Rep. Stupak ‘optimistic’ about a healthcare abortion deal

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Prospects are good for resolving a dispute over abortion that has led some House Democrats to threaten to withhold support for President Obama’s healthcare overhaul, Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich.) said Monday.

‘I’m more optimistic than I was a week ago,’ he said in an interview in his district, which encompasses the entire Upper Peninsula of Michigan and part of the Lower Peninsula.

‘The president says he doesn’t want to expand or restrict current law [on abortion]. Neither do I,’ Stupak said. ‘That’s never been our position. So is there some language that we can agree on that hits both points — we don’t restrict, we don’t expand abortion rights? I think we can get there.’

Stupak has emerged as spokesman for about a dozen House Democrats who supported health legislation approved by the House in November but contend a $1-trillion version that passed the Senate the next month would authorize federal abortion subsidies. They insist on restoring stiffer restrictions that Stupak added to the House measure.

Stupak had said last week that nothing had changed and that he didn’t think House leaders had the votes to pass the bill.

-- Associated Press