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Stupak still wants his amendment offered in the Senate
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11/19/09 08:51 AM ET
Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich.) said Thursday that he still hopes to see an amendment on federal funding for abortion offered to the Senate's health legislation.
Stupak, who authored an amendment to the House healthcare bill that curtails federal funding for abortions, signaled that while he is keeping his powder dry on the Senate bill, he'd still like to see a similar amendment offered.
"Keep in mind, our language was not in the House bill as introduced either," Stupak said in a statement. "We will have to see what happens during the amendment process, just as we did on the House side."
"I hope to see an amendment that keeps current law with regards to abortion funding – just as the Stupak-Ellsworth-Pitts amendment does," he added.
The Senate compromise would require the establishment of at least one plan without coverage for abortions, and require the secretary of Health and Human Services to audit other plans to ensure no federal money is going to fund abortions.
Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) characterized the Senate compromise as a "gimmick" during an appearance on Fox News Thursday morning, and wondered about the ability of Stupak's coalition of Democrats opposed to abortion-rights to stick together on a final vote in the House.
"It's going to be very difficult when it goes back to the House for the Stupak forces to stay together," said Hatch, who's vowed to offer a version of the Stupak amendment in the Senate.
Stupak said earlier this week that if his abortion provisions are removed from the House bill in conference with the Senate version, "healthcare will not move forward."
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