Family Research Council Urges Senate to Hold Firm on Pro-life Protections Within Any Obamacare Replacement Bill

WASHINGTON, July 27 -- The Family Research Council issued the following news release:

Today the U.S. Senate rejected by a vote of 50 to 50 a procedural vote to allow consideration of Sen. Luther Strange's (R-AL) Amendment #389 to the Senate health care bill (H.R. 1628). Sixty senators voting in the affirmative were required for the procedural motion to pass. The Strange Amendment would have established a 90%/10% matching arrangement between the State Stability and Innovation Program ("Stability Fund") and Obamacare's premium tax credits in order to stop Obamacare's tax subsidies to purchase health insurance plans that cover elective abortion. Family Research Council scored in favor of this vote.

Family Research Council President Tony Perkins released the following statement:

"We are encouraged that this pro-life amendment received 50 votes, making us optimistic that the amendment's pro-life principles will be included in any health care bill that emerges from the Senate.

"Obamacare opened the door wide open for a government subsidies for elective abortions - violating the long held Hyde Amendment principle that abortion is not health care and should not be funded or subsidized with tax dollars. This reality is why the pro-life movement expects the GOP majority to make the protection of unborn children in the context of health care reform a high priority.

"Senator Luther Strange (R-Ala.) deserves much credit for fighting to ensure that tax subsidies for healthcare plans no longer subsidize elective abortion. Leader Mitch McConnell, Chairman Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.), the Senate Values Action Team co-chairs Senators Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), and Steve Daines (R-Mt.) and along with their staff deserve recognition for working tirelessly to ensure that the Senate will pass a bill that respects life. However, if these pro-life principles are not maintained in a version of the final bill, Family Research Council will be forced to withdraw our support," Perkins concluded.