Posted on 03/25/2010 6:25:37 PM PDT by MsLady
Thank you for your communication on health care reform legislation, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (H.R. 3590), which passed the U.S. House of Representatives on March 21, 2010. I was honored to witness the signing of this historic legislation by President Obama at the White House on March 23, 2010.
My vote on health care reform was the most difficult vote I have cast during my 20 years as a state representative and a member of Congress. This legislation will affect every American. During my time in Congress, I have cast several very difficult votes, such as going to war in Iraq and Afghanistan, military actions in Bosnia and Kosovo, and the impeachment of President Clinton. I studied each issue carefully and spent many hours reading legislation, conducting research, and talking with constituents in my congressional district and my colleagues in Congress.
I am honored to serve on the Energy and Commerce Committee, where most of the language included in the House health care bill was drafted. As the House health care legislation was developed and amended throughout the committee process, I was actively involved in improving and modifying the bill.
I voted YES on the final health care reform bill, H.R. 3590, which was a compromise between the legislative proposals passed by U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate last year. The president also suggested changes that were incorporated in the final bill. The final product included strong consumer protections, eliminated the "sweet heart deals" in the Senate bill and dropped the "public option" included in the House bill.
Throughout the health care debate, I held firm in my insistence that no public funding for abortions would be included in the bill and that current Hyde amendment restrictions on funding of abortions would be maintained. When the House voted on November 7, 2009 I was successful in passing an amendment that upheld the Hyde restrictions. However, the Senate could only muster 45 votes in support of my amendment and it was defeated on December 8, 2009. I remained concerned that the health care bill passed by the Senate allowed public funding for abortions at community health centers. After the Stupak amendment was defeated in the Senate, pro-life House Democrats explored additional legislative proposals and procedures in an effort to secure the 60 votes needed in the Senate to limit federal funding for abortions. With only 45 pro-life votes in the Senate, passage was impossible.
My House pro-life colleagues and I then negotiated an Executive Order with President Obama, which "maintains current Hyde amendment restrictions governing abortion policy and extends those restrictions to the newly-created health insurance exchanges." The Executive Order also specifically prevents the funding and performing of abortions at community health centers. This Executive Order has the full force and effect of law and was signed on March 24, 2010 by President Obama in the Oval Office of the White House. I attended the signing of the Executive Order where the President was emphatic in his support of the Executive Order referring to it as "iron clad."
Some pro-life groups have condemned the Executive Order and demanded statutory language similar to the Stupak amendment. The reality is the Stupak amendment only received 45 of the required 60 votes in the Senate. The Executive Order was the only vehicle available to maintain the Hyde restrictions in the health care reform legislation.
I am surprised and disappointed by the reaction of some pro-life groups in opposition to the Executive Order given the fact that these same groups embraced President Bush's Executive Order in June 2007 banning embryonic stem cell research. The language on enforcement of the Executive Order through the courts is identical in both presidents' Executive Orders.
In the final health care reform bill, veterans are exempt from the legislation. The VA and TRICARE systems remain untouched. Seniors remain on Medicare, receive relief from the donut hole and have their preventive screenings and tests fully covered.
Small businesses immediately receive tax credits to assist owners in providing health care coverage for employees. Consumer protections prohibit insurance companies from discriminating against individuals with pre-existing conditions, extend insurance coverage for dependent children up to age 26, prevent health plans from dropping insurance coverage when people are sick and eliminate lifetime caps on coverage.
I have enclosed information sheets on many of the highlights found in the new health care reform legislation, which will provide 32 million uninsured Americans with access to quality, health care.
Thank you for your communication. If you should have further questions or concerns on health care or any other issue, please visit my web site at www.house.gov/stupak.
Sincerely,
BART STUPAK Member of Congress
He turned out to be the cheapest whore of the lot. I wonder what they had on him to make him roll over that easy. Or is it this simple. His love of socialism trumps everything else.
The thing is that you really didn't sell out, because you never were pro-life to begin with.
Good point!! I think Bart Stupid will go down as a Judas and a political whore. He is blasphemy in a striped suit.
You got that right. When Republicans tried to insert the abortion-funding ban in the reconciliation, the ONLY Democrat to take the floor and speak out against it was Bart Stupak.
The roads where he’ll be going are paved with those same intentions.
bump
Eat excrement and die, scumbag.
“I’ll say this though - Stupak had two-thirds of the nation eating out of the palm of his hand.”
Yes he did. However he proved there is no such thing as a pro-life dimoKKKRAT or blue dog dimoKKKRAT. He proved that a dimoKKKRAT cannot be trusted.
What the heck is a “Drain Commissioner”?
What a Lying Turd.
Historical eh? This idiot was in bed with them the whole time.
I received an actual letter response from Zell Miller before he retired, and I’m a New Yorker (very obviously not one of his constituents). I was so surprised and pleased!
Not very helpful. You are tossing ammo to the Dem's. Not a good idea.
I see that the justification tour (i.e., campaign 2010) has begun.
Good. I plan on tossing them more.
Or maybe in bed with someone he wasn't married to and got caught with his pants down. I'm not saying I'm just saying.
One thing is for sure. Those sheets are dirty.
Hey Bart, you voted to force Christians to pay people to kill babies. That’s all anyone needs to know to know your character.
Except for Muslims, American Indians, the Amish, x presidents and congressman, and probably sports figures and likely various other groups.
I sent him a sympathy card on the loss of his conscience.
Gosh, will that be called harassment or a terroristic statement?
Bart Stupak = Bart Stup-id.
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