1998 SENATE ROLL CALL VOTES

(See WV scores below)

1-2.  Partial-Birth Abortion.  The Senate agreed to changes to secure the endorsement of the American Medical Association and passed the ban May 20, 1997 (vote 1).  Sept. 18, 1998 the Senate failed to override the veto (vote 2), 64-36, by 3 votes.

3-4.  Abortion on Military Bases.  July 10, 1997, an amendment to allow abortions to take place in military facilities requiring clients to pay direct costs was rejected 48-51, vote 3.  The Murray Amendment was rejected  44-49 (vote 4).

5.  Transportation of Minors for Abortions.  The Child Custody Protection Act would make it a federal crime to transport minors across state lines for abortions, if it circumvents state laws requiring parental or judicial involvement  In Sept. 1998 the Senate added many “killer” amendments.  An attempt to invoke cloture failed 54-45.

6.  Federal Funding of Abortion.  The Budget Reconciliation Act for 1998 created a program to provide health insurance coverage for persons under age 19 (the “kidcare” program).  The bill prohibited states from using “kidcare” funds to pay for abortion (with rape, incest, life exceptions).  A motion to remove pro-life language failed June 25, 1997, 39-61.

7.  Abortion Insurance for Federal Employees.  July 22, 1997, an amendment to continue an existing ban on coverage of abortions (with exceptions) under the federal employees’ health insurance plans passed 54-45.

8. Abortion-Dependent Fetal Tissue Experimentation.  Sept. 1997,  a pro-life amendment to prohibit federal funds for experimentation on tissue or organs taken from any human embryo or fetus killed by induced abortion, but allowing funding for experimentation on tissue obtained from spontaneous abortions or ectopic pregnancies was rejected, 38-60.

9-10. Foreign Aid for Abortion-Promoting Organizations.  A bill to spend an additional $123 million in foreign aid to “population assistance” without language to curb abortion promotion passed Feb. 25, 1997, 53-46 (vote 9).  Apr. 28, 1998, the Senate cut U.S. “population assistance” funds to private organizations that lobby to legalize abortion in foreign nations, or that violate their abortion laws 51-49 (vote 10).  It was vetoed.

11. Federal Funding for Assisted Suicide. The Assisted Suicide Funding Restriction Act that banned federal funds (Medicare) or federal facilities (veteran  hospitals) for “assisted suicide, euthanasia, or mercy killing”  passed Apr. 16, 1997, 99-0, and was signed.

12. Medicare: Right to Purchase Unrationed Insurance. The Senate Finance Committee approved a provision to give older Americans the option of “private fee-for-service” Medicare plans and the option of adding their own government payments to get such plans to avoid rationing.  Sen. Jay Rockefeller raised a point of order against this recommendation, but a motion that his point of order be “waived” prevailed 62-37.

13. Medicare: Right to Purchase Unrationed Health Care.  April 1, 1998 an amendment to remove restrictions on physicians wanting to provide privately paid service to persons covered by Medicare was adopted 51-47, however, the vote was non-binding and the restriction remains law.

14-15.  Free Speech About Politicians.  McCain-Feingold“Campaign reform” legislation would severely restrict the right of citizen groups to inform the public of voting records and positions of those who hold or seek federal office.  A vote to invoke cloture (Vote 14, Oct. 9, 1997), failed, 52-47. (60 votes were needed). Feb. 25, 1998, a motion to kill the proposal failed 48-50 (vote 15).