not over.

The final fight will be in a conference committee, when select Members of the House and Senate try to combine the two bills.

What can we do? Contact your elected officials. Tell them you and 60% of other Americans don’t want our taxes to pay for abortions. Remind pro-abortion leaders that they are in the minority.

Tell your Senators to support the Coburn Amendment, ensuring healthcare providers are not forced to perform abortions. Tell them you want Majority Leader Harry Reid, who claims to be pro-life, to take another look at the Nelson/Hatch Amendment before the bill gets finalized.

Tell your Representatives to stand strong. Insist that any final legislation specifically prohibit federal funds from covering abortions.

Write a letter to the editor, post on a blog, call your local radio talk show. Be a voice that reaches around the nation, telling Congress we won’t stand for anything else but Life!

Senate Voting Record

Motion to table Nelson/Hatch Amendment which would have excluded abortion coverage from ObamaCare – Dec. 8, 2009 – Adopted (blocking the amendment) – 54 -45 (Democrats in italics; “Independents” marked “I”)

Voting “no” / pro-life: AL/Sessions & Shelby, AK/Murkowski, AZ/Kyl & McCain, AR/ Pryor, DE/Kaufman, FL/LeMieux, GA/Chambliss & Isakson, ID/Crapo & Risch, IN/ Bayh & Lugar, IA/Grassley, KS/Brownback & Roberts, KY/Bunning & McConnell, LA/Vitter, MS/Cochran & Wicker, MO/Bond, NE/Johanns & Nelson, NV/Ensign, NH/Gregg, NC/Burr, ND/Conrad & Dorgan, OH/Voinovich, OK/Coburn & Inhofe, PA/Casey, SC/DeMint & Graham, SD/Thune, TN/Alexander & Corker, TX/Cornyn & Hutchison, UT/Bennett & Hatch, WY/Barrasso & Enzi.

Voting “yes” / pro-abortion: AK/Begich, AR/Lincoln, CA/Boxer & Feinstein, CO/Bennet & Udall, CT/Dodd & Lieberman (I), DE/Carper, FL/Nelson, HI/Akaka & Inouye, IL/Burris & Durbin, IA/Harkin, LA/Landrieu, ME/Collins & Snowe, MD/Cardin & Mikulski, MA/Kerry & Kirk, MI/Levin & Stabenow, MN/Franken & Klobuchar, MO/McCaskill, MT/Baucus & Tester, NV/Reid, NH/Shaheen, NJ/Lautenberg  & Menendez, NM/Bingaman & Udall, NY/Gillibrand & Schumer, NC/Hagan, OH/Brown, OR/Merkley & Wyden, PA/Specter, RI/Reed & Whitehouse, SD/Johnson, VT/Leahy & Sanders (I), VA/Warner & Webb, WA/Cantwell & Murray, WV/Rockefeller, WI/Feingold & Kohl.

Not voting: WV/Byrd.

House Voting Record

Conference report on HR-3288 – Omnibus FY 2010 Appropriation – Dec. 10, 2009 – Adopted – 221-202-1 (Democrats in italics)

Voting “no” / pro-life: Aderholt, Adler (NJ), Akin, Alexander, Austria, Bachmann, Bachus, Baird, Bartlett, Barton (TX), Biggert, Bilbray, Bilirakis, Bishop (UT), Blackburn, Blunt, Boehner, Bonner, Bono-Mack, Boozman, Boren, Boustany, Brady (TX), Bright, Broun (GA), Brown (SC), Brown-Waite, Buchanan, Burgess, Burton (IN), Calvert, Camp, Campbell, Cantor, Cao, Capito, Carney, Carter, Cassidy, Castle, Chaffetz, Childers, Coble, Coffman (CO), Cole, Conaway, Costello, Crenshaw, Culberson, Dahlkemper, Davis (KY), Deal (GA), Dent, L. Diaz-Balart, M. Diaz-Balart, Donnelly (IN), Dreier, Driehaus, Duncan, Ehlers, Ellsworth, Emerson, Fallin, Flake, Fleming, Forbes, Fortenberry, Foxx, Franks (AZ), Frelinghuysen, Gallegly, Garrett (NJ), Gerlach, Gingrey (GA), Gohmert, Goodlatte, Gordon (TN), Granger, Graves, Guthrie, Hall (TX), Harper, Hastings (WA), Heller, Hensarling, Herger, Hoekstra, Hunter, Inglis, Issa, Jenkins, Johnson (IL), Sam Johnson, Jones, Jordan (OH), Kind, King (IA), King (NY), Kingston, Kirk, Kline (MN), Kratovil, Kucinich, Lamborn, Lance, Latham, LaTourette, Latta, Lee (NY), Lewis (CA), Linder, Lipinski, LoBiondo, Lucas, Luetkemeyer, Lummis, Daniel Lungren, Mack, Manzullo, Marchant, Marshall, Matheson, McCarthy (CA), McCaul, McClintock, McCotter, McHenry, McKeon, McMorris-Rodgers, Melancon, Miller (FL), Miller (MI), Gary Miller, Minnick, Mitchell, Moran (KS), Tim Murphy, Myrick, Neugebauer, Nunes, Olson, Owens, Paul, Paulsen, Pence, Peterson, Petri, Pitts, Platts, Poe (TX), Posey, Price (GA), Putnam, Radanovich, Rehberg, Reichert, Roe (TN), Rogers (AL), Rogers (KY), Rogers (MI), Rohrabacher, Rooney, Ros-Lehtinen, Roskam, Royce, Ryan (WI), Scalise, Schmidt, Schock, Sensenbrenner, Sessions, Shadegg, Shimkus, Shuler, Shuster, Simpson, Skelton, Smith (NE), Smith (NJ), Smith (TX), Souder, Stearns, Stupak, Sullivan, Tanner, Taylor, Terry, Thompson (PA), Thornberry, Tiahrt, Tiberi, Turner, Upton, Walden, Wamp, Westmoreland, Whitfield, Wilson (SC), Wittman, Wolf, Young (AK), Young (FL).

Voting “yes” / pro-abortion:Abercrombie, Ackerman, Altmire, Andrews, Arcuri, Baca, Barrow, Bean, Becerra, Berkley, Berman, Berry, Bishop (GA), Bishop (NY), Blumenauer, Boccieri, Boswell, Boucher, Boyd, Brady (PA), Braley (IA), Butterfield, Capps, Capuano, Cardoza, Carnahan, Carson (IN), Castor (FL), Chandler, Chu, Clarke, Clay, Cleaver, Clyburn, Cohen, Connolly (VA), Conyers, Costa, Courtney, Crowley, Cuellar, Cummings, Davis (AL), Davis (CA), Davis (IL), Davis (TN), DeFazio, DeGette, Delahunt, DeLauro, Dicks, Dingell, Doggett, Doyle, Edwards (MD), Edwards (TX), Ellison, Engel, Eshoo, Etheridge, Farr, Fattah, Filner, Foster, Fudge, Garamendi, Giffords, Gonzalez, Grayson, Al Green, Gene Green, Griffith, Grijalva, Gutierrez, Hall (NY), Halvorson, Hare, Harman, Hastings (FL), Heinrich, Herseth-Sandlin, Higgins, Hill, Himes, Hinchey, Hinojosa, Hirono, Hodes, Holden, Holt, Honda, Hoyer, Inslee, Israel, Jackson (IL), Jackson-Lee, Johnson (GA), E.B. Johnson, Kagen, Kanjorski, Kaptur, Kennedy, Kildee, Kilpatrick (MI), Kilroy, Kirkpatrick (AZ), Kissell, Klein (FL), Kosmas, Langevin, Larsen (WA), Larson (CT), Lee (CA), Levin, Lewis (GA), Loebsack, Zoe Lofgren, Lowey, Lujan, Lynch, Maffei, Maloney, Markey (CO), Markey (MA), Massa, Matsui, McCarthy (NY), McCollum, McDermott, McGovern, McIntyre, McMahon, McNerney, Meek (FL), Meeks (NY), Michaud, Miller (NC), George Miller, Mollohan, Moore (KS), Moore (WI), Murphy (CT), Murphy (NY), PatrickMurphy, Nadler (NY), Napolitano, Neal (MA), Nye, Oberstar, Obey, Olver, Ortiz, Pallone, Pascrell, Pastor (AZ), Payne, Perlmutter, Perriello, Peters, Pingree (ME), Pomeroy, Price (NC), Quigley, Rahall, Rangel, Reyes, Richardson, Rodriguez, Ross, Rothman (NJ), Roybal-Allard, Ruppersberger, Rush, Ryan (OH), Salazar, Linda Sanchez, Loretta Sanchez, Sarbanes, Schakowsky, Schauer, Schiff, Schrader, Schwartz, Scott (GA), Scott (VA), Serrano, Sestak, Shea-Porter, Sherman, Sires, Slaughter, Smith (WA), Snyder, Space, Spratt, Stark, Sutton, Teague, Thompson (CA), Thompson (MS), Tierney, Titus, Tonko, Towns, Tsongas, VanHollen, Velazquez, Visclosky, Walz, Wasserman-Schultz, Waters, Watson, Watt, Waxman, Weiner, Welch, Wexler, Wilson (OH), Woolsey, Wu, Yarmuth.

Voting “present”:Corrine Brown.

Not voting:Baldwin, Barrett (SC), Buyer, Cooper, Frank (MA), Mica, Moran (VA), Murtha, Polis (CO), Speier.

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