Senate Confirms Anti-Right to Life Kathleen Sebelius as HHS Secretary

Senators Sam Brownback and Pat Roberts of Kansas both voted to confirm Sebelius over the strenuous objections of pro-life groups.

WASHINGTON (LifeSiteNews.com) - Minutes ago the U.S. Senate voted to confirm Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius as HHS secreatary in a 65-31 vote. The vote came at the end of a day of heated debate over the contentious nomination.

Senators Sam Brownback and Pat Roberts of Kansas both voted to confirm Sebelius over the strenuous objections of pro-life, conservative groups.

Most Senators who rose in opposition to Sebelius during the sometimes tedious debate voiced concern for her connections to late-term abortion George Tiller and her lack of candor over campaign contributions she received from him.

Dr. Tom Coburn, Senator from Oklahoma said today that late term abortion is "barometer for the soul of our nation," and that Sebelius "lacks part of the moral clarity" needed to lead our nation.

Earlier in the day, during debate on the nomination, 32 members of the House of Representatives issued a letter to President Barack Obama asking him to withdraw her nomination from consideration.

The representatives, including Rep. Todd Tiahrt from Sebelius' home state of Kansas, asked Obama to withdraw his nominee "in light of her close collaboration with the abortion industry."

The group mentions Sebelius' campaign contributions from late-term abortionist George Tiller and her repeated veto that served to protect her benefactors, Tiller and Planned Parenthood, from having to comply with safety regulations and other restrictions designed to protect patients.

The representatives stated, "We are deeply disappointed by this nomination and believe a nominee to such an important position should, at the very least, not have commitments to the morally reprehensible practice of providing abortion in almost every circumstance. For these reasons, we respectfully request that you withdraw your nomination of Kathleen Sebelius for Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services."

Operation Rescue President Troy Newman commented on Sebelius' confirmation, saying: "This is obviously a step in the wrong direction for our nation. With Sebelius, we can expect to see increased protections on predatory abortionists, taxpayer funded abortions, and rationed health care that could cost lives. With this confirmation, Obama is continuing to build a Culture of Death in our nation."

---

LifeSiteNews.com is a non-profit Internet service dedicated to issues of culture, life, and family. It was launched in September 1997. LifeSiteNews Daily News reports and information pages are used by numerous organizations and publications, educators, professionals and political, religious and life and family organization leaders and grassroots people across North America and internationally.