WASHINGTON (February 27, 2008) --
The National Right to Life Committee
(NRLC) applauded the Senate's
adoption yesterday of an NRLC-backed
amendment, sponsored by Senator
David Vitter (R-La.), to permanently
prohibit federal health programs for
American Indians from providing
abortions.
The Senate voted 52 to 42 to
attach the pro-life provision to a
bill (S. 1200) that would
reauthorize and extensively revise
the laws governing Indian health
programs. In the House, which is
expected to deal with Indian health
legislation in the near future, a
similar amendment has been proposed
by Congressman Joe Pitts (R-Pa.)
NRLC Legislative Director Douglas
Johnson commented, "We commend
Senator Vitter for his leadership in
attempting to close the door to
future federal funding of abortion
in federal Indian health programs.
Now we have our work cut out for us
in the House of Representatives,
where we expect the Democratic
leadership to try hard to block
enactment of this pro-life
language."
The federal government funds a
number of health programs for
American Indians, which cover over
two million persons. During the
1970s, the federal Indian Health
Service paid for abortion on demand
in these programs. The funding of
abortions has been blocked since the
early 1980s, but the pro-life policy
has depended on annual renewal of a
pro-life provision (the Hyde
Amendment) to an annual
appropriations bill. In contrast,
the Vitter Amendment, if enacted
into law, would permanently prohibit
the providing of abortions in Indian
health programs (except if necessary
to save the life of the mother, or
in cases of rape or incest), whether
or not the Hyde Amendment is renewed
in any given year.
Forty-three (43) Republicans and
nine Democrats voted for the Vitter
Amendment, while three Republicans,
37 Democrats, and two independents
voted against it. Of the six
senators who were absent, three were
considered to be supporters of the
amendment, including Sen. John
McCain (R-Az.), who was one of four
cosponsors of the Vitter Amendment.
To view the roll call on the
Vitter Amendment, click
here.
To view NRLC's Senate scorecard
for the entire 110th Congress to
date (2007-2008), click
here.
To view NRLC's January 17, 2008
letter to the U.S. Senate in favor
of the Vitter Amendment (PDF file),
please click
here.
