Vote Expected On Sen. Nelson's Antiabortion Amendment To Health Reform Bill

Main Category: Abortion
Also Included In: Health Insurance / Medical Insurance;  Medicare / Medicaid / SCHIP
Article Date: 09 Dec 2009 - 2:00 PDT


The Senate on Tuesday is expected to vote on an amendment to its health care reform bill that would prohibit individuals who receive federal subsidies from purchasing insurance plans that cover abortion services, even with their own money, the Washington Post reports. The amendment, introduced on Monday by Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.), would also ban abortion coverage under the proposed public plan option, although that issue could be moot if the option is dropped under a compromise that would expand Medicaid and Medicare in its place, according to the Post (Murray, Washington Post, 12/8).

Currently, the Senate health reform bill would allow federally subsidized insurance plans to cover abortion services, but they would be required to segregate the federal funds from private money that could be used to pay for the services (Adamy/Hitt, Wall Street Journal, 12/8). Nelson's amendment mirrors the language of Rep. Bart Stupak's (D-Mich.) amendment that is included in the House health reform bill (HR 3962) (Young, The Hill, 12/7).

Both sides of the debate say Nelson's amendment is not likely to garner the 60 votes needed to pass, though antiabortion-rights groups say they will continue to push for similar language as a condition for supporting the final health reform bill, the Wall Street Journal reports. Nelson said senators are "going to keep talking" to reach an agreement on the issue (Wall Street Journal, 12/8). The amendment is co-sponsored by several GOP senators and Democratic Sen. Robert Casey (Pa.), though Casey has told Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) that he would not filibuster the bill if the amendment is not included. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.), one of the co-sponsors, said he does not expect it to pass despite strong Republican support. "The question is whether or not you can get 60 [votes], which I think is very much in doubt," Thune said (The Hill, 12/7).

Abortion-rights supporters in the Senate have criticized the language as too restrictive and discriminatory toward women. Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) said the amendment "would be the biggest rollback to a woman's right to choose in decades," adding, "The men who have brought us this don't single out a procedure that's used by a man or a drug that is used by a man that involves his reproductive health" (Perine, CQ Today, 12/7). Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) said in an interview on MSNBC that Nelson's amendment "goes too far" and "crosses a line" by making it difficult for individuals to use their own money to purchase abortion coverage. The amendment "takes us back, it takes away options on health care coverage," she added (Richardson, Washington Times, 12/8).

According to CQ Today, Nelson has said he would support a filibuster if the current abortion coverage language remains (Perine, CQ Today, 12/7). If Nelson withdraws his support, Reid could be short of the 60 votes needed to move the bill on to conference committee, where the issue of abortion coverage is almost certain to come up again (Washington Post, 12/8). Congressional Democrats who support abortion rights have said they would work to remove the Stupak amendment from the House bill, and more than 40 have said they would vote against legislation that includes such language, the Washington Times reports (Haberkorn, Washington Times, 12/8).

Stupak said he thinks Nelson's version of his amendment "will be a tight vote," adding, "I don't think we will prevail in the Senate." Stupak said his vote on a final health reform bill will depend on what abortion restrictions remain in the legislation after it emerges from conference committee (Spangler, Detroit Free Press, 12/7).

Reid Develops Manager's Amendment

Meanwhile, Reid since last week has been quietly assembling provisions for a manager's amendment to the Senate health reform bill, with the aim of appeasing various groups within the Democratic caucus to get 60 votes, CQ Today reports. Top Democratic leaders have been meeting daily to create the manager's amendment by Tuesday and produce a final bill by Christmas.

Although the central focus of the amendment is expected to be the public plan option, the details are still being negotiated, CQ Today reports (Hunter, CQ Today, 12/7). Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) claimed that Democrats are "going to allow a cover vote [on Nelson's amendment] ... so everybody can state their positions," adding, "My suspicion is when we see a manager's amendment, the Stupak language is going to be in there" (Washington Times, 12/8).

USCCB 'Has Lost Its Way' on Health Reform, Politico Opinion Piece Says

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops "has lost its way" in the debate over health care reform because it is "more concerned with restricting millions of American women from making health care decisions that are best for them and their families than they are with ensuring that millions of Americans ... get much-needed health insurance," former Maryland Lt. Gov. Kathleen Kennedy Townsend (D), a Roman Catholic, writes in a Politico opinion piece. She writes that she is "devastated" that USCCB is using its influence to affect abortion coverage rather than to try "to increase access to health care for the millions of people who don't have insurance." She continues, "We have the opportunity to expand health care to millions of Americans -- a noble goal the vast majority of American Catholics can stand behind," adding, "I want Catholic bishops to heed the Vatican's call for charity and justice for all, not just for the wealthy and well connected" (Kennedy Townsend, Politico, 12/8).


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