Today: pro-life amendment in Senate *updated*

Here on Capitol Hill, it is widely expected that the Nelson-Hatch pro-life amendment will be offered today for a vote. update: it will be voted on Tuesday.

While it would need 60 votes to pass, this is not an impossible feat, especially after the better-than-expected turnout for the Stupak amendment in the House.

Kathleen Gilbert writes about the Nelson-Hatch amendment, and what others are saying about it:

Following reports that the Senate may vote imminently on its pro-life amendment, the National Right to Life Committee is urging voters to lobby senators to ensure a yes vote for the pro-life Hatch-Nelson amendment.

Senators Orrin Hatch (R-UT) and Ben Nelson (D-NE) have submitted an amendment to the health care reform bill that, like the Stupak amendment in the House, prevents the Senate version of reform from mandating abortion coverage or providing federal funds for coverage that includes elective abortions.

Many analysts doubt that the pro-life amendment will succeed.  However, Sen. Nelson has vowed to oppose the final bill if it does not include his language - a refusal that could bring down the whole measure unless Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid secures at least one vote from among Republican ranks. 

The amendment would need 60 votes to secure its place in the bill.   There are 40 Republicans in the Senate, but both Republican Senators from Maine, Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe, support government funding for abortion.  Last year, the following 8 Democratic Senators voted to prohibit funding for abortion or abortion coverage in the Indian Health Service: Senators Bayh (IN), Byrd (WV), Casey (PA), Johnson (SD), Landrieu (LA), Nelson (NE), Pryor (AR), Reid (NV). Both Democratic Senators from North Dakota, Conrad and Dorgan, have voted against government funding for abortion coverage in the Federal Employee Health Benefits Program.  Senator Lincoln (D-AR) has not voted for pro-life funding amendments, but did vote for the partial birth abortion ban.

Please contact your Senators today (sooner is better) and urge them to support this pro-life amendment! 

Oh, and despite what you may have heard, the Mikulski amendment, which has already passed, is not a pro-life amendment. In fact, it could require all insurance plans to cover abortions.

update: there may be some surprise yes votes on this amendment - so keep at your Senators!

update 2: Abortion vote today could decide fate of heath plan, says Washington Examiner

update 3: Senators Nelson, Boxer Debate Amendment to Stop Abortion Funs in Health Care

[This item was cross-posted to APP.]