Assembly Leadership Kills Budget Amendment to Stop UW Entities From Performing Late-Term Abortions

Monday, June 15, 2009

Wisconsin Right to Life is condemning the Assembly Democratic Leadership for using a procedural maneuver to kill an amendment to the state budget that would have prevented UW entities from performing late-term abortions.  The amendment, authored by Rep. Dan LeMahieu and strongly supported by Wisconsin Right to Life, was offered in light of the Madison Surgery Center late-term abortion plan that was approved by UW officials.

The Assembly was asked by the leadership to vote on a procedural maneuver that all Assembly members knew would result in killing the LeMahieu amendment.  The leadership’s maneuver passed by only one vote.  All Republicans voted against the leadership’s maneuver and were joined by Democrats Peggy Krusick and Bob Ziegelbauer and Independent Jeff Wood.

“It is obvious by the very close vote that the leadership was fearful that the LeMahieu amendment would pass if members were permitted the opportunity to vote on it,” said Susan Armacost, Legislative Director of Wisconsin Right to Life.  “Apparently, the leadership felt that using a complicated procedural maneuver would mask their intention to protect the hideous late-term abortion plan at the Madison Surgery Center.  Wisconsin Right to Life considers the recorded vote in favor of the leadership’s procedural maneuver to be a vote in favor of the late-term abortion plan at the Madison Surgery Center.  We thank Assembly Republicans, Representative Krusick, Representative Ziegelbauer and Representative Wood for voting to protect babies from hideous late-term abortion procedures at UW facilities.”

Late-term abortions involve the dismemberment of fully formed babies.