The President’s federal health care revamp has led some states to set up a ‘health care compact’ that would allow a group of states to take over public health care within their borders. Now both the Tennessee Senate and the House have approved the idea – but in different versions.
The House passed the measure with an amendment that that says the new health system won’t be used to expand abortions.
While he voted for the anti-abortion language to be added, Rep. Mark Pody – a Republican from Lebanon – eventually said the idea was out of place in legislation that’s not meant to create policy.
“This compact is just asking us to go to Congress, to see if we could come back and set policy in legislation here, at a future date.”
Democrats were the ones who proposed the anti-abortion amendment, but as a parliamentary “gotcha” game. Most of them ultimately voted against the bill. The House version now has to go back to the Senate for its agreement.
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