Politics

GOP Tries—and Fails—to Sneak Abortion, Transgender Funding Bans Into COVID Relief Bill

GROSS

Democrats shot down attempts to restrict federal funding for abortions and for schools that allow transgender girls to play on girls sports teams.

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Alex Wong/Getty

Senate Republicans tried and failed Saturday to tie restrictions on hot-button cultural issues to a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill currently grinding its way through the chamber. After nearly 24 hours of voting, 49 Democrats and Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) shot down an amendment that would have denied federal funding to any colleges and K-12 schools that allowed transgender girls to play on girls sports teams. Shortly thereafter, the Senate voted 52-47 against the addition of another amendment that would have barred funding from the COVID-19 relief bill from going to abortion providers.

Read it at The Washington Post

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