From: Kathleen Gallagher
Sent: Friday, June 21, 2013 6:33 PM
Subject: Abortion Expansion Defeated!
Importance: High
This afternoon, Senator Jeff Klein (IDC Chair and Co-Majority Leader) offered a hostile amendment on the Senate floor that would have incorporated the Governor’s abortion expansion bill (S.5881) into a health-related bill. Senator Klein spoke in favor of the bill, applauding the ‘right to choose’ and decrying the recent action by the US House of representatives to ban abortions after 20 weeks gestation. The Senator Ruben Diaz (pro-life Democrat from the Bronx) passionately spoke against the bill, noting the many lives (both women and children) that would be endangered by the bill.
The Presiding President of the Senate (Senator Diane Savino, IDC- Staten Island) ruled the amendment germane and that ruling was appealed by Senator Tom Libous (R- Binghamton). The procedural vote to overrule the germane ruling of the Chair was successful: 32 Senators – all Republicans plus Senator Ruben Diaz and Senator Simcha Felder (D- Brooklyn) – rejected the hostile amendment. That is just enough votes to be successful; the vote was 32 to 31.
We have defeated abortion expansion in New York State! Congratulations and thank you for all your efforts. Our statement about the victory is here.
There is a news story about this development here.
While this is certainly a victory, the Legislature is still in session and we continue to monitor. Right now, the Senate is debating and passing the nine other women’s bills put forward by the Governor. As of just minutes ago, the Assembly Speaker says his house will not, at least not today.
Planned Parenthood and like-minded groups, as well as the Democratic Assemblywomen, are not happy. They screamed and chanted through the Capitol hallways “We Want All Ten!”
More to come…
Kathleen M. Gallagher
Director of Pro-Life Activities
New York State Catholic Conference
465 State Street
Albany, NY 12203
518-434-6195
ROCKLAND RIGHT TO LIFE COMMITTEE 