A loss for abortion opponents

Democrats on the Senate Appropriations Committee voted yesterday to permanently reverse a policy in effect under recent Republican administrations that banned giving U.S. taxpayer money to international groups that perform abortions or provide abortion information. The 17-11 vote would give the current policy - which President Obama set by executive order days after taking office - the force of law. That means the next Republican president could not restore the ban with the stroke of a pen as has been recent practice. Philadelphia Inquirer