November 9, 2009 - Saturday, November 7th, the U.S. House of Representatives' passed the pro-life Stupak-Pitts Amendment to remove abortion funding from HR 3962, the House version of proposed federal healthcare legislation.
News outlets reported that votes for the bill hinged on whether its original authorization of federal funding for abortion was included or not.
In the final hours before the vote, Rep. Brad Ellsworth proposed a "compromise" on abortion funding, which still allowed federal funding of abortion.
A group of pro-life Democrats, including local Ohio Representative Steve Driehaus, challenged party leadership and rejected this false compromise, with Rep. Driehaus insisting he would not vote for the health care bill unless it says "no federal funds used to pay for abortions and so that means no federal funds used to pay for abortion in the public option."
As a result, Democratic House leadership had no choice but to allow a vote on the Stupak-Pitts Amendment, which prevents the "public option" from paying for elective abortions with federal funds, and also prevents federal subsidies to help purchase other insurance that covers elective abortions.
The Stupak-Pitts Amendment passed on a vote of 240 to 194, with one member voting "present." 64 Democrats joined with 176 Republicans in voting for the amendment.
Thank you to local Representatives Driehaus and Jean Schmidt who voted the pro-life position for this amendment.
And thank you to all who communicated with your legislators, urging them to call for and pass the Stupak-Pitts Amendment to remove abortion funding from federal healthcare legislation.
