Senate Votes of the first session of the 108th Congress on Family Issues
Family Research Council
October 21, 2003
Scorecard Legend

- .Voted Against FRC Position
+ .Voted With FRC Position on All Votes
p .Present Not Voting
s .Speaker Did Not Vote
n .Did Not Vote
Not in Office

House Membership Changes
during this session
Ed Case (DEM-2nd-HI) Elected January 4, 2003
Randy Neugebauer (REP-TX) replaced
Larry Combest (REP-TX) June 5, 2003

Senate Membership Changes
Lisa Murkowski (REP-AK) Appointed December 20, 2002

1. Allowing Partial Birth Abortion
Proposed by Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL) this amendment (S.AMDT.259 to S.3) would add a "health exception" clause to the partial-birth abortion ban. The inclusion of a "health exception" would have rendered a ban on partial-birth abortions ineffective because courts have interpreted "health exceptions" to include anything from acne to depression. This allowed Senators to vote against banning partial-birth abortions while appearing to support such a ban.
Failed 3/12/2003 FRC Opposed this Amendment
2. Affirming Roe vs. Wade
Introduced by Tom Harkin (D-IA) this amendment (S.AMDT.260 to S.3) was added to the partial-birth abortion ban. By a two vote margin this amendment expressed the sense of the Senate in support of the Supreme Court's decision in Roe v. Wade to legalize
abortion. Passed 3/12/2003 FRC Opposed this Amendment
3. Banning Partial Birth Abortion
Introduced by Senator Rick Santorum (R-PA) this bill (S.3) is a companion bill to H.R. 760 in the House. This bill bans the procedure commonly known as partial-birth abortion. The bill includes findings that challenge the evidence used by the Supreme Court to
overturn a state ban on partial-birth abortion in Passed 3/13/2003 FRC Supported this Bill

 

 

 

Senator of MA .................Vote
.....................................1........2.......3

Edward Kennedy...........-........-........-

John Kerry....................N.......-........N
     

4 Calling for a Vote on Judicial Nominees
Done by a procedure called cloture, Senate leadership attempted to end debate on judicial nominee Miguel Estrada and other nominees and force a vote on their
nominations. It has been over two years since Estrada and Owens were nominated to the court by the President and there has not yet been a vote on the Senate floor to confirm their nominations.
Failed 5/8/2003 FRC Supported this Motion
5 Limiting Abstinence Funds for Global Aids Relief
Introduced by Senator Feinstein (D-CA) this amendment S.AMDT.682 to H.R. 1298) would have stripped abstinence funding from the Global HIV/AIDS bill. The House bill required 33 percent of the funds for
HIV/AIDS prevention to go to abstinence programs. This amendment would have given groups like USAID the authority to decide how much money to spend on
abstinence, in effect allowing the possibility that no funds would go towards abstinence education. Failed 5/15/2003 FRC Opposed this Amendment
6 Allowing Abortions on Military Bases
Introduced by Senator Murray (D-WA) this amendment (S.AMDT.691 to S.1050) would have repealed existing law prohibiting domestic and overseas U.S. military hospitals and medical clinics from performing
privately-funded abortions for U.S. service members and their families.
Failed 5/22/2003 FRC Opposed this Amendment
7 Allowing Federal Money to Support Abortions Internationally
Introduced by Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) this amendment (S.AMDT.1141 to S.925) would repeal the pro-life Mexico City policy. The Mexico City policy prohibits U.S. funds from going to abortion providers in
foreign countries. Passed 7/9/2003 FRC Opposed this Amendment

 

 

 

Senator of MA .................Vote
.................................4........5........6 .....7

Edward Kennedy......N........-........-.......-

John Kerry...............-........N.......N......N
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