Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has released the text of his new government-run health care bill to members of the Democratic Party. The new measure reportedly does not contain the Stupak amendment found in the House version that bans virtually all abortion funding.

The text of the legislation has not yet been made available to the public, but pro-life Sen. Ben Nelson of Nebraska said late Wednesday that it has language designed to prevent abortion funding.

Whether or not that language will be verified by pro-life organizations as actually banning abortion funding under the public option or through the affordability credits is another story.

Nelson told The Hill, a magazine that covers Congress, that Reid assured him that his concerns about stopping taxpayer funding of abortions through the health care bill had been met.

"What he said was, he thought the way in which he handled it would satisfy my concerns," Nelson said. Reid told him "it was a good faith effort to try to find a compromise."

Nelson emphasized that he had not yet seen the language and could not sign off on Reid's claims that abortion funding is truly prohibited, but he indicated the language would not be the same as the Stupak amendment added to the House bill on a lopsided bipartisan vote.

One Capital Hill source tells LifeNews.com that the reid bill reportedly contains the phony Capps amendment, a fake amendment opposed by all pro-life groups and the Catholic bishops that still leaves massive abortion funding in place.

To ensure the bill does not fund abortions, Sen. Orrin Hatch has said he will propose an amendment, although it will likely not have enough votes to pass.

Nelson's comments came after the presentation of the bill at the party caucus meeting and after

a day of heavy-handed lobbying from pro-abortion Vice President Joe Biden and other Obama administration officials.

They joined Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid in meeting with three lawmakers whose votes are essential to getting the 60 needed to begin debate on the legislation.

Blanche Lincoln, Mary Landrieu and Nelson are the three senators who are most likely to join Republicans in supporting the filibuster, which, if successful, could potentially kill the bill.

After the meetings, CNN indicated Landrieu and Nelson sounded positive notes that made it appear they may vote for allowing debate to begin.

"Reid gave me some assurances that some of my concerns will be dealt with," said Landrieu.

Still, she and Nelson confirmed they will not pledge Reid their vote on the Motion to Proceed until they have a chance to see the bill.

"I won't decide how I'll vote on the motion to proceed until I know what I'm voting on," he said.

"At this point in time, it sort of seems like it," Nelson said about whether Reid has satisfied his concerns.

However, Nelson added that he and Reid did not discuss the issue of abortion funding during the meeting.

"We weren't seeking commitments so much as we were expressing our concerns and our interests, and I think we'll know more after the 5 pm caucus," he added.

Adding to the uncertainty, pro-abortion Sen. Max Baucus flew back to Montana to handle a family emergency, but Reid's office indicated it expected him to return in time for the vote on the Motion to Proceed.

To keep abortion funding out of the health care bill, pro-life advocates continue working overtime.

This week the pro-life Susan B. Anthony List has expanded its efforts to mobilize tens of thousands of pro-life Americans in support of the pro-life Stupak-Pitts Language. The organization launched a campaign to mobilize 390,000 pro-life households nationwide through automated calls.

Voters in key states will be given the option of live patch-through calls directly to their Senator’s office.

“In the debate over health care reform, there is just simply no room for compromise when human life is at stake. Either you fund abortion or you don't,” SBA List president Marjorie Dannenfelser told LifeNews.com.

“Americans won't settle for phony compromises and accounting gimmicks – they deserve authentic safeguards that will ensure not one dime of federal funds subsidizes abortion or health plans that cover abortion. The Senate should respect this status quo, precedent set under the Hyde Amendment. Now is not the time to cave into the increasing scare-tactics, threats and demands from the abortion lobby," she said.

Related web sites:
SBA List - http://www.sba-list.org

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