Stupak threatens to block House healthcare bill

A House Democrat on Wednesday insisted he has the votes to kill the House's healthcare bill unless lawmakers agree to an amendment that would strip all abortion funding from the proposal.

At issue for Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich.), who is spearheading the movement, is an amendment attached to HR 3200 introduced months ago by Rep. Lois Capps (D-Calif.).

According to Capps, the amendment prohibits federal funding of abortions, with one exception: "The only funds that may be used to pay for other abortion services are from private funds generated by the policyholders' premiums, whether the policyholder is covered by a private plan or the public option," she told The Hill.

But that effort was not enough for Stupak, the co-chairman of the chamber's Pro-Life Caucus. Speaking with Fox News on Wednesday, the Democrat criticized his House colleagues and the Obama administration for not fully committing to a rule banning abortion funding from healthcare reform. He also reiterated his threat from earlier this month to spike the bill unless lawmakers add the Hyde amendment to it -- a rule that would altogether prohibit federal funding of abortion and include no related provision about funding from premiums.

"There are a lot of us who are philosophically, legally and morally opposed [to abortion]," he said. "So if we're not allowed to offer what we call the Hyde amendment... we're going to try to shut down the rule, then the bill cannot come to the floor for a vote."

"We believe we have to votes, but we're not taking anything for granted," the congressman added.

In the meantime, Stupak said he is awaiting word from the White House about whether he could meet with the president to discuss the matter.