Vote shows growing opposition to Sebelius
Washington, DC – The Senate Finance Committee voted 11-8 to confirm the confirmation of Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius as Secretary of Health and Human Services. However, the vote shows a sharp division on her nomination.
[UPDATE: Now the final vote is being reported as 15-8. There were some Senators absent when the vote was initially taken that must have recorded votes after the fact. — OR Staff]
Sen. John Kyl addressed the committee and expressed concern for her misreporting of campaign contributions from late-term abortionist George Tiller. That information was released by Operation Rescue, and widely reported by the Associated Press, sparking opposition to Sebelius. Sen. Kyl also criticized Sebelius for making “contradictory statements’ about a number of other health care issues.
“Sebelius received more negative votes than we expected in the committee,” said Operation Rescue President Troy Newman. “That vote is reflective of the deep division there is concerning her nomination, given her links to the most radical late-term abortionist in the country. Most people find her unwillingness to tell the truth about her connections to Tiller very troubling. It calls into question her integrity and her judgment.”
A vote in the full Senate may occur as early as today, but may face further delay as opposition to Sebelius grows.
Senate Finance Committee members voting against the confirmation of Kathleen Sebelius as HHS Secretary were:
Sen. Chuck Grassley, (R-IA)
Sen. Orrin G. Hatch, (R-UT)
Sen. Jon Kyl, (R-AZ)
Sen. Jim Bunning, (R-KY)
Sen. Mike Crapo, (R-IN)
Sen. John Ensign (R-NV)
Sen. Mike Enzi, (R-WY)
Sen. John Cornyn, (R-TX)
