The Blunt Amendment, which would have given employers the right to deny health care services offered through their health insurance plans based upon their personal “moral convictions,” has been tabled by the U.S. Senate, essentially killing the amendment.

Before the vote, Health Care for America Now released a statement calling the amendment “reckless” and “dangerous” earlier today.

Blunt held forth on the Senate floor: “This issue will not go away unless the administration takes it away by giving people of faith those First Amendment protections” to refuse to cover services if they have objections.

In floor debate, members of the Senate spoke passionately about the negative consequences of the bill.

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) summed up the situation:

“If the Senate had 83 women and 17 men, instead of the other way around with 83 men and 17 women, an amendment like this would never make it to the floor.”

In a moving statement Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) said:

“Those who are working to take away the rights of women… have been at it every day. We will not allow a panel of men in the House to make decisions on women’s health care.”

The Blunt amendment was considered as part of an unrelated transportation bill.