The Hill – Liberals threaten to oppose healthcare bill over Stupak abortion amendment

More than 40 lawmakers vowed to oppose the final healthcare bill if the House language on abortion is not removed.

Reps. Diana DeGette (Colo.) and Louise Slaughter (N.Y.) led the group of Democrats in writing to Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) threatening to withhold support for a final conference report if it strictly prohibits federal funding for abortion services.

“We will not vote for a conference report that contains language that restricts women’s right to choose any further than current law,” reads a draft of the letter.

DeGette and Slaughter, who is the chairwoman of the powerful Rules Committee, also wrote President Barack Obama requesting a meeting on the issue next week.

Obama indicated that his aim is to maintain the current federal limitations on funding for abortions, not expand them, and he hinted the language adopted by the House may go too far. “There needs to be some more work before we get to the point where we’re not changing the status quo,” Obama said during an interview that will air on ABC News.

“This is a healthcare bill, not an abortion bill. And we’re not looking to change what is the principle that has been in place for a very long time, which is federal dollars are not used to subsidize abortions,” Obama said. “I want to make sure … that we are not in some way sneaking in funding for abortions, but, on the other hand, that we’re not restricting women’s insurance choices.”

A majority of senators are on record in support of abortion rights, making the prospect of winning 60 votes for stronger restrictions difficult.

But Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) must also consider finding 60 votes to move the final bill. Centrists Democratic Sens. Ben Nelson (Neb.) and Mary Landrieu (La.) have voiced misgivings about federal funding for abortions, with Nelson through his spokesman praising the House language on Monday.