Senators negotiating on anti-trafficking bill

Senate Democrats said Thursday that they were negotiating to end an impasse over an anti-human trafficking bill stalled by a fight over abortion. 

“We’re involved right now in active negotiations,” Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) told reporters. “We have presented a wide of variety of alternatives, at the moment it looks like there’s a serious possibility of … coming to an agreement.”

{mosads}The legislation has been stalled in the Senate for a month, and has also been linked by GOP leaders to a confirmation vote on Attorney General nominee Loretta Lynch. Republicans are coming under growing pressure to allow a confirmation vote on Lynch.

Senators had been expected to vote Thursday on a procedural motion to add an amendment to the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act from Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas).

That vote, however, was pulled from the schedule. It had appeared doomed, with Democrats saying they would oppose it.

The two sides are locked in a battle over the Hyde Amendment, which restricts federal funds from being used for abortions. The amendment is routinely added to appropriations bills.

Democrats, however, argued it would set a new precedent for Hyde to be attached to a fund meant to help the victims of trafficking. The fund is to be set up through fines on people charged under the law.

Cornyn’s amendment would use the government’s general fund to provide appropriations for the victims fund. Democrats say that would still expand the abortion restrictions.