House Republicans Block Vote That Would Exempt Incest From Anti-Abortion Bill

The Republican War On Women rages on.

The Huffinton Post reported that Republicans in the House of Representatives blocked a vote Thursday that would have added incest as an exception to an anti-abortion provision in appropriations bill.

The criminal justice appropriations bill would prohibit federal funds from being used for abortions with the exception of cases of rape and incest. The restriction would apply to pregnant women seeking abortions who are serving time in federal prisons.

Rep. Alan Grayson (D-Fla.) pointed out that in almost every other area of federal law, abortion funding prohibitions include exclusions for the life of the mother, rape, and incest.

He argued that while he disagrees with the underlying provision that bars federal funds from being used for abortions, he hoped his Republican colleagues would at least pass his amendment to include an incest exception.

“Laws have consequences,” Grayson said. “The scenario we’re describing here is one where a female prisoner is the victim of incest. If this law passes as currently written, that female prisoner will be forced to carry to term the child of an incestuous relationship. I regard this as absolutely indefensible.”

Grayson acknowledged that the GOP could use a procedural move to block a vote on his amendment, because technically legislators are not supposed to introduce amendments to appropriations bills that are considered “legislating.” However the rule is optional, so if Grayson’s colleagues agreed to allow a vote on his amendment, they could have. “I would hope my colleagues would recognize that it’s optional and that a higher important principle is involved here,” Grayson said.

Rep. John Culberson (R-Texas), on behalf of the GOP caucus, used the procedural rule to block a vote on the incest exception. “It does seek to change statutory law in bill designed to appropriate money,” Culberson said.

To single out women who are victims of incest and who have been incarcerated is particularly cruel. Obviously they are not in a good place in their lives. To force a woman to carry a child of incest to term is cruel and unusual, especially when one takes into consideration that the child will then be forgotten by those same legislators. When you consider that male inmates have been the recipients of million dollar heart transplants, this only highlights the misogyny practiced on an institutional level in this country.

Remember this in November. There is a party that is working to keep choice alive for women and there is a party – The REPUBLICAN Party – who wants to take choice away from women. They are systematically chipping away at the rights and laws that have been secured for decades.

The party who claims to despise big government is hell bent on government dictating women’s reproductive issues.

Kimberley A. Johnson (BIO) is the author of The Virgin Diaries and an activist for women’s rights. Like her on Facebook, Twitter or follow her on FB HERE.

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