Washington - U.S. Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) today spoke in strong opposition to and voted against an anti-choice amendment to the health insurance reform legislation. The Senate voted 54-45 to table (put aside) the amendment.

The amendment would have essentially barred any health insurance plan that is part of a newly-created insurance exchange from covering abortion services.

Video of Menendez speaking in opposition to anti-choice amendment: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhrrYSYInws

"This amendment would roll back the clock on a woman's right to choose," said Menendez. "It unfairly singles women out and takes away benefits they already have. It singles out our daughters and legislates limits on their reproductive health - their reproductive rights. If we were to do the same to men - if we were to single out men's reproductive health in this legislation - imagine the outcry. Imagine if men were denied access to procedures. Imagine if they were denied access to prescription drugs. But that is exactly what we are doing to our daughters with this amendment - rolling back the hands of time. I personally find that offensive, as do women across this country. The language of this bill has been carefully negotiated to ensure that we are preserving a woman's right to choose, but doing so without federal funding. To claim otherwise is hypocritical and misleading."

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