Pope resolution passes Senate after "life" language removed

[Woodmonkey]

Pope resolution passes Senate after "life" language removed

While Pope Benedict XVI's historic visit to Washington received wall to wall coverage, Sen. Barbara Boxer briefly held up a Senate resolution welcoming the pontiff because she objected to language about how the pope values "each and every human life."

The measure later cleared the Senate Thursday afternoon after the sponsor of the resolution, Sen. Sam Brownback (R-Kan.), dropped the reference to "human life" because some Democrats saw it as a reference to abortion. According to Republican aides, Brownback, a devout Catholic, did not want a high profile fight over the resolution, which was adopted on a voice vote. In fact, Brownback blackberried his staff from the Pope's mass at Nationals Park to direct them to drop the references to human life.

A copy of the original resolution can be found here. The Crypt will post the new resolution when a copy is made available by the Senate clerk's office.

"There was some politics involved here, and the objectionable language has been withdrawn," a senior Democratic Senate aide said.

Three Senate Republican aides involved in the issue say that Boxer objected to the "life" language, which Democrats see as an implicit reference to the Catholic church's opposition to abortion. Senate Democratic leadership offices declined to comment but referred questions to Boxer's office, which has not responded to Politico's inquiries this morning.

Two high profile blogs — The Corner at National Review and the Daily Kos — have already picked up on the controversy, citing "sources" in the Senate who discussed the papal resolution.

The pope just wrapped up his two-hour Mass at the new Nationals Park in southeast Washington, and the Senate has moved on from this behind the scenes controversy.

The Crypt will update with Boxer's response and post the new resolution language when it becomes available.

The Source