Anti-Abortion Clause Tucked Into Spending Bill

WASHINGTON, Saturday, Nov. 20 - House and Senate negotiators have tucked a potentially far-reaching anti-abortion provision into a $388 billion must-pass spending bill, complicating plans for Congress to wrap up its business and adjourn for the year.

The provision may be an early indication of the growing political muscle of social conservatives who provided crucial support for Republican candidates, including President Bush, in the election.

House officials said Saturday morning that the final details of the spending measure were worked out before midnight and that the bill was filed for the House vote on Saturday.

The abortion language would bar federal, state and local agencies from withholding taxpayer money from health care providers that refuse to provide or pay for abortions or refuse to offer abortion counseling or referrals. Current federal law, aimed at protecting Roman Catholic doctors, provides such "conscience protection'' to doctors who do not want to undergo abortion training. The new language would expand that protection to all health care providers, including hospitals, doctors, clinics and insurers.

"I am willing to stand on my feet and slow this thing down," Ms. Boxer said. "Everyone wants to go home, I know that, and I know I will not win a popularity contest in the Senate. But they should not be doing this. On a huge spending bill they're writing law, and they're taking away rights from women."

Ms. Boxer said that she complained to Senator Ted Stevens, the Alaska Republican who is the chairman of the Appropriations Committee, but that he told her that House Republican leaders insisted that the provision, which was approved by the House in July but never came to the Senate for a vote, be included in the measure.

"He said, 'Senator, they want it in, and it's going in,' " Ms. Boxer recalled...

...The spending measure, called an omnibus bill, was the main reason Congress returned to Washington after the election, and members of both parties say that despite Ms. Boxer's warnings, it is likely to pass with the abortion language intact.

BatAttaK said:
And the scariness begins.

Eva said:
<----- I just want you to see this nice new picture again.

InfernoMDM said:
If you cant tell I am a republican, who is not religous and is pro choice. It gripes my ass this is going on as well. I do believe eventually this will pass it may take a while though. Weather its with this president, or others I dont think people will stand for this.

jake_lex said:
What annoys me is the disdain and outright hostility towards democracy the Republicans constantly show. They hide bills that they know couldn't survive an open vote in other legislation, they redistrict House districts to protect existing Republican seats and remove Democratic representatives, they drop ethical rules to protect their leadership. In short, they don't give a fuck what the larger majority of voters want; they will do what it takes to subvert the process to ram through what they want.

I loved all the people in the election complaining about the "two party" system, and saying they wanted third parties. Me, I just want a two party system that really works.

Keith said:

I agree completely, but on the redistricting, the Dems, especially in the House, are just as bad when they have power.

jake_lex said:

Yeah, the Democrats aren't blameless here, but please show me a Democratic redistricting plan as egregious as the one DeLay pushed on Texas.

Keith said:

Oh man, I know all about that. Shit, the Texas Dems fled to a hotel in Oklahoma during that mess!

InfernoMDM said:
If you cant tell I am a republican, who is not religous and is pro choice. It gripes my ass this is going on as well. I do believe eventually this will pass it may take a while though. Weather its with this president, or others I dont think people will stand for this.

Keith said:

I agree completely, but on the redistricting, the Dems, especially in the House, are just as bad when they have power.