The committee also adopted by a 16-15 vote an amendment by Democrat Jeanne Shaheen that would undo the Republican policy known as the “Mexico City policy” or the “global gag rule." | J. Scott Applewhite/AP Senate appropriators rebuke Trump on abortion policy

Senate appropriators on Thursday dealt a twofold rebuke to the Trump administration on abortion policy, though it is almost certain the changes won't become law.

The Senate Appropriations Committee approved a fiscal 2018 foreign relations funding bill containing language that would undo a Trump administration prohibition on funding for nongovernment organizations that perform or promote abortion.


The committee also adopted an amendment by Democrat Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire that would undo the Republican policy known as the “Mexico City policy” or the “global gag rule" in a 16-15 vote. Republicans Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska voted with panel Democrats to scrap the policy while West Virginia Democrat Joe Manchin voted to retain it.

The policy bars federal aid to foreign organizations that provide or promote abortion. In the past, it applied only to organizations that got family planning funding. Under President Donald Trump, it was extended to apply to all organizations that get global health money, potentially including maternal health programs, anti-Zika efforts and the expansive PEPFAR program to stop HIV/AIDS.

Overriding the ban — which Republican presidents customarily put in place days after being inaugurated — would mark an embarrassment for the Trump administration. But the appropriations bill is quite unlikely to be finalized as written. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) noted at the markup the GOP-led House would insist on keeping the Trump policy in place.

“This is the same debate we have every year, probably with the same outcome,” he said.

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The Appropriations Committee also voted Thursday to instruct the administration to run the Title X family planning program and the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program as they were under the Obama administration. Trump administration officials have floated changes to both programs.

The Susan B. Anthony List, an anti-abortion group, chastised Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies, for introducing the bill with the prohibition on changing the programs.

“In the face of the horrors of Planned Parenthood's activities, Sen. Blunt allowed his own bill to move forward in a way that continues Obama administration policy to protect the abortion industry," SBA List president Marjorie Dannenfelser said.

Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) voted against the appropriations bill in part because of the Title X language.

“As written, the bill does not just provide funding for family planning programs, it also prohibits the Secretary of the Health and Human Services Department from changing the current rules for the issuance of Title X grants," a spokesperson for Lankford said in a statement. "Placing this kind of limitation on the current administration is completely unacceptable."

Blunt said during the hearing that he would have backed an amendment from Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.) to allow the administration to change Title X. But Daines pulled the amendment because he knew it would likely fail in the committee, Blunt said.