Politico: Blunt amendment defeated in Senate (it was tabled 51-48)

[Patricia M. McBride]

We just got word to take action this morning, and before anyone had a chance to even call their senators, they voted to table the amendment to reinstate religious rights under the first amendment.  This is, by no means, over as it will be before the supreme court.  We had better hope and pray we get rid of Obama, because if he gets re-elected, we may not have the supreme court to depend on to right things again.  This is not, and never was, about women's health issues; it was and always was about breaking the constitution and specifically the first amendment...................I am sure you will not be surprised that Senator Bill Nelson voted against this first amendment protecting bill and with his party instead of for the people of Florida.

 

By JENNIFER HABERKORN and KATE NOCERA | 3/1/12 12:07 PM EST

The Senate defeated Sen. Roy Blunt’s amendment to allow employers to refuse to cover health services Thursday, dealing Republicans a high-profile setback in the fight over the Obama administration’s contraception coverage mandate.

Sen. Olympia Snowe, the Maine Republican who this week said she would not run for reelection, joined nearly all Democrats in a 51-48 vote to dispense of the amendment, which would have allowed employers to decline to cover certain health benefits that conflict with their religious beliefs.

Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) voted for the proposed amendment to the Senate transportation bill, saying the Obama administration did not respond to her concerns about whether self-insured health plans of faith-based organizations would be exempt from the contraception coverage mandate. So did Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), who this week questioned why Republicans were voting on the proposal now.

Democratic Sens. Ben Nelson of Nebraska, Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Bob Casey of Pennsylvania joined Republicans in support of the amendment.

Democrats said the amendment was too broad and would have been an attack on women’s health. But Blunt (R-Mo.) vowed that the vote won’t be the end of the debate over the contraception coverage rule — and predicted that the Supreme Court might have the final say by striking it down.

“This issue will not go away unless the administration takes it away by giving people of faith those First Amendment protections” to refuse to cover services if they have moral or religious objections, Blunt said during the floor debate.

Republican supporters said Blunt’s amendment was an attempt to ensure religious-affiliated employers wouldn’t have to cover contraceptives or other products that conflict with their religious beliefs.

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Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0312/73497.html#ixzz1nt3fYvfs

[amanda choate]

It had better be about health coverage because of this: A religion does not have the ability to sidestep the law nor avoid its consequences, nor can it expect the law to bow to it because it is a church. Otherwise the logical progression of this argument would then be...Sharia law usurping federal law. And I am certain no one wants to see that.

[tamara stephenson]

And by the way, if the Repubs want to lose senate seats, keep trying to get these bills to a vote.  The results will be devastating.

[tamara stephenson]

We are beholden to our employers for our health coverage.  I am totally against it because as a consumer, we pay the premium and we have no choice in order to obtain any kind of affordable coverage.  If I'm a Scientologist, do I get to deny my employee insurance coverage for any mental health treatment, including prescription meds for depression, anxiety, ADD, etc., because i am against it?  If I'm a Jehovah, do i get to deny my employee insurance coverage for blood transfusions?  Sounds a bit crazy to me.  When I watch a bunch of men sitting on Capitol Hill attempting to dictate contraception for women, I am appalled that this is occurring in 2012.  We have serious, serious problems in this country.  Could we please stop wasting time on contraception for women? Please? 

[amanda choate]

Don't know what to think. No person or institution, religous, governmental or otherwise has any business determing my reproductive decisions. It is my decision and everything related to it is my family's private choice.