Stupak will attempt to block health care reform if abortion funding not removed

On Friday, the Hill ran a story about how Representative Bart Stupak (D-MI) and approximately 40 Democrats will attempt to prevent health care reform legislation from coming to the House floor unless they are given a vote on an amendment to explicitly exclude abortion funding from health care reform.

"There?s about 40 like-minded Democrats like myself -- we?ll try to take down the rule," Stupak said. ?If all 40 of us vote in a bloc against the rule -- because we think the Republicans will join us -- we can defeat the rule. The magic number is 218. If we can have 218 votes against the rule, we win.?

With 177 Republicans in the House, Stupak would need at least 41 Democrats to cross the aisle and vote against the rule. Stupak's amendment was originally defeated by the House Energy and Commerce Committee during mark-up.

FULL STORY