Legislation

August 23, 2010

HR 5939

Cardinal Daniel DiNardo, Chairman of the Bishop’s Committee on Pro-Life Activities, wrote to Members of Congress last Friday urging them to support HR 5939, the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act. The bill, introduced by Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ), would make the annual Hyde amendment prohibiting almost all abortion funding permanent law. The measure would also extend the Hyde restrictions to cover not just Department of Health and Human Services spending, but all government spending. HR 5939 currently has 166 co-sponsors, including 20 Democrats.

A copy of Cardinal DiNardo’s letter is available at http://www.usccb.org/prolife/DiNardo-HR5939.pdf

August 6, 2010

Kagan nomination

The Senate voted 63-37 yesterday to confirm the nomination of Elena Kagan to the Supreme Court. Five Republicans (Graham, Lugar, Snowe, Collins, and Gregg) voted for Ms. Kagan; one Democrat (Nelson) voted against her.

Coburn/Hatch bill on Obamacare

Senators Tom Coburn (R-OK) and Orrin Hatch (R-UT) yesterday introduced the “Excluding Abortion Coverage from the Health Reform Act of 2010” bill that would extend the Hyde Amendment to Obamacare. The measure would prevent taxpayer dollars from paying for abortion in the President’s health care overhaul except in cases of rape, incest, or life of the mother. The Coburn/Hatch legislation, which as yet does not have a number, is identical to the “Protect Life Act,” H.R. 5111, introduced by Congressman Joe Pitts in the House last April.

August 5, 2010

Kagan nomination

The Senate is expected to confirm the nomination of Elena Kagan to the Supreme Court today. Immediately after, the Senate will go into its annual summer recess for five weeks.

August 4, 2010

Reps. Chris Smith (R-NJ) and Dan Lipinski (D-IL) introduced H.R. 5939, the “No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act.” Smith and Lipinski were joined by 155 bipartisan cosponsors which included 18 Democrats (including Lipinski) and 139 Republicans (including Smith). A joint press statement by Smith and Lipinski along with text of H.R. 5939 can be found here.

Obamacare

Evidence of Obamacare’s unpopularity continues to mount.

Yesterday, voters in Missouri overwhelmingly approved a measure that strikes at the heart of the President’s health care law. Proposition C, which passed with 71% of the vote, would prevent anyone from being required to buy health insurance or participate in a health care system. Obamacare, of course, requires that everyone buy health insurance or pay a fine.

It’s expected that the federal government will challenge Proposition C in court, but Arizona, Florida, and Oklahoma will have similar measures on their ballots this November.

On the national level, Rasmussen Reports’ latest survey shows 59% of likely voters favor repeal of Obamacare, while a record 57% say the President’s health care overhaul will be bad for the country.

Kagan nomination

The full Senate officially began debate on Elena Kagan’s nomination to the Supreme Court yesterday. Majority Leader Harry Reid is said to be pushing for a final confirmation vote on Thursday so that Senators can leave Friday for their five-week summer

August 3, 2010

The Senate is scheduled to begin debate today on the nomination of Elena Kagan to the Supreme Court. Yesterday, Senator Jeff Sessions (R-AL), ranking minority member of the Judiciary Committee, sent a letter to his colleagues outlining the case against the Kagan nomination. He specifically mentioned her efforts as a Clinton White House advisor to have the official partial-birth abortion statement of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists rewritten to suit the political objectives of the President.

Given that five Republicans have announced that they will vote for Ms. Kagan, a filibuster of the nomination is extremely unlikely. A final vote is expected later this week.

July 30, 2010

Congressmen Chris Smith (R-NJ) and Daniel Lipinski (D-IL) on Thursday filed legislation to make the provisions of the Hyde amendment permanent and applicable to all federal agencies.

Currently, Congress must approve Hyde amendment language every year in the Health and Human Services funding bill. The Smith/Lipinski measure would bar federal money from being used for abortions, except in cases of rape, incest, or life of the mother, on a permanent basis. It would also apply the funding restrictions to all federal departments and agencies, not just the Department of Health and Human Services.

The legislation has not yet received a bill number.

Past Legislative Updates

Complete health care reform information including a history of legislative updates