Democrats blocked a bipartisan human trafficking bill Tuesday, launching a filibuster to protest an abortion provision that has turned into a major ideological test for both parties — and that threatens to hold up Loretta Lynch, whom President Obama has picked to replace Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr.
The flareup that manages to tie together immigration, abortion gender and race — Ms. Lynch would be the first black female to head the Justice Department — and has quickly escalated into a major test between Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Kentucky Republican, and Minority Leader Harry Reid, Nevada Democrat.
Mr. Reid won Tuesday’s fight, though not without several defections. Four Democrats joined 52 Republicans in backing the trafficking bill and the abortion provision, though that was still four shy of the 60 needed to overcome the filibuster.
“The American people will not forget it,” Mr. McConnell vowed ahead of the vote, which he said was an embarrassing predicament for Democrats.
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7 comments:
Why does a human trafficking bill include abortion? Sounds like it should be in its own bill. No wonder there is suck a stink on the hill.
I guess it is more important for the Democrats to have abortions paid for by the government than to have women not become sex slaves.
How has this turned into an abortion bill? It is like a secret agenda to sneak stuff in, makes Republicans look terrible.
5:13
Why not have a separate debate then? Why include it in this bill? Because its petty. Both sides do it, but I don't see how anyone could defend either side when they do this.
How does being black and female qualify one for attorney General,or is nobody else asking that question"
From the full article: "Democrats say the GOP pulled a fast one by slipping a provision into the human trafficking bill prohibiting federal money from paying for abortions for trafficking victims."
That is why it is in the trafficking bill. It has everything to do with the bill. It has nothing to do with being petty or any secret agendas.
It is reiterating previously stated federal policy about not using federal money for abortions. Nothing was slipped in. The Democrats are the ones making a big deal about it. No federal money for abortion has been the policy for more than 25 years. The Republicans put it in because if they don't some President can come along with an Executive Order and make it legal because there wasn't anything about it in the bill.
If the Dems want the bill then they need to accept the provision. It is time for the Republicans to quit backing down. The Dems keep using the "clean bill" BS, but there ain't no such critter.
Babs and Cardin...Are you willing to vote to stop human trafficking? Or is Dingy Harry Reid pulling your strings?
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