Yesterday, the Senate rejected a proposal by Sen. David Vitter that would have stripped government funding from any health care provider that uses non-government money to perform abortions. The vote was 52-41.
Such a move would have been absolutely devastating to those providing reproductive health care. Funding for the program has already plummeted in recent years, and many clinics rely on Title X funds for most of the services they provide. There are about 4,600 clinics that receive Title X funding. Planned Parenthood receives about $59 million annually. And it seems that all such funding would have been cut off to the organization under this bill, even though a very large portion of Planned Parenthood clinics do not actually perform abortions. They have already been hit very, very hard this way internationally through the Global Gag Rule, and the effect of having that money stripped would be absolutely disastrous.
Say whatever else you will about current Congressional Dems. There’s a hell of a lot to say and a hell of a lot to hate. But thank-fucking-god for a pro-choice Senate. This time last year, the bill would have probably gone through.
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God, I really loathe Vitter. His colleague Landrieu (D-LA) has co-sponsored (with Dodd, D-CT) an affordable housing bill for the Gulf Coast that is LONG overdue and relatively progressive, given the reality of the day. Vitter, the OTHER SEN. FROM LA, is the #1 opponent to this bill. He is PUBLICLY OPPOSED IN THE LOCAL NEW ORLEANS PAPER. It’s amazing, and totally partisan.
PS: If you’d like to support the bill, it’s the Gulf Coast Housing Recovery Act (S. 1668). The comparable house bill (HR 1227) passed with bi-partisan support.
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