Over the weekend, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a health care reform bill but only after legislators were given the opportunity to vote on the Stupak Amendment sponsored by Michigan’s Bart Stupak (D-Menominee). The Stupak Amendment prevents public funds from being used to pay for abortions in the government public health care plan except in the cases of rape, incest or the life of the mother. It also prevents individuals who have federally-subsidized insurance to get abortion coverage with their federally subsidized insurance.
The Stupak amendment passed by a vote of 240-194.
Michigan’s congressional delegation voted 9-6 in favor of the Stupak Amendment to remove abortion funding from the health care reform bill. The “no” votes included Michigan’s two freshman congressmen Gary Peters and Mark Schauer along with Carolyn Kilpatrick, John Dingell, Sander Levin, and John Conyers. The “yes” votes were Fred Upton, Bart Stupak, Pete Hoekstra, Dave Camp, Dale Kildee, Mike Rogers, Thaddeus McCotter, Vern Ehlers, Candice Miller.
This is a great prolife victory but much more work needs to be done as the U.S. Senate continues work on their version(s) which include abortion funding and rationing concerns. Eventually, the differences in the House and Senate versions will be handled in a conference committee. Prolifers have won a first step battle and prevented the initial expansion of abortion and abortion funding that Planned Parenthood, NARAL and other pro-abortion groups demanded.
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