Anti-Abortion Amendment Will Get Floor Vote

Democrat Bart Stupak and Republican Joe Pitts are are holding the House heath care bill hostage. Their amendment will bar federally funded insurance from providing abortions. This isn't surprising. The amendment will get an up or down vote on the House floor.

The amendment should give pause to thoughts of the Christian Right being dead. Christian Right activist Jordan Sekulow explains how Christian conservatives pressured the House on the amendment.

You may think we're exaggerating on Christian radio when we ask you to "join the fight" by calling your representatives and signing our petitions. Early this morning, around 1 a.m., all the petitions, phone calls, and grassroots activism paid off. Today, when the House debates HR 3962, the Stupak-Pitts pro-life amendment will receive an up or down vote. Nancy Pelosi and pro-abortion Democrats buckled at the last minute in their race to gather the necessary 218 votes to pass HR 3962 later tonight.

Why? Because you signed petitions, made phone calls, and let your voice be heard.

Sekulow exaggerates the Christian conservative pressure. The amendment would not have made the floor without a Democratic sponsor. Bart Stupak is willing to sabotage health care reform for his conservative agenda. That doesn't mean that Congress isn't afraid of the Christian Right. Democrats have not press for abortion rights during health care reform. The fact is every time Republicans try to ban abortion they fail. South Dakota is one of the most difficult states to get an abotion. Republicans and the Christian Right couldn't get the votes needed for a state ban. Democrats could use abortion as a wedge issue against Republicans. Democrats don't because they lack the political courage.

Ian Samuel tweets how Democrats to run a primary opponent against Stupak.

A Republican hasn't won Stupak's district since FDR. He won by 32 points in '08. Primary, primary, primary

You can send an email to your representative and voice your disapproval on the Stupak-Pitts amendment.

Update: Call Congress and tell them to vote no on Stupak-Pitts anti-abortion amendment. 202-730-9001

Update: Stupak claims to have for his anti-abortion amendment. There are only 178 Republicans in the House. Stupak would have to pull 42 Democrats. If his claim is true. The Blue Dog caucus has 52 members. That is the most likely place for Stupak to pull votes. Stupak is not a member of the caucus.

RH Reality Check provided a list of representatives on the fence. Call them at 202-730-9001 and tell them to vote against the Stupak-Pitts amendment.

Arcuri (D, NY-24)
Bean (D, IL-08)
Bishop, S. (D, GA-02)
Boswell (D, IA-03)
Butterfield (D, NC-01)
Cardoza (D, CA-18)
Chandler (D, KY-06)
Cooper (D, TN-05)
Costa (D, CA-20)
Doyle (D, PA-14)
Edwards, C. (D, TX-17)
Etheridge (D, NC-02)
Gordon (D, TN-06)
Kratovil (D, MD-01)
Langevin (D, RI-02)
McMahon (D, NY-13)
Michaud (D, ME-02)
Minnick (D, ID-01)
Neal (D, MA-02)
Nye (D, VA-02)
Obey (D, WI-07)
Owens (D, NY-23)
Ruppersberger (D, MD-02)
Ryan, T. (D, OH-17)
Salazar (D, CO-03)
Space (D, OH-18)

Update: Alcee Hastings is fearful that the Stupak-Pitts amendment could lead to a return of back alley abortions.

“I forsee a return to the dark ages,” said Alcee Hastings (D-Fla.). “I’m 73, I’ve seen these dark things, they use these coat hangers and die.”

Update: Jane Hamsher makes a list of PACs that support Stupak. Hamsher is asking progressives to voice their displeasure to the PACs.