Pelosi knocks abortion language in House healthcare bill
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Speaker Nancy Pelosi today criticized abortion language in the recently passed House healthcare bill, saying she was more pleased with how the Senate handled the issue.
During a televised news conference, Pelosi said the amendment “goes beyond maintaining the status quo” on abortion funding, but added she expected conversations on the final form of healthcare reform will continue to find some common ground on abortion.
The amendment, offered by Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich.) generally prohibits the use of federal subsidies to purchase insurance plans that offer elective abortions. Those supporting abortion rights say it changes the current federal policy, limiting a woman’s right to choose. Conservatives opposing abortion argue that passage of the amendment was an important win, though some contend that the limits are within current federal guidelines.
The House passed the healthcare bill with just two votes to spare, 220-215, with just one Republican legislator crossing party lines to back the measure. The Senate version is expected to go into serious debate after Thanksgiving.
Today, Pelosi argued that there was general agreement among leaders that the healthcare bill would maintain the status quo on abortion, even though the Stupak amendment went further.
“I’m pleased with the language in the Senate bill,” Pelosi said. “Conversations continue, and we will find common ground.”
Liberal Democrats have rushed to reassure abortion-rights activists about the Stupak amendment. In a recent interview on CNN’s “State of the Union,” White House senior advisor David Axelrod said he believed that differences over abortion will be worked out before the final bill reaches President Obama’s desk.
“The bill that Congress passed does change the status quo,’ Axelrod said. ‘There are discussions ongoing about how to adjust it accordingly.’
Abortion is a wedge political issue, but the latest polling shows it has less of an impact on the current healthcare debate. About 56% of those polled say the abortion issue is a major factor in their opposition to proposed reforms, but that is less than those who chose concerns over big government, overall cost and the impact of changes on their own coverage, according to a Pew Research Center survey.
“When healthcare opponents are asked in an open-ended question to describe their main reason for opposing the congressional proposals, just 3% raise the issue of abortion funding,” according to Pew. When asked to choose from among a list of objections, 8% say that abortion funding is the most important reason for their opposition.
-- Michael Muskal
