Obamacare Moves to Senate; Stupak Says There Will Be “Hell to Pay” if His Amendment is Removed

In yet another surprise move, Senator Harry Reid says he will open debate on his version of Obamacare next week Tuesday. Recently, he and other Senators had stated it would take months and even into next year to reach consensus in the Senate on a bill. Apparently, Reid feels momentum from the narrow House approval of Obamacare. It is still a question as to whether he will stick to the Senate tradition of 60 votes needed to advance the bill or resort to what he calls “reconciliation” requiring only a simple majority. It is all shaping up as a battle royal.

Rep. Bart Stupak, our incredible right-to-life hero, is not satisfied with the huge victory in the House on his amendment prohibiting the use of federal funds for abortion on demand. “We are in contact with senators to make sure our language holds. The other side is playing with fire.”

Planned Parenthood and its allies in Congress feel stung. They are now forming their own “pro-choice” coalitions, demanding meetings with the President, telling people to urge President Obama to keep the promise he made to PP in 2007 that “reproductive” health care would be at the core of his health care reform.

Stupak is unfazed. “We won because [the Democrats} need us. If they are going to summarily dismiss us by taking the pen to that language, there will be hell to pay….if they double-cross us, there will be 40 people who won’t vote with them the next time they need us — and that could be the final version of this bill.” Stupak is apparently referring to any bill that would come out of conference committee, should a bill get that far, that does not have his right-to-life language.

National Right to Life calls Stupak “fearless” and “heroic.” And, we completely agree.

Barbara Lyons