House Dems Filibuster Trafficking Bill Over 'Despicable' Anti-Abortion Subterfuge
Published on Tuesday, March 17, 2015
by Common Dreams
House Dems Filibuster Trafficking Bill Over 'Despicable' Anti-Abortion Subterfuge
'Survivors of human trafficking have dealt with the unfathomable, yet politicians wanted to add insult to injury by limiting their access to safe and legal abortion care,' said rights advocate
by Lauren McCauley, staff writer
Blocking an attempt by GOP lawmakers to scuttle through a provision that would deny survivors of human trafficking access to safe and legal abortions, Senate Democrats on Tuesday staged a filibuster against the measure.
The Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act (S 178), introduced by Senator John Cornyn (R-Texas), would have established a fund to help survivors by using fines levied against traffickers. However, the bill included a provision, known as the Hyde Amendment, that restricted that fund from being used for abortion care.
"We're not talking about taxpayer money," dissenting Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) said Tuesday. "We're talking about money collected from the very offenders who have already controlled too much of the lives of these women and girls. These survivors deserve more options, not fewer."
The final Senate roll call for the bill was 55 to 43, just short of the 60 votes needed to clear a procedural hurdle. Democratic Sens. Heidi Heitkamp (N.D.), Bob Casey (Pa.), Joe Manchin (W.Va.) and Joe Donnelly (Ind.) voted with Republicans to try to advance it.
Ahead of the vote, Republican lawmakers attempted to shame their Democratic counterparts into accepting the provision.
"If Democrats actually vote to filibuster help for oppressed victims of modern slavery...I can't imagine the American people will forget it," threatened Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.).
More:
http://www.commondreams.org/news/2015/03/17/house-dems-filibuster-trafficking-bill-over-despicable-anti-abortion-subterfuge
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