Thursday, March 10, 2005
Thanks Mr. Schumer
I don't get it. Support abortion, and you're "representing all of your constituants". Apparently, hate your constituants, and you're still "representing all of your constituants".
A controversial amendment to federal bankruptcy legislation that would have punished pro-life protesters was defeated handily in the U.S. Senate today.
The measure, courtesy of Sen. Charles Schumer, marked the second time in the past two sessions of Congress that the liberal Democrat failed in his efforts to use an important bankruptcy bill to make an example of those who oppose abortion.
The final vote was 53-46.
"The Senate showed wisdom today in rejecting the onerous Schumer amendment," said Focus on the Family Action Chairman Dr. James Dobson. "Had this measure been voted into law, it would have relegated Americans who value life to the status of second-class citizens. This type of attack is insulting and degrading - pro-life people deserve the same protections as everyone else."
Later in the day, senators voted 69-31 to stop further debate on the bill after 30 hours, paving the way for its passage on to the House later this week.
The Bush administration issued a statement in support of the bankruptcy reforms contained in the bill itself — but did not mention Schumer's attempts to amend it. The complications added by Schumer's amendment were singled out, though, by Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, who called them "incendiary" and poisonous.
Schumer called his proposed changes to S.256 "what America is all about." What those changes would have done is prohibited bankruptcy in the case of "violent abortion protestors"; the definition of violent, however, was missing and no other "violent" protestors are mentioned.
"It is mean-spirited to target individuals that he disagrees with," explained Carrie Gordon Earll, senior manager of special legislative projects for Focus on the Family. "Schumer's attempt to make bankruptcy impossible for pro-lifers bogged down a potentially helpful improvement to bankruptcy reform."
Similar legislation in 2002 was also defeated, though the vote was questionable to the very end. The 2002 vote went to the House of Representatives and was brought down 172-243.
"This is evidently Sen. Schumer's primary means of sabotaging the noble process of law-making," Family Research council President Tony Perkins said today. "His actions are a disgusting display of intolerance and prejudice towards those who cherish the right to life and hold opinions and a faith different from his own."
A controversial amendment to federal bankruptcy legislation that would have punished pro-life protesters was defeated handily in the U.S. Senate today.
The measure, courtesy of Sen. Charles Schumer, marked the second time in the past two sessions of Congress that the liberal Democrat failed in his efforts to use an important bankruptcy bill to make an example of those who oppose abortion.
The final vote was 53-46.
"The Senate showed wisdom today in rejecting the onerous Schumer amendment," said Focus on the Family Action Chairman Dr. James Dobson. "Had this measure been voted into law, it would have relegated Americans who value life to the status of second-class citizens. This type of attack is insulting and degrading - pro-life people deserve the same protections as everyone else."
Later in the day, senators voted 69-31 to stop further debate on the bill after 30 hours, paving the way for its passage on to the House later this week.
The Bush administration issued a statement in support of the bankruptcy reforms contained in the bill itself — but did not mention Schumer's attempts to amend it. The complications added by Schumer's amendment were singled out, though, by Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, who called them "incendiary" and poisonous.
Schumer called his proposed changes to S.256 "what America is all about." What those changes would have done is prohibited bankruptcy in the case of "violent abortion protestors"; the definition of violent, however, was missing and no other "violent" protestors are mentioned.
"It is mean-spirited to target individuals that he disagrees with," explained Carrie Gordon Earll, senior manager of special legislative projects for Focus on the Family. "Schumer's attempt to make bankruptcy impossible for pro-lifers bogged down a potentially helpful improvement to bankruptcy reform."
Similar legislation in 2002 was also defeated, though the vote was questionable to the very end. The 2002 vote went to the House of Representatives and was brought down 172-243.
"This is evidently Sen. Schumer's primary means of sabotaging the noble process of law-making," Family Research council President Tony Perkins said today. "His actions are a disgusting display of intolerance and prejudice towards those who cherish the right to life and hold opinions and a faith different from his own."
