Senate rejects Ben Nelson’s anti-abortion amendment 54-45

ObamaCare-health-insuranceNow we will see if the so called “moderate” Democrat Ben Nelson really meant what he says. By a vote of 54-45, the Senate “put aside” Nelson’s amendment that would ban any insurance plan getting taxpayer dollars from offering abortion coverage. The restrictions mirrored provisions in the House-passed health care bill. This vote could cause problems for the passage of the Senate version of ObamaCARE, if these so called “moderate Democrats” actually do what they say and not support any sort of health care bill with government funded abortion. Don’t hold your breathe on that though either. Fox News has more:

The Senate bill currently allows insurance plans to cover abortions, but requires that they can only be paid for with private money. The legislation calls for insurance plans that would receive federal subsidies in a new insurance marketplace to strictly separate public funds from private dollars that would be used to pay for abortion.

“As our bill currently reads, no insurance plan in the new marketplace, whether private or public, would be allowed to use public funds for abortion,” said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev.

The Senate vote — hailed as a victory by abortion rights supporters — could complicate prospects for President Barack Obama’s health overhaul.

It’s unclear whether Reid can pass his bill without the votes of Democratic abortion opponents. Seven Democrats supported the stiffer restrictions, while two Republicans — Maine Sens. Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe– voted with the Democrats. In the House, anti-abortion Democrats have threatened to vote against any final bill that dilutes the restrictions already approved in their bill.

Abortion opponents say the restrictions simply extend current federal laws that prohibit taxpayer funding of abortion except in cases of rape, incest or to save the life of the mother. But abortion rights supporters said the restrictions would have the effect of denying women coverage for a legal medical procedure already covered by many insurance plans, even if they use their own money.

“This amendment would place an unprecedented restriction on a woman’s right to use her own money to purchase insurance coverage that includes abortion,” said Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif.

But Nelson called the separation of funds in the bill an accounting gimmick. “The reality is federal funds would help buy coverage that includes abortion,” he said.

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December 8, 2009 · Filed Under ObamaCARE


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