The White House and anti-abortion Democrats have reached an agreement to defusethe controversy over abortion in the health reform bill – planning a series of steps that will secure the support of Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich.) and other Democrats to give party leaders the votes they need to pass reform, sources tell POLITICO.
Under the agreement, President Barack Obama would sign an executive order ensuring that no federal funding will go to pay for abortion under the health reform plans. In addition, Stupak will get to state his concerns about abortion funding in the bill during a colloquy on the House floor during the debate.
And then, Stupak and several other Democratic hold-outs over abortion will sign on to the bill, the sources said. The agreement would almost certainly give House Speaker Nancy Pelosi the 216 votes she needs to secure an historic health reform vote by day’s end – capping a year-long drive to achieve Obama’s signature legislative goal.
Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0310/34767.html#ixzz0iqHSkUD3
Obama is using ex.order on stupak so that the bill doesn’t have to have changes...thus avoiding going back to the senate for another vote. It is illegal for Bo to do that and attorneys will and are ready to sue if he does use Ex. order for this. This was spoken on the house flore a little while ago.