Posted on 09/10/2009 3:51:25 PM PDT by wagglebee
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- The leader of the caucus of pro-life Democrats in the House is repeating the promise he made over the summer. If the pro-abortion Democratic leaders fail to include language to prevent abortion funding in the government-run health care bill, he and his colleagues will block the legislation.
That's the promise coming from Rep. Bart Stupak, a Michigan Democrat who has long been at the forefront of pro-life efforts.
"What I've told the speaker and the leadership and the administration is first of all you have to give us that vote," Stupak told CBN News about the desire for an amendment to stop the abortion funding.
"If you don't give us the vote, everything is off the table," he said.
Stupak is also concerned about bill language that would leave it up to the Obama administration or bureaucrats to determine if abortions are funded or abortion coverage mandated.
"I don't want any back door policies," he told CBN News.
"I'm just very caution on this because, in every appropriations bill that we put our right to life riders (as we call them) to prevent public funds for abortions -- every time we've tried to do it this year, under this current administration, we've sort of been denied the opportunity to present our amendments or we have some watered down language.
"And we're very cautious and we ant to see the language and we want to work with pro-life groups. We want to make sure we are doing everything right because this will be a policy for the whole of the United States," the pro-life Democrat continued.
Stupak told Christian network the current abortion funding language in HR 3200 a "drastic change from where we've been as a nation as far as public funding for abortions
He said he and other pro-life lawmakers will not promise a vote on the final bill until they have a chance to read it and determine if it "does anything to jeopardize the sanctity of human life -- at the beginning of life or the end of life."
In July, Stupak told CBS News that a total of 40 Democrats could be prepared to vote against the final health care restructuring bill if it does not exclude abortion funding.
Stupak said he is confident he will have "a minimum of thirty nine" Democrats who will join him in opposing the bill.
"If there is not direct language and we are denied our amendment we will focus our attention on the rule," Stupak warned.
Stupak said the pro-life and moderate Democrats would "demand" an up or down on the abortion funding limits before allowing the health care bill to move forward.
Before a bill can be debated on the House floor, the House Rules Committee adopts the rules for debate and Stupak's warning could mean votes against the rule both in committee and on the floor before the debate on the bill could get underway. That would block the legislation and could defeat the entire bill.
Stupak's number of 40 Democrats likely includes the 20, including him, who signed a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in June saying they will not support any health care restructuring bill that does not explicitly prevent abortion funding and coverage.
Pelosi received another letter from four more Democrats who didn't make the same absolutist statement but urged that abortion limits be included.
Hopefully it WILL come to this.
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Where do both of them meet?
My congressman, Oberstar, is a stinking democratic union owned shill but I give him credit. This is also his position, at least that is what he is saying.
But, but, but.... “Under our plan, no federal dollars will be used to fund abortions.”
That’s a direct quote from... Oh wait, that was from The Liar.
Nevermind.
That's code for "unfunded mandate", i.e. it will be up to the states.
A pro-life Democrat caucus??
That’s got to be a lonely meeting room.
Maybe they could share the hall with the Moslem pro-Isreal Democrat caucus in order to save on expenses.
Too many people just don’t know what’s going on and believe Obama. Today my husband’s co-worker told him Obama said there will be no taxpayer-funded abortions. He actuaoly believes Obama. That’s why I write letters to the editor to explain things.
We MUST reach the prolifers who don’t visit conservative websites, or listen to talk radio (before we run out of time).
but I don't trust him at all on this
Thanx.
Maybe I’ll print it out and have my husband give it to his co-worker. It’s also good material for a letter to the editor. We MUST wake people up!
IMO that, along with his abortion position, is more political expediency than principle.
I’ve found that most people are totally unaware of just how many abortions there are in America.
- Abortion is by far the most frequently performed surgical procedure.
- Abortion is the LEADING cause of death in the United States, it causes more deaths each year than heart disease, cancer and strokes COMBINED.
- More Americans die from abortion each year than have died in ALL of the wars America has fought COMBINED.
- An American dies from an abortion EVERY 24 SECONDS.
- More Americans die from abortion each day than died in the terrorist attacks on 9/11/01.
Thanks for posting this. I’m actualy taking a day off from work to call my elected officals and tell them what I think of them. SO I will add Mr. Stupak to my list and tell him: KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!
I’ll believe it when I see it.
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