Pro-Life Provisions: DOD/LHHS Appropriations Bill

Yesterday, the Senate approved H.R. 6157, a spending bill including FY 2019 appropriations for both the Department of Defense (DOD) and Labor, Health and Human Services and related agencies (LHHS).

During consideration of H.R. 6157, Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) offered an amendment that would prohibit large abortion providers — such as Planned Parenthood — from receiving any funding under the LHHS bill. (The Paul amendment is similar in substance to the language that was included in the House Appropriations Committee-approved LHHS bill, H.R. 6470.)

The Paul Amendment failed 45-48.

• Voting in favor — 45 Republicans voted in favor of the Paul amendment
• Voting against — All present Democratic Senators and 2 Republicans (Collins-ME, Murkowski-AK)
• Not voting — 7 Senators (Corker-TN, Cruz-TX, Fischer-NE, Hirono-HI, McCain-AZ, Murray-WA, Schatz-HI).

60 affirmative votes were required for the Paul amendment to pass.