Dan Coats: “let me just address a question that has been raised by the Senator from California. I think the Senator misunderstood…”

“let me just address a question that has been raised by the Senator from California. I think the Senator misunderstood what I said or perhaps I did not say it right. I said that while there is a philosophical debate among Members of Congress as to the constitutional right of a woman to have an abortion, I said we have debated that at other times and we will debate it at other times in the future. But what I thought I had said is that that is not what is at issue here. There are no constitutional rights of any woman being denied under this current policy and so that is not at issue here. Perhaps my remarks were misunderstood. Second, let me just say that this is not a policy that divides necessarily Republicans and Democrats. Congress changing hands had nothing to do with the change in this policy. The policy was changed by the President of the United States. This Congress has consistently voted, whether it was led by Democrats or led by Republicans, to uphold the Hyde amendment which prohibited the use of taxpayers' dollars except in cases of life of the mother, rape and incest. That has gained support from Republicans, gained support from Democrats. When the Democrats were in charge of this Senate, that policy was enforced. And when the Republicans were in charge of the Congress, that policy was enforced. So it really is not something that necessarily drives a stake, a lane down between Republicans and Democrats.”