Senate Rejects Amendment Reinstating 'Global Gag Rule' During SCHIP Debate

Main Category: Medicare / Medicaid / SCHIP
Also Included In: Abortion;  Sexual Health / STDs;  Women's Health / Gynecology
Article Date: 30 Jan 2009 - 2:00 PDT

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The Senate on Wednesday voted 60-37 to reject an amendment that would have reinstated the "Mexico City" policy, also known as the "global gag rule," as part of legislation to reauthorize the State Children's Health Insurance Program (S. 275), the AP/San Francisco Chronicle reports. President Obama last week rescinded the global gag rule, which banned federal funding to international family planning groups that offer abortion services or provide information about the procedure (AP/San Francisco Chronicle, 1/28). Sen. Mel Martinez (R-Fla.) introduced the amendment, saying that U.S. taxpayers who object to abortion on moral or religious grounds should not be "forced to fund efforts abroad that utilize abortion as a means of family planning." In addition to the 54 Democratic and two independent Senators who voted against the amendment, Republican Sens. Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), Arlen Specter (Pa.), Olympia Snowe (Maine) and Susan Collins (Maine) opposed the measure. One Democrat, Sen. Ben Nelson (Neb.), voted in favor of reinstating the policy, the Washington Times reports.

Martinez said, "If we want to continue fostering a culture of life, where every life is considered sacred, every child is celebrated, and life at all stages is given the dignity it deserves, then we will reinstate this policy." Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.), who voted in favor of the amendment, said that it was counterproductive to debate a bill about children's health while allowing federal money to fund abortions. DeMint also said that Obama "campaigned on a platform of reducing abortions, yet one of his first official acts was to force millions of American taxpayers who find this practice immoral to pay for more abortions overseas." However, many Democrats argue that the global gag rule actually increased the number of abortions in low-income countries by reducing access to condoms and other forms of contraception. Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), who voted against the amendment, said Obama "did the right thing" in rescinding the policy, adding that he "stood up for the lives of women, and for family planning and the health of women all over the world."

According to the Times, the Senate's defeat of the amendment "has dampened Republican enthusiasm for another attempt" to reinstate the global gag rule. A senior Senate aide said, "With 60 people (voting no), we've got our work cut out for us." Ken Lundberg, a spokesperson for Martinez, suggested that the senator might introduce similar measures in the future, adding, "We're considering our options." According to the Times, the Senate on Wednesday also rejected other Republican-sponsored amendments to the SCHIP bill, including provisions to prevent the participation of children from higher-income families and a less-costly Republican alternative for expanding the program (Lengell, Washington Times, 1/29).

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