WASHINGTON — A Democratic senator says she’s withdrawn a bill expanding government fertility services for wounded veterans. Washington Sen. Patty Murray says it’s because of Republican amendments attacking women’s health programs.
North Carolina GOP Sen. Thom Tillis wrote those amendments. He says he wants to make sure the Veterans Affairs Department improves existing programs for veterans before Congress burdens it with new duties.
Tillis said one amendment would prevent the department from working with organizations that he said “take aborted babies and sell them.” Another would block new services until existing ones are delivered adequately.
The fight comes as an anti-abortion group has released secretly recorded videos of Planned Parenthood officials discussing how they provide fetal organs for research.
The Senate Veterans Affairs Committee planned to consider the bill Wednesday.
