Senate Rejects Bush Overseas Family Planning Rule

[Nambe]

WASHINGTON (Reuters)

The U.S. Senate on Wednesday rejected President Bush's order to block U.S. assistance to international family planning agencies if they perform or advocate abortions.

Defying Bush's veto threat, the Senate voted 53-43 for an amendment to overturn Bush's order as lawmakers debated a bill authorizing State Department operations and foreign aid programs for the next fiscal year, which begins on Oct. 1.

Democrats led the drive to repeal Bush's order, which abortion rights advocates said amounts to a "global gag rule" that restricts free speech of family planning groups and could lead to more risky abortions worldwide by denying crucial family planning counseling. ---

But Sen. Barbara Boxer, a California Democrat, said the rule jeopardizes U.S. aid funding for family planning groups "if they absolutely do nothing more than even tell a patient what her legal options are, what her safe options are."

The Mexico City rule prohibits giving U.S. funds to groups that spend their own money for abortions or counseling.


Click to enter

[enough]

1. Do my eyes deceive me? Can this be true?

What's the catch?

[Betty]

2. Is that enough

to override a veto????

[DemoTex]

3. President cannot veto bill that never gets to his desk

Not even Bu$h. Veto is for bill that is passed by both houses and sent to POTUS for signature. Since it is a 53 against to 43 for vote, it is dead in the Senate (for now).

More info on veto FYI (on edit):

After its final passage by both houses, the bill is sent to the president. If he approves, he signs it, and the bill becomes a law. However, if he disapproves, he vetoes the bill by refusing to sign it and sending it back to the house of origin with his reasons for the veto. The objections are read and debated, and a roll-call vote is taken. If the bill receives less than a two-thirds vote, it is defeated and goes no further. But if it receives a two-thirds vote or greater, it is sent to the other house for a vote. If that house also passes it by a two-thirds vote, the president's veto is overridden, and the bill becomes a law.

http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0101183.html

[I AM SPARTACUS]

5. it reads differently...this is an amendment to State Dept & foreign aid

authorization bill...

From my perspective, if this amendment survives the Senate and goes to conference, and survives that ordeal to be included in the final bill, Smirko'll have to veto the whole mess to get rid of this...

all in all, I'm grateful that the senators stuck to their principles this far. For international organizations, the global gag-crap has been an increasingly problematic manifestation of misguided fundamentalism...

[NewJerseyDem]

6. No, I don't think so

It was only an amendment to a larger bill anyway. Also, the vote was on a motion to table, or kill, the amendment. So, a vote against is a vote for the amendment and a vote for is a vote against the amendment. Anyway, the amendment was agreed to and is now part of the bill until the conference.

[TankLV]

7. No - it is 53 FOR and 43 against.

They voted FOR the ammendment to overturn the pResdident's prohibition against abortion related counciling.

[Chryslin]

4. Wow.

Go Barbara! Go Barbara! :bounce:

I'm amazed that the Senate had the cahones to go out on a limb on the issue -- it's not very high profile is it? Well even if chimpy does veto it (which of course he will) it will draw attention to whole hateful thing.

[study_war_no_more]

8. excactly the right word

Hateful