Senate rejects antiabortion proposal

The Senate blocked a bid by antiabortion forces to cut off money for clinics that provide family planning and other health services in addition to abortions.

By a 52-41 vote, the Senate rejected a proposal by Sen. David Vitter (R-La.) to stop funding health clinics, Planned Parenthood and other providers of reproductive health services if they use money from nonfederal sources to perform abortions. The issue arose during the second day of debate on a health and education spending bill that finances hundreds of programs.

Abortion rights supporters said Vitter’s proposal would have devastated women’s health clinics, many of which rely on federal money for the bulk of their budgets. There are 4,600 clinics receiving federal dollars under the Title X family-planning program.