Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- It took almost the entire length of the debate at the White House health care summit for the issue of abortion to come up and, when it did, pro-life Rep. John Boehner told President Barack Obama that Americans don't want abortion funding in the health care bill Congress is considering.

Boehner is the top Republican in the House who has been one of the leaders in the pressing the abortion case against the health care bill.

He had hoped Obama would invite Rep. Bart Stupak, the leading pro-life Democrat whose amendment stopped abortion funding in the House version of the bill, that will likely be scrapped in favor of the pro-abortion Senate version.

Boehner told Obama the House spoke and, on a lopsided bipartisan vote in approving the Stupak amendment, said it doesn't want abortion funding in the health care bill.

"We have had this debate in the House. It was a very serious debate. But in the House, the House spoke. The House upheld the language we have had in law for 30 years that there will be no taxpayer funding of abortions," he said,

He also called out Obama for not mentioning abortion and for including massive abortion funding -- and expanding it -- in his proposed changes to the Senate bill.

"This bill that we have before us, and there was no reference to the issue in your outline, Mr. President, for the first time in 30 years allows the taxpayer funding of abortion," Boehner added.

Obama essentially tossed Boehner's concerns aside and said he would get back to him at the end of the White House health care summit.

He put his hand over his face and looked like he was trying not to say what he really wanted to say in response to Boehner's facts.

“John, you know, the challenge Ihave here is … every so often we have a pretty good conversation .. and then we go back to the standard talking points," he said.

"There are so many things you just said that people on this side would profoundly disagree with and based on my analysis is just not true," Obama said

Boehner said at the beginning of the White House health care forum that he didn't expect abortion to come up, so he broached the subject himself.

He said, "excluded from today's summit is Rep. Bart Stupak, co-author of a House-passed amendment barring federal funding of abortion."

"The Stupak-Pitts amendment -- which reflects the will of the American people on the issue of federal funding of abortion -- is supported by a bipartisan majority in the House, but was excluded from the president's proposal," Boehner added.

"Pro-life Democrats in the House have already pledged to vote against this provision. Health care reform should be an opportunity to protect human life -- not end it. This fundamental issue isn't even listed as a topic for discussion at the summit," he continued.

Boehner's comments earned him praise from pro-life groups.

"Yes! Thank you for the leadership," American United for Life president Charmaine Yoest exclaimed.

A recent Quinnipiac poll found 67% of Americans oppose the inclusion of taxpayer-funded abortion in health care reform legislation.

Related web sites:
Video of Boehner's remarks - http://ow.ly/1blWQ

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