The Senate today voted down a restrictive anti-choice amendment to health care reform legislation. The amendment, which would have prohibited health insurance plans that participate in the new exchange from providing full reproductive health benefits to millions of American women, was modeled on language in the House bill proposed by Representatives Bart Stupak and Joseph Pitts.

“The Senate was right to turn down this extremely restrictive language,” said Michael B. Keegan, President of People For the American Way. “One of the principles for reform laid out by President Obama was that if you like your health care, you’ll be able to keep it. This amendment would have done the opposite. Millions of women who already have comprehensive reproductive health care would have lost it. Today’s vote is a strong signal that anti-choice language has no place in this bill.”

“The language of the Stupak Amendment is outrageous,” said Kathleen Turner, board member of the affiliated People For the American Way Foundation. “I’m glad that the Senate stood up so powerfully to right-wing activists who want to hold health care reform hostage. But this is just the first hurdle. Anti-choice leaders are working hard to restrict women’s health care options. Everyone who cares about health care reform and reproductive freedom should continue pushing their elected officials to oppose restrictive anti-choice language in the health care bill.”

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