Pro-Life Democrat Promises No Health Care Bill if Pelosi Blocks Abortion Vote
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
October 12, 2009
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) — The leading pro-life Democrat in the House has again renewed his pledge to stop the pro-abortion health care bills if House Speaker Nancy Pelosi won’t allow an amendment to revoke abortion funding. Rep. Bart Stupak of Michigan has repeatedly said as many as 40 pro-life and moderate Democrats could walk.
“There are many of us Democrats in the House who are philosophically, legally, and morally opposed to public funding for abortions,” Stupak told CNS News today.
“If our amendment is not made in order we will try to shut down the rule, preventing the health care bill from coming to the floor for a vote,” Stupak added.
He said he and a large coalition of pro-life Democrats and Republicans want a chance to vote on an amendment to remove the massive abortion subsidies and mandates found in the current bill, HR 3200.
The amendment would consist of the similar language to the Hyde Amendment, which prohibits abortion funding only in the HHS legislation that includes Medicaid program.
“We want the chance to offer our amendment, the Hyde Amendment, on the floor of the House," he told CNS News.
Stupak also responded to top Obama spokesman Robert Gibbs, the White House press secretary, who falsely said twice last week that the Hyde amendment would stop abortion funding in the health care bills.
The Hyde amendment does not apply to the health care bills — they are guided by the Capps Amendment, that opens the door to abortion funding.
“If the Speaker believes that abortion funding is not in the bill then she should let me have my amendment, because if anything it would just be redundant," he said.
Stupak’s amendment, which he is co-sponsoring with pro-life Republican Rep. Joe Pitts of Pennsylvania, reads: “No funds authorized under this Act (or an amendment by this Act) may be used to pay for any abortion or to cover any part of the costs of any health plan that includes coverage of abortion."
Previously, Stupak challenged President Barack Obama to urged Pelosi and House Democrats to allow a vote on his amendment to stop abortion funding. The challenge came after the two spoke over the phone and Obama said he would leave it to the House to decide.
Stupak has met with Pelosi and she didn’t give him any promise she would allow a vote. A top Democratic aide made it appear the rules for debate that must be adopted before the House can discuss the health care bill likely won’t allow a vote.
Meanwhile, pro-life advocates are concerned about a possible amendment from pro-abortion Rep. Henry Waxman of California that would claim to ban abortion funding but merely use accounting gimmicks to hide it.
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