Sen. Patty Murray speaking on Senate floor(Photo: Senate Democrats/Flickr/Creative Commons)
Jul 16, 2014
The U.S. Senate on Wednesday failed to approve a bill that would have restored contraceptive access in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court's Hobby Lobby ruling last month.
The Protect Women's Health from Corporate Interference Act failed to pass with a 56-43 vote, largely along party lines. Republicans blocked the measure as Democrats failed to reach the minimum requirement of 60 approving votes to move it forward in the legislative process.
Introduced last week by Sen. Patty Murray (D-Washington) and Sen. Mark Udall (D-Colorado), and nicknamed the Not My Bosses' Business Act, the measure stated that the Religious Freedom Restoration Act did not allow employers to refuse to provide specific health care, as required by federal law.
The Supreme Court ruled last month that private businesses could refuse to cover the costs of their employees' birth control if doing so conflicted with their religious beliefs.
Senate Republicans who opposed the measure said it would restrict religious freedom.
"In America, you shouldn't be forced to choose between giving up your business for your faith or giving up your faith for your business," Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Missouri) said before the vote. "The government has no right -- under the Constitution, under the political heritage of the country, under the things that this country was built to stand for -- the government has no right to ask people to make that choice."
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-New Hampshire) argued that women are less likely to obtain certain kinds of health care due to prohibitively high cost.
"When you charge women more for contraception coverage, then you are denying them access to that care," Shaheen said.
ACLU director Laura W. Murphy called the Hobby Lobby decision "an unprecedented move," and said the vote against the bill was political.
"A small number of senators chose politics over women's health today by refusing to allow debate on this bill to move forward," Murphy said. "It's encouraging that a majority of the Senate voted to ensure that all women have access to affordable contraception, and we must build on that momentum as we continue to fight for the rights of all working women."
Debra L. Ness, president of the National Partnership for Women & Families, called the vote "an outrageous and stunning loss not just for women, but for the country."
The Senate's failure to pass the bill "was a painful reminder of how far we have to go before women's health is no longer politicized," Ness said.
Udall tweeted:
\u201cUnacceptable that partisan obstruction blocked even debating my #NotMyBossBusiness Act. Coloradans deserve better than inaction.\u201d— Mark Udall (@Mark Udall) 1405536293
If the measure had passed in the Senate, it would almost certainly have failed in a Republican-controlled House of Representatives.
The roll call for the vote follows:
Alphabetical by Senator Name
| Alexander (R-TN), Nay Ayotte (R-NH), Nay Baldwin (D-WI), Yea Barrasso (R-WY), Nay Begich (D-AK), Yea Bennet (D-CO), Yea Blumenthal (D-CT), Yea Blunt (R-MO), Nay Booker (D-NJ), Yea Boozman (R-AR), Nay Boxer (D-CA), Yea Brown (D-OH), Yea Burr (R-NC), Nay Cantwell (D-WA), Yea Cardin (D-MD), Yea Carper (D-DE), Yea Casey (D-PA), Yea Chambliss (R-GA), Nay Coats (R-IN), Nay Coburn (R-OK), Nay Cochran (R-MS), Nay Collins (R-ME), Yea Coons (D-DE), Yea Corker (R-TN), Nay Cornyn (R-TX), Nay Crapo (R-ID), Nay Cruz (R-TX), Nay Donnelly (D-IN), Yea Durbin (D-IL), Yea Enzi (R-WY), Nay Feinstein (D-CA), Yea Fischer (R-NE), Nay Flake (R-AZ), Nay Franken (D-MN), Yea | Gillibrand (D-NY), Yea Graham (R-SC), Nay Grassley (R-IA), Nay Hagan (D-NC), Yea Harkin (D-IA), Yea Hatch (R-UT), Nay Heinrich (D-NM), Yea Heitkamp (D-ND), Yea Heller (R-NV), Nay Hirono (D-HI), Yea Hoeven (R-ND), Nay Inhofe (R-OK), Nay Isakson (R-GA), Nay Johanns (R-NE), Nay Johnson (D-SD), Yea Johnson (R-WI), Nay Kaine (D-VA), Yea King (I-ME), Yea Kirk (R-IL), Yea Klobuchar (D-MN), Yea Landrieu (D-LA), Yea Leahy (D-VT), Yea Lee (R-UT), Nay Levin (D-MI), Yea Manchin (D-WV), Yea Markey (D-MA), Yea McCain (R-AZ), Nay McCaskill (D-MO), Yea McConnell (R-KY), Nay Menendez (D-NJ), Yea Merkley (D-OR), Yea Mikulski (D-MD), Yea Moran (R-KS), Nay Murkowski (R-AK), Yea | Murphy (D-CT), Yea Murray (D-WA), Yea Nelson (D-FL), Yea Paul (R-KY), Nay Portman (R-OH), Nay Pryor (D-AR), Yea Reed (D-RI), Yea Reid (D-NV), Nay Risch (R-ID), Nay Roberts (R-KS), Nay Rockefeller (D-WV), Yea Rubio (R-FL), Nay Sanders (I-VT), Yea Schatz (D-HI), Not Voting Schumer (D-NY), Yea Scott (R-SC), Nay Sessions (R-AL), Nay Shaheen (D-NH), Yea Shelby (R-AL), Nay Stabenow (D-MI), Yea Tester (D-MT), Yea Thune (R-SD), Nay Toomey (R-PA), Nay Udall (D-CO), Yea Udall (D-NM), Yea Vitter (R-LA), Nay Walsh (D-MT), Yea Warner (D-VA), Yea Warren (D-MA), Yea Whitehouse (D-RI), Yea Wicker (R-MS), Nay Wyden (D-OR), Yea |
_____________________
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Nadia Prupis
Nadia Prupis is a former Common Dreams staff writer. She wrote on media policy for Truthout.org and has been published in New America Media and AlterNet. She graduated from UC Santa Barbara with a BA in English in 2008.
The U.S. Senate on Wednesday failed to approve a bill that would have restored contraceptive access in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court's Hobby Lobby ruling last month.
The Protect Women's Health from Corporate Interference Act failed to pass with a 56-43 vote, largely along party lines. Republicans blocked the measure as Democrats failed to reach the minimum requirement of 60 approving votes to move it forward in the legislative process.
Introduced last week by Sen. Patty Murray (D-Washington) and Sen. Mark Udall (D-Colorado), and nicknamed the Not My Bosses' Business Act, the measure stated that the Religious Freedom Restoration Act did not allow employers to refuse to provide specific health care, as required by federal law.
The Supreme Court ruled last month that private businesses could refuse to cover the costs of their employees' birth control if doing so conflicted with their religious beliefs.
Senate Republicans who opposed the measure said it would restrict religious freedom.
"In America, you shouldn't be forced to choose between giving up your business for your faith or giving up your faith for your business," Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Missouri) said before the vote. "The government has no right -- under the Constitution, under the political heritage of the country, under the things that this country was built to stand for -- the government has no right to ask people to make that choice."
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-New Hampshire) argued that women are less likely to obtain certain kinds of health care due to prohibitively high cost.
"When you charge women more for contraception coverage, then you are denying them access to that care," Shaheen said.
ACLU director Laura W. Murphy called the Hobby Lobby decision "an unprecedented move," and said the vote against the bill was political.
"A small number of senators chose politics over women's health today by refusing to allow debate on this bill to move forward," Murphy said. "It's encouraging that a majority of the Senate voted to ensure that all women have access to affordable contraception, and we must build on that momentum as we continue to fight for the rights of all working women."
Debra L. Ness, president of the National Partnership for Women & Families, called the vote "an outrageous and stunning loss not just for women, but for the country."
The Senate's failure to pass the bill "was a painful reminder of how far we have to go before women's health is no longer politicized," Ness said.
Udall tweeted:
\u201cUnacceptable that partisan obstruction blocked even debating my #NotMyBossBusiness Act. Coloradans deserve better than inaction.\u201d— Mark Udall (@Mark Udall) 1405536293
If the measure had passed in the Senate, it would almost certainly have failed in a Republican-controlled House of Representatives.
The roll call for the vote follows:
Alphabetical by Senator Name
| Alexander (R-TN), Nay Ayotte (R-NH), Nay Baldwin (D-WI), Yea Barrasso (R-WY), Nay Begich (D-AK), Yea Bennet (D-CO), Yea Blumenthal (D-CT), Yea Blunt (R-MO), Nay Booker (D-NJ), Yea Boozman (R-AR), Nay Boxer (D-CA), Yea Brown (D-OH), Yea Burr (R-NC), Nay Cantwell (D-WA), Yea Cardin (D-MD), Yea Carper (D-DE), Yea Casey (D-PA), Yea Chambliss (R-GA), Nay Coats (R-IN), Nay Coburn (R-OK), Nay Cochran (R-MS), Nay Collins (R-ME), Yea Coons (D-DE), Yea Corker (R-TN), Nay Cornyn (R-TX), Nay Crapo (R-ID), Nay Cruz (R-TX), Nay Donnelly (D-IN), Yea Durbin (D-IL), Yea Enzi (R-WY), Nay Feinstein (D-CA), Yea Fischer (R-NE), Nay Flake (R-AZ), Nay Franken (D-MN), Yea | Gillibrand (D-NY), Yea Graham (R-SC), Nay Grassley (R-IA), Nay Hagan (D-NC), Yea Harkin (D-IA), Yea Hatch (R-UT), Nay Heinrich (D-NM), Yea Heitkamp (D-ND), Yea Heller (R-NV), Nay Hirono (D-HI), Yea Hoeven (R-ND), Nay Inhofe (R-OK), Nay Isakson (R-GA), Nay Johanns (R-NE), Nay Johnson (D-SD), Yea Johnson (R-WI), Nay Kaine (D-VA), Yea King (I-ME), Yea Kirk (R-IL), Yea Klobuchar (D-MN), Yea Landrieu (D-LA), Yea Leahy (D-VT), Yea Lee (R-UT), Nay Levin (D-MI), Yea Manchin (D-WV), Yea Markey (D-MA), Yea McCain (R-AZ), Nay McCaskill (D-MO), Yea McConnell (R-KY), Nay Menendez (D-NJ), Yea Merkley (D-OR), Yea Mikulski (D-MD), Yea Moran (R-KS), Nay Murkowski (R-AK), Yea | Murphy (D-CT), Yea Murray (D-WA), Yea Nelson (D-FL), Yea Paul (R-KY), Nay Portman (R-OH), Nay Pryor (D-AR), Yea Reed (D-RI), Yea Reid (D-NV), Nay Risch (R-ID), Nay Roberts (R-KS), Nay Rockefeller (D-WV), Yea Rubio (R-FL), Nay Sanders (I-VT), Yea Schatz (D-HI), Not Voting Schumer (D-NY), Yea Scott (R-SC), Nay Sessions (R-AL), Nay Shaheen (D-NH), Yea Shelby (R-AL), Nay Stabenow (D-MI), Yea Tester (D-MT), Yea Thune (R-SD), Nay Toomey (R-PA), Nay Udall (D-CO), Yea Udall (D-NM), Yea Vitter (R-LA), Nay Walsh (D-MT), Yea Warner (D-VA), Yea Warren (D-MA), Yea Whitehouse (D-RI), Yea Wicker (R-MS), Nay Wyden (D-OR), Yea |
_____________________
Nadia Prupis
Nadia Prupis is a former Common Dreams staff writer. She wrote on media policy for Truthout.org and has been published in New America Media and AlterNet. She graduated from UC Santa Barbara with a BA in English in 2008.
The U.S. Senate on Wednesday failed to approve a bill that would have restored contraceptive access in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court's Hobby Lobby ruling last month.
The Protect Women's Health from Corporate Interference Act failed to pass with a 56-43 vote, largely along party lines. Republicans blocked the measure as Democrats failed to reach the minimum requirement of 60 approving votes to move it forward in the legislative process.
Introduced last week by Sen. Patty Murray (D-Washington) and Sen. Mark Udall (D-Colorado), and nicknamed the Not My Bosses' Business Act, the measure stated that the Religious Freedom Restoration Act did not allow employers to refuse to provide specific health care, as required by federal law.
The Supreme Court ruled last month that private businesses could refuse to cover the costs of their employees' birth control if doing so conflicted with their religious beliefs.
Senate Republicans who opposed the measure said it would restrict religious freedom.
"In America, you shouldn't be forced to choose between giving up your business for your faith or giving up your faith for your business," Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Missouri) said before the vote. "The government has no right -- under the Constitution, under the political heritage of the country, under the things that this country was built to stand for -- the government has no right to ask people to make that choice."
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-New Hampshire) argued that women are less likely to obtain certain kinds of health care due to prohibitively high cost.
"When you charge women more for contraception coverage, then you are denying them access to that care," Shaheen said.
ACLU director Laura W. Murphy called the Hobby Lobby decision "an unprecedented move," and said the vote against the bill was political.
"A small number of senators chose politics over women's health today by refusing to allow debate on this bill to move forward," Murphy said. "It's encouraging that a majority of the Senate voted to ensure that all women have access to affordable contraception, and we must build on that momentum as we continue to fight for the rights of all working women."
Debra L. Ness, president of the National Partnership for Women & Families, called the vote "an outrageous and stunning loss not just for women, but for the country."
The Senate's failure to pass the bill "was a painful reminder of how far we have to go before women's health is no longer politicized," Ness said.
Udall tweeted:
\u201cUnacceptable that partisan obstruction blocked even debating my #NotMyBossBusiness Act. Coloradans deserve better than inaction.\u201d— Mark Udall (@Mark Udall) 1405536293
If the measure had passed in the Senate, it would almost certainly have failed in a Republican-controlled House of Representatives.
The roll call for the vote follows:
Alphabetical by Senator Name
| Alexander (R-TN), Nay Ayotte (R-NH), Nay Baldwin (D-WI), Yea Barrasso (R-WY), Nay Begich (D-AK), Yea Bennet (D-CO), Yea Blumenthal (D-CT), Yea Blunt (R-MO), Nay Booker (D-NJ), Yea Boozman (R-AR), Nay Boxer (D-CA), Yea Brown (D-OH), Yea Burr (R-NC), Nay Cantwell (D-WA), Yea Cardin (D-MD), Yea Carper (D-DE), Yea Casey (D-PA), Yea Chambliss (R-GA), Nay Coats (R-IN), Nay Coburn (R-OK), Nay Cochran (R-MS), Nay Collins (R-ME), Yea Coons (D-DE), Yea Corker (R-TN), Nay Cornyn (R-TX), Nay Crapo (R-ID), Nay Cruz (R-TX), Nay Donnelly (D-IN), Yea Durbin (D-IL), Yea Enzi (R-WY), Nay Feinstein (D-CA), Yea Fischer (R-NE), Nay Flake (R-AZ), Nay Franken (D-MN), Yea | Gillibrand (D-NY), Yea Graham (R-SC), Nay Grassley (R-IA), Nay Hagan (D-NC), Yea Harkin (D-IA), Yea Hatch (R-UT), Nay Heinrich (D-NM), Yea Heitkamp (D-ND), Yea Heller (R-NV), Nay Hirono (D-HI), Yea Hoeven (R-ND), Nay Inhofe (R-OK), Nay Isakson (R-GA), Nay Johanns (R-NE), Nay Johnson (D-SD), Yea Johnson (R-WI), Nay Kaine (D-VA), Yea King (I-ME), Yea Kirk (R-IL), Yea Klobuchar (D-MN), Yea Landrieu (D-LA), Yea Leahy (D-VT), Yea Lee (R-UT), Nay Levin (D-MI), Yea Manchin (D-WV), Yea Markey (D-MA), Yea McCain (R-AZ), Nay McCaskill (D-MO), Yea McConnell (R-KY), Nay Menendez (D-NJ), Yea Merkley (D-OR), Yea Mikulski (D-MD), Yea Moran (R-KS), Nay Murkowski (R-AK), Yea | Murphy (D-CT), Yea Murray (D-WA), Yea Nelson (D-FL), Yea Paul (R-KY), Nay Portman (R-OH), Nay Pryor (D-AR), Yea Reed (D-RI), Yea Reid (D-NV), Nay Risch (R-ID), Nay Roberts (R-KS), Nay Rockefeller (D-WV), Yea Rubio (R-FL), Nay Sanders (I-VT), Yea Schatz (D-HI), Not Voting Schumer (D-NY), Yea Scott (R-SC), Nay Sessions (R-AL), Nay Shaheen (D-NH), Yea Shelby (R-AL), Nay Stabenow (D-MI), Yea Tester (D-MT), Yea Thune (R-SD), Nay Toomey (R-PA), Nay Udall (D-CO), Yea Udall (D-NM), Yea Vitter (R-LA), Nay Walsh (D-MT), Yea Warner (D-VA), Yea Warren (D-MA), Yea Whitehouse (D-RI), Yea Wicker (R-MS), Nay Wyden (D-OR), Yea |
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