40 House Democrats to vote against healthcare bill if federal funding for abortion is included
There is a group of about 40 Democrats who have formed a coalition and have pledged to vote against the healthcare reform bill if the House is not allowed to vote on language that would prohibit federal money from being used to provide for abortions.
Representative Bart Stupak, a Democrat, introduced an amendment to the House bill that would deny the federal funding of abortion but it was voted down in committee. He has now formed a coalition that is demanding that his amendment be brought to the floor for a vote or his coalition will vote against the healthcare reform bill.
Stupak has basically been told that there is no way in hell that his amendment will ever be voted on on the floor. It will be interesting to see if all 40 of these pro-life Democrats hold true to their professed beliefs. If all Republicans vote against the bill as expected, it will require at least 38 of these Democrats to vote against healthcare reform in order to kill it.
Pressure will undoubtably be applied to these Democrats by party leadership to change their votes. The threat of withholding federal money to assist them in their re-election bids will also be used. What will prevail, their conscience or their desire for power and prestige?
America's Watchtower 
I’m glad to hear that there are some Pro-life democrats, and 40 all gathered in the same place! I wonder how they got in the party. Ididn’t think the dems would allow in such folks.
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I think that the Democrats ran conservatives in conservative places where they knew liberals couldn’t win in order to boost their numbers figuring once they were in congress they could be molded by party leadership. Let’s hope they continue to hold strong.
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Well, that’s kind of dumb considering the Hyde amendment prohibits federal funding of abortions.
The only way funding could occur is if the Jekyll amendment is added to the bill.
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The Hyde amendment is attached to the Health and Human Services Appropriations part of the bill, not to the main bill. There is speculation that future programs instituted under healthcare reform could be used to fund abortions unless the amendment is moved to the actual healthcare reform bill. Pelosi does not want to do this, I wonder why she wouldn’t move it if the amendment stops the funding of all abortions anyway? Perhaps it soesn’t, there may be a loophole here.
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A part of me wishes they would go ahead and refuse to amend the bill’s loop-hole in regards to the abortion issue. Maybe it would finish the bill once and for all.
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I hear you but I am too afraid that the bill would end up passing and then we would be stuck with it.
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I believe Iheard that the Hyde Amendment to prevent federal funding of abortion is required to be renewed each year. I believe it was Mark Levin, talk show host, constitutional attorney, that said it, but I couldbe wrong. The thought was that the Health Reform Bill would undermine the annual renewal ultimately changing it.
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I’ll bet the Democrats never thought some of the main opposition to their health care reform legislation would be coming from their own party. There is no telling at the leverage they will be using, in an attempt to force these 40 Democrats to cast yea votes.
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I am sure that they will face extreme pressure to change their votes, I hope that they will hold true to their ideals.
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Ben’s out trolling for hits again… 😛
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Should the 40 stick together, that would be great, but pressure will be put on them and I bet many cave. You are correct in that most opposition is coming from within their own ranks at this point.
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I have my doubts about whether the 40 will hold under the pressure they will face, here is hoping they do. Democrats shouls have the votes they need, they hold the majorities, yet Obama is having trouble bringing together his own party.
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If Obamacare should pass it should be quickly challenged in federal court by some group. I think there are fuzzy Constitutional issue in certains parts of the bills I now see.
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I hope it gets challenged, if not we will never be able to reverse it.
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