If you want to score political points, do it on something [that] doesn't involve vulnerable children

[Panich52]

TheHill

The fate of a bipartisan bill to fight human trafficking was in jeopardy Tuesday as Democrats raised concerns about abortion-related language in the bill.

The bill, introduced by Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), would crack down on perpetrators of human trafficking, create new services for victims and expand resources for law enforcement.

Top Democrats, including Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), pulled support on Tuesday as word spread about a provision of the bill that would prohibit federal funds to be used for abortion through the Hyde Amendment.

Democrats had been unaware that the bill included the abortion language as it was going through committee, a Democratic aide said. But Cornyn dismissed the notion that Democrats didn't know what they were voting on.

"The idea that there's been some sort of ambush is just preposterous, it's just not credible," he said from the Senate floor. "They object to language that has been the law of the land for 39 years."

Cornyn urged Democrats to drop their concerns and "rise above this disagreement, this posturing, this 'gotcha'" which he said would ultimately hurt victims.

He also defended his legislation by arguing that the rules were no different than those used to cover most federal grant programs. The Hyde Amendment was first used in 1976 and is routinely attached to annual appropriations bills. Those bills have been supported by Democrats in the past, Cornyn argued.

Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), a former prosecutor of child molestation cases, also took to the Senate floor to urge an end to "political 'gotcha' games" though his criticism was directed at the GOP.

"If you want to score political points, do it on something [that] doesn't involve vulnerable children," Leahy said.

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"They object to language that has been the law of the land for 39 years."

So, if it's such established law, why sneak it into yet another bill? It's especially despicable to add misogynistic Hyde language to a bill on human trafficking which frequently involves forced prostitution.

[niyad]

1. the woman-haters are at it again, and again. . .

and blaming the dems when this bill doesn't pass. so typical.