Sen. Orin Hatch went to battle again yesterday morning on behalf of preborn children. This second battle of the week involved a heroic effort to save President Bush’s policy of allowing preborn children to qualify for benefits under the Children’s Health Insurance Program.

That provision was created by an Executive Order in 2002, and is expected to be scrapped by President Obama. Over the past six years, 14 states have taken advantage of the opportunity to provide greater help to women faced with crisis pregnancies.

Unfortunately, Idaho is not one of them. We narrowly lost a fierce battle in the 2003 legislative session to expand protections of preborn children. With yesterday’s defeat of the Hatch Amendment, Idaho has lost the opportunity for the foreseeable future.

Sen. Hatch was supported by both of Idaho’s senators, Crapo and Risch, in trying to codify the preborn provision in federal statute. The amendment was defeated 39 – 59.