Birth control exemption bill, the ‘Blunt amendment,’ killed in Senate

[maddezmom]

By a largely party-line vote, the Senate on Thursday blocked a move to exempt virtually any employer with moral objections from the Obama administration’s controversial birth control health coverage rule.

The measure, an amendment proposed by Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) to a highway funding bill, was tabled—and therefore effectively killed—by a vote of 51 to 48.

Only one Republican Senator, Olympia Snowe of Maine voted against the measure. Three Democratic senators supported it, Robert Casey (Pa.), Joe Manchin (W.V.), and Ben Nelson (Neb.).

The measure was among the most sweeping of several congressional efforts to broaden the current religious exemption in the birth control rule, which only fully exempts explicitly religious organizations such as churches from its requirement that worker health plans include contraceptive coverage with no out-of-pocket charges.

Under the Blunt amendment, not only would church-affiliated organizations such as Catholic hospitals, universities, schools and charities have been free to opt out of the coverage, any non-religious employer with a moral objection would have qualified.

more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/birth-control-exemption-bill-the-blunt-amendment-killed-in-senate/2012/03/01/gIQA4tXjkR_story.html



But I see 3 Dems that need to be held accountable for their anti-women stance.

[LiberalLoner]

1. I have to say I am shocked by the misogyny on display lately.

Shocked and quite frankly, frightened. I don't think they will stop until they call for the indiscriminate slaying of women, a sort of femicide. The calls to more violence against women are getting louder.

[niyad]

3. I have been following the crap coming out of the religious reichwing for years, and the only thing

that is surprising is that they are finally bringing their little wet dreams out into the open. some of them have been calling for the death penalty for non-submissive wives, women who have had affairs (just the women, mind, not the men), mouthy teens, women who have had an abortion--the list of insanity goes on and on.

and now, to their great delight, they have people in congress who are, apparently, willing to make their nightmarish dreams a reality.

hang on, you haven't seen anything yet.

[LiberalLoner]

5. I just have to wonder how successful they will be...how much of their agenda will be implemented

within, say, the next decade or so.

[libodem]

2. Thank the Goddess

And God's Mormon wife. You know that is part of their doctrine. We have a Mother in heaven. And she is tired of shootin' out spirit babies.

[DrDan]

4. so let me ask this question

Churches are exempt from the requirement to offer insurance that covers contraception.

Can any religiously-affiliated employer simply opt-out - whether that is a tenet of the religion or not?

If this is the case, then how can other employers be held to the policy? If it is not a tenet of the faith, then there is no religious basis for the exemption.

(before the flames start - I do not agree with the exemption to begin with. All employers should provide this coverage.)

[MiniMe]

6. So I guess it is OK with the repugs if blood transfusions are not covered by christian scientist

health plans?

[yardwork]

7. It's appalling how close this was. Get out the vote!