Now he is leading the efforts of prolife Democrats in Congress to keep abortion out of health care reform legislation. He, along with other prolife Democrats, is currently pushing Democratic leaders in the House of Representatives to add language which guarantees that insurance companies won’t be forced to cover abortions, tax funds won’t be used for abortions and that prolife state laws will remain intact.
"I think if they do not have [the language] in there and President Obama says we are going to have a bill with nothing in there on abortion, I think it is going to backfire. I think we bring down the rule and it will be explicitly discussed in the health care plan one way or another," Stupak told Washington Unplugged's Michelle Levi after a press conference with Republican collegues on Capitol Hill Wednesday.
Stupak told CBS News that he feels confident that "a minimum of thirty nine" democrats would join him in opposing the legislation proposed by House leaders should the abortion language not be written in.
"If there is not direct language and we are denied our ammendment we will focus our attention on the rule," Stupak warned.
"I am optimistic that we will get an ammendment," in the House Energy and Commerce committee which has recessed their mark up of the health care bill in question, the congressman said. However, should the bill leave the committee without banning the use of federal money for abortions Stupak and his collegues will "demand" a house floor vote on the specific issue.
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