by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
March 13, 2008
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Led by votes from pro-abortion Democratic presidential candidates Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, the Senate rejected a measure on Thursday night that would have promoted parental involvement when it comes to a minor teenager girl who is considering an abortion.
The Senate voted on an amendment from Sen. John Ensign of Nevada authorizing funds for the federal government to enforce the prevention of taking teens to another state for a secret abortion.
Congress has previously considered the Child Custody Protection Act, a bill to make sure someone can't take a girl to another state for an abortion that violates the parental consent or notification laws of her home state.
Because the Senate's pro-abortion leadership won't take up the bill, Ensign structured a budgetary amendment to essentially accomplish the same purpose as the legislation and pro-life groups considered the vote the same as a vote on the bill.
However, the Senate defeated the amendment on a 49-49 vote thanks to votes against it from both Obama and Clinton.
Most of the chamber's Republicans voted for the measure except pro-abortion Sens. Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe of Maine and Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania. Also, Sen. Thad Cochran of Mississippi, who normally votes pro-life, opposed the amendment as well.
Democrats opposed the parental involvement amendment except Sens. Bob Casey of Pennsylvania, Tim Johnson of South Dakota, Mary Landrieu of Louisiana, Ben Nelson of Nebraska, and Harry Reid of Nevada.
Senator John McCain, the likely Republican presidential nominee, and Sen. Robert Byrd, were not present at the time of the late vote.
ACTION: See how your members of the Senate voted by going here and then tell them how you feel about their vote.
