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ByDonnaCassata TheAssociatedPress WASHINGTON Senate Re- publicans on Wednesday blocked a bill aimed at re- storing free contraception for women who get their health insurance from com- panies with religious objec- tions, a legislative setback for Democrats that they hope will be a political win- ner in November's elections. The vote was 56-43 to move ahead on the mea- sure, short of the 60 votes necessary to proceed. Democrats sponsored the election-year bill to reverse last month's Supreme Court ruling that closely held busi- nesses with religious ob- jections could deny cover- age under President Barack Obama's health care law. Republicans called the bill a political stunt aimed at helping vulnerable Dem- ocratic incumbents in the elections. Indeed, Democrats have seized on the birth control issue as they look ahead to November with hopes of energizing voters, espe- cially women, to preserve the party's Senate major- ity. Democrats must de- fend more seats, and Re- publicans are upbeat about their prospects of gaining the six necessary to secure control, especially in GOP- leaning Southern states. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D- N.H., who is in a compet- itive re-election contest, summed up her party's ar- gument on the issue. "A woman's health care decision should be made with her doctor, with her family, with her faith, not by her employer with her employer's faith," Shaheen said in a Senate speech. But Republicans said that the Democratic effort was merely a move to boost struggling incumbents and that both parties support a woman's right to make her own health care decisions. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said Democrats "think they can score political points and create divisions where there aren't any by distort- ing the facts." McConnell joined with two Republican women, Sens. Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire and Deb Fischer of Nebraska, in backing separate legislation that would reaffirm current law on access to contraception and in calling for a Food and Drug Administration study on whether contra- ceptives could be sold over the counter without a pre- scription. In one of the most closely watched races in the coun- try, McConnell faces Dem- ocrat Alison Lundergan Grimes in his bid for a sixth term. Three Republicans broke ranks with their party — Sens. Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Mark Kirk of Illinois — and backed the Democratic-led legislation. In a procedural move, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., switched his vote to no, allowing him to bring the measure up for another vote closer to the election. All other Democrats backed the bill. National statistics from the Centers for Disease Con- trol and Prevention show that more than 99 percent of women ages 15 to 44 who have had sexual intercourse have used at least one form of contraception. "I trust women to make their own health care de- cisions, and I don't believe their employers should have a say in them," said Dem- ocratic Sen. Mark Udall of Colorado, a chief sponsor of the legislation with Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash. Udall faces a tough race against Republican Rep. Cory Gardner in November. ELECTION-YEAR MEASURE Senate GOP blocks contraception bill By Marcia Dunn The Associated Press CAPE CANAVERAL, FLA. On July 20, 1969, Buzz Aldrin was "out of town" when the world united and rejoiced in a way never seen before or since. He and Neil Armstrong were on the moon. They missed the whole celebration 45 years ago this Sunday. So did Mi- chael Collins, orbiting solo around the moon in the mother ship. Now, on this Apollo 11 milestone — just five years shy of the golden anni- versary — Aldrin is asking everyone to remember where they were when he and Armstrong became the first humans to step onto another heav- enly body, and to share their memo- ries online. Too young? You can also share how the moonwalkers inspired you. Celebrities, public figures, and other astronauts and scientists are happily obliging with videos. "What a day that was," said actor Tom Hanks, sipping from an Apollo 11 commemorative cup. He starred in the 1995 film "Apollo 13," another grip- ping moon story. "Going to space is a big deal. Walk- ing on the moon is, literally, walking on the moon," said singer-songwriter Pharrell Williams, born four years af- terward. And from London Mayor Boris Johnson, who watched the event un- fold on an a little black-and-white TV at an English farmhouse: "I knew immediately it was the most excit- ing thing that I'd ever seen. I was only 5 at the time. And it still is just about the most exciting thing I've ever seen." Buzz Aldrin: Where were you when I walked on the moon? APOLLO 11 MILESTONE THEASSOCIATEDPRESS NASA, astronaut Edwin E. Aldrin Jr. walks on the surface of the moon, with seismogaphic equipment that he just set up. By Alan Fram The Associated Press WASHINGTON A planned House Republican lawsuit against President Barack Obama is justified because his actions carrying out his health care law dan- gerously exceed his pow- ers, constitutional lawyers backing the litigation told lawmakers Wednesday. Attorneys allied with Democrats in opposing the election-year suit said it's the GOP that's going too far by trying to resolve a political dispute by hand- ing the question to the fed- eral courts to decide. The lawyers appeared before the House Rules Committee, which is con- sidering Republican-writ- ten legislation authorizing the House to file the law- suit. House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, has said he wants to take legal ac- tion because Obama has abused his authority to carry out laws Congress approves, specifically by delaying a health care law requirement that many employers provide medi- cal coverage for workers. In recent months, Re- publicans have attacked Obama for taking actions like having the Environ- mental Protection Agency curb emissions from coal- fired power plants, rais- ing the minimum wage for federal contractors and blocking the depor- tation of children illegally brought into the U.S. by their parents. GOP law- makers say their lawsuit is simply an attempt to defend Congress' powers against a president who they say has made a habit of acting unilaterally to carry out personal policy preferences. "This is not a political issue. This is not an issue that should pit Republi- cans against Democrats," said Rep. Pete Sessions, R- Texas, the Rules Commit- tee chairman. "Any person interested in our Constitution and our brilliant system of separa- tion of powers should be worried about what is cur- rently happening in our country," Sessions said. Democrats mocked the legal action as a purely political exercise that is doomed to failure but aimed at appeasing con- servatives who want to see Obama impeached. The Rules committee's top Democrat, Rep. Lou- ise Slaughter of New York, called it "preposterous" and noted that in effect Repub- licans are filing suit over a delay in a part of a law that every GOP lawmaker op- posed and that the House has voted about 50 times to repeal or pare back. "This is a partisan po- litical stunt timed to peak in the House of Represen- tatives in November, right as the midterm elections are happening," Slaughter said. "The House majority is suing the president sim- ply for doing his job." 'SEPARATION OF POWERS' GOP, Dems argue about suing Obama By Ibrahim Barzak The Associated Press GAZACITY,GAZASTRIP The Israeli military agreed to a U.N.-brokered five-hour "hu- manitarian" pause starting Thursday in its strikes on the Gaza Strip to allow Pal- estinians to restock food, water and other necessities, hours after an attack by an Israeli naval vessel killed four Palestinian boys play- ing on the beach. In response to a call by the U.N., the military said in a statement Wednesday that it would hold its fire for five hours starting at 10:00 a.m. (0900 GMT, 5 a.m. EDT.) but warned it will retaliate "firmly and deci- sively" if Hamas or other militant groups launch at- tacks on Israel during that time. It also said residents of three Gaza neighbor- hoods asked Wednesday to evacuate their homes should be out by the time the pause expires. U.N. deputy spokesman Farhan Haq told The As- sociated Press on Wednes- day that Robert Serry, the U.N. special coordinator for the Middle East peace pro- cess, made the appeal for a "unilateral humanitarian pause" after talks with Isra- el's Coordination Office for Government Affairs in the (Palestinian) Territories. The announcement came after a day of Israeli air- strikes and Palestinian militant rocket attacks as Hamas formally rejected a cease-fire proposal that had been accepted by Israel to end the 9-day-old conflict. GAZA STRIP Israeli army agrees to 'humanitarian' pause Cheers Barber Shop 570-2 304 855 Walnut St. $ 8 00 Cuts Monday - Saturday 9 am - 5 pm Deli-TastyBurgers-Wraps NewTo-GoSection Thursday,Friday&Saturday Lunch&DinnerBuffet Happy Hour with Cocktails, Food & Entertainment Saigon Bistro 723 Walnut St. Red Bluff 528-9670 | NEWS | REDBLUFFDAILYNEWS.COM THURSDAY, JULY 17, 2014 8 A
