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Pro-Life Amendment Passes Easily

By Philip Klein on 11.7.09 @ 10:22PM

The House just easily passed the Stupak amendment barring tax dollars from funding abortion, by a vote of 240 to 194, with John Shadegg the lone lawmaker voting "present." In the end, 64 Democrats voted for the measure. Assuming the health care bill passes tonight with the pro-life language, this creates a huge rift among Democrats. Pro-choicers will be pushing to have the language stripped in negotiations with the Senate, and if that happens, it will become difficult for pro-life Democrats to vote on the final reconciled bill. It won't be easy for pro-life Democrats to go back to their districts and argue, "I voted against taxpayer funding for abortion before I voted for it."

UPDATE: Planned Parenthood has condemned passage of the amendment in a statement, and promises, "In the coming weeks, Planned Parenthood will work with its allies in the Senate to ensure that the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and those who oppose abortion do not once again hijack the legislative process in their ongoing campaign to make abortion illegal."