Washington D.C., Sep 30, 2009 / 15:01 pm
The Senate Financial Services Committee rejected an amendment today that was presented by Senator Orin Hatch to keep abortion out of Senator Max Baucus' "America's Health Future Act of 2009." The Hatch amendment also would have codified current conscience protections into the health bill.
Senator Hatch's abortion funding amendment would have kept federal funds from paying for abortions or plans that cover abortion, but it would also not prevent women from obtaining their own separate abortion policies if they choose to do so.
Hatch's amendment failed by a 13-10 vote, with one Republican, Olympia Snowe of Maine voting with the majority and one Democrat, Kent Conrad of North Dakota, supporting Hatch.
The Baucus legislation explicitly includes elective abortion and would subsidize health plans that cover all elective abortions. It would also undermine current conscience protections by not protecting health insurers from being forced to cover elective abortions.