Washington D.C., Dec 8, 2009 / 16:48 pm
The U.S. Senate voted this afternoon to table the Nelson-Hatch-Casey Amendment that would have prohibited the federal funding of abortions in the government's reformed health care system.
At around 5:30 p.m. EST, the Senate held a roll call vote on tabling the abortion amendment, which would maintain the 30-year-old Hyde Amendment ban on federal funds paying for abortions. With 51 votes needed to kill the amendment, the attempt succeeded 54 votes to 45.
“As written, the Senate Heath care bill allows taxpayer dollars, directly and indirectly to pay for insurance plans that cover abortion,” said Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) on his website Monday. Most Americans, he continued, “do not favor using public funds to cover abortion and as a result this bill shouldn't open the door to do so.”