Waxman Forces Re-Vote to Ensure Coverage for Taxpayer-Subsidized Abortion Remains in Health Care Bill


Yesterday afternoon, House Energy and Commerce Committee member Rep. Lois Capps (D-CA) proposed an amendment to the House health care overhaul bill to allow for federal funding of elective abortion coverage for those enrolled in the “public option,” to mandate that every regional Health Insurance Exchange contain at least one private insurance plan that offers abortion coverage, and to permit taxpayer subsidies of those private insurance plans and others that cover elective abortion.

The Capps amendment passed 30-28, with E&C Chairman Henry Waxman (D-CA), Capps, and 28 other Democrats voting in favor of mandating (and allowing taxpayer funding to be used to subsidize) abortion coverage.

Taxpayer dollars do not currently pay for, or subsidize, insurance plans that cover elective abortion services. This amendment, if the health overhaul bill to which it is attached is passed and signed into law, would alter that policy, using the tax dollars of every American – pro-life or pro-choice – to subsidize abortion coverage (and, by extension, abortion services).

Late last night, Rep. Joe Pitts (R-PA) responded to the Capps amendment’s passage by proposing an amendment of his own. Pitts’s proposal would have prohibited the federal government from requiring any insurance plan — including the “public option” — to provide coverage for abortion (with the three chief exception of rape, incest, and life of the mother).

E&C passed the Pitts amendment by a 31-27 vote, with Waxman among the “Yea” votes. However, after the votes were in and the amendment passed, Waxman decided he wanted to change his vote, and so brought the amendment back up for “reconsideration” and a re-vote.

The second time around, Waxman voted against the amendment to prevent abortion coverage from being mandated in health insurance plans. He also convinced Blue Dog Democrat Bart Gordon (D-TN) to switch his vote from Yea to Nay, and pulled conflicted Blue Dog Zack Space (D-OH), who had managed to sit out the first round of voting, back into the debate. Space, who voted in favor of the Capps amendment earlier yesterday afternoon, succumbed to pressure from Waxman and cast his vote against the Pitts measure.

The result was a 30-29 defeat of the measure — a reversal of the initial outcome, and the Democratic preservation a health care overhaul bill that not only allows, but mandates, taxpayer-funded abortion coverage and services.


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25 Comments Leave a comment

Is there a whiff of revolution in the air?

johnt Friday, July 31st at 11:27AM EST (link)

If not there should be !

“a man’s admiration for absolute government is proportinate to the contempt he feels for those around him”. Tocqueville

 

Health care overhaul bill mandates, taxpayer-funded abortion coverage and services

izoneguy (Diary) Friday, July 31st at 11:46AM EST (link)

The point cannot be made often enough: Modern liberalism, as embodied in the Obama presidency, is the defender of the status quo. And the status quo is a road to economic ruin. Political forces cannot redistribute the wealth that the economic system does not produce.

 

So now where's that list of Dems who said they could not vote for it unless it excluded abortions?

bk (Diary) Friday, July 31st at 11:46AM EST (link)

This is a welcome poison pill, but one of my greatest fears is that

Mike gamecock DeVine (Diary) Friday, July 31st at 11:48AM EST (link)

it will be removed from a compromise bill that will destroy America as we know it while not funding abortions. The removal of this provision will be used as a fake fix excuse to vote for it.

Mike DeVine’s Examiner.com, Charlotte Observer and The Minority Report columns
“One man with courage makes a majority.” – Andrew Jackson

I have the same worry

squeek71 Friday, July 31st at 12:51PM EST (link)

I have refrained from sending many of the prolife petitions I have received regarding this bill because, while that is a huge issue for me, I do not want my congress critters to think that is my only concern. I have written my own emails in which I address abortion, the public option, etc. There are way too many poison pills in the bill to just focus on one of them. I think the blue dogs will probably look for any excuse to pass it and make Pelosi and Obama happy. I don’t want a watered down version passing that will just pave the way for socialsim in more baby steps to come. What a mess this is!

I wouldn't worry so much about your congresscritter's perception of you

randy streu (Diary) Friday, July 31st at 1:13PM EST (link)

they’ll never find time to form one anyway.

this is all about audience. Some people are going to be chiefly concerned about abortion — we need to make sure we reach them. For others, some of the “end of life” care provisions are going to be very disconcerting, if they know about them. So we need to make sure they do.

Point is, everyone focuses, and that’s not really such a bad thing.

 
 
 
 

My question is

Bob_Frazier (Diary) Friday, July 31st at 11:47AM EST (link)

Will the national republicans have the courage to bring up the abortion issue at all in regards to the health care debate?

Seven months into the term of the most radical extremist ever to hold the presidency, there are still signs everywhere that the republican party leadership still does not get it.

Well the American people are "getting it"

izoneguy (Diary) Friday, July 31st at 12:00PM EST (link)

The Republicans party leadership will be running for the hills.
Many, many republicans will also find themselves in trouble unless they take a strong stand against Obama and his destructive Marxist policies.

The point cannot be made often enough: Modern liberalism, as embodied in the Obama presidency, is the defender of the status quo. And the status quo is a road to economic ruin. Political forces cannot redistribute the wealth that the economic system does not produce.

 
 

Here's how it works

muffin Friday, July 31st at 12:05PM EST (link)

Feinstein’s constituents were sitting in her conference room waiting to speak with her about health care. These constituents are seniors. What to do, what to do?? Call the police to have them removed:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/07/30/state/n184320D61.DTL

Fortitudine vincimus – By endurance we conquer

 

What a "Choice" Democrat Christians may be asked to make.

Michael Dugas (Diary) Friday, July 31st at 12:08PM EST (link)

It will be interesting, and I personally think disheartening, to see the response, and the votes, of Christian, Catholic and Muslim politicians and voters. To choose to vote for legislation where tax dollars will be used to end the lives of unborn human beings may be damning for a lot longer than the span of their natural lives.
And as most religions have a “Judgment” day or Moment in them, to choose to vote for taking life may not sit so well with their Makers when they are brought to be weighed. How many death’s will each vote carry when their ticket is punched? Wouldn’t want it to be me.
Or maybe to many, a regrettable many, religion has just become a merit badge to list along with other self serving accomplishments on their resumes while Government, State and control of others has become their real ” tangible” Deity.

Intro to Federalist Papers; section 5;
paragraph 4.
“…dangerous ambition more often lurks behind the specious mask of zeal for the rights of the people than under the zeal for a firm and efficient government.”

Remember: A Citizen on the dole is a Liberal Vote at the Polls.
END ENTITLEMENTS!

Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum !

Democrat "Christian" Churches

JHancock (Diary) Saturday, August 1st at 1:58AM EST (link)

are just social action committees that like to sing on Sundays from what I’ve seen. Moral relativism has so clouded many Christians judgment that lots of Churches will no longer stand against immorality of any kind, be it abortion, pre-marital sex, divorce, extramarital affairs, homosexuality, or even prostitution. Their requirement for being a good Christian is that you “care” about others. In short they’ve got the “love” part of the Christian message, but have thrown “truth” and “righteousness” under the bus.

 
 

It Would Be Nice

Joe Cor (Diary) Friday, July 31st at 12:14PM EST (link)

if a way could be found to get Catholic Bishops’ attention drawn to this outrage. Their inclination seems always to support big, massive government programs. And they seemed to go out of their way to avoid emphasizing abortion in the last election. But if they could be made aware of what’s going on here, maybe, perhaps, they might be inclinded to mobilize Catholic laity against this abomination.

 

"Democrats Cite Health Care Cost Savings of Fewer Seniors, More Abortions"

melvinwinter Friday, July 31st at 12:48PM EST (link)

http://optoons.blogspot.com/2009/07/democrats-cite-health-care-cost-savings.html

 

The Holocaust continues...

gonzo55 (Diary) Friday, July 31st at 1:03PM EST (link)

… and the Eichmanns in Congress and the administration claim to be merely technocrats, not responsible for the millions of lives that will be lost in the gas ovens of Obamacare.

I usually just think giving my money to the government is equivalent to throwing it down the toilet. Now there literally will be blood on my hands every time a human life is murdered. This is NOT a representative government!

“Facts are stubborn things” — Ronald Wilson Reagan

 

Breaking News

red4ever (Diary) Friday, July 31st at 1:41PM EST (link)

Sen. Dodd diagnosed with prostate cancer. Now, I don’t wish death on most people. I hope Sen. Dodd is okay. However, I notice he is getting emergency surgery over the August recess. Must be nice to have that special healthcare that you can get treated immediately. Especially nice, if under his own plan, if he were not a Senator he would not even be on the waiting list for treatment. He would be counseled about end of life decisions since he is old and useless, then sent off with some pain meds to await the end.

The hottest places in hell are reserved for those who, in times of great moral crisis, maintain their neutrality.
Dante

Kowalski

red4ever (Diary) Friday, July 31st at 1:42PM EST (link)

Do you think God is sending a message about government run healthcare with all these Democratic senators getting sick?

The hottest places in hell are reserved for those who, in times of great moral crisis, maintain their neutrality.
Dante

 
 

Help me understand..

restofva (Diary) Friday, July 31st at 6:20PM EST (link)

Maybe I’ve misunderstood something, but why would Waxman have voted for the Pitt’s amendment to begin with, especially after having already voted for the Capps’ amendment?

You can't ask for something to be reconsidered if you didn't vote with the winning side

bk (Diary) Friday, July 31st at 6:42PM EST (link)

So when it was going to fail, he would have switched his vote so he could keep his plan alive after working over a couple more members.

You see this in the entire Senate when something the Majority Leader wants is failing on a close vote. He’ll switch his vote to nay so he can bring it up again later.

These two cases are opposite scenarios, but it’s the same idea. You can ask for it to be reconsidered only if you voted with the majority whether it passed or failed. It’s like saying, “I think I want to change my vote and that might swing it the other way.”

oops I meant to say eh switched when he saw it was going to PASS

bk (Diary) Friday, July 31st at 6:43PM EST (link)

I did not know that, thanks bk....NT

restofva (Diary) Friday, July 31st at 6:47PM EST (link)

I was assuming

restofva (Diary) Friday, July 31st at 6:52PM EST (link)

Waxman was able to call for reconsideration because he was the chair. Do you have any suggested reading for procedural things such as this?

I don't know - I just recall reading or hearing it

bk (Diary) Friday, July 31st at 9:26PM EST (link)

Not sure if it’s a Roberts Rules of Order thing or a Congressional Rules thing or what.

 
 
 
 
 
 

I will die alone in the street

JHancock (Diary) Saturday, August 1st at 2:01AM EST (link)

before I’ll let a murdering medical system save me. I won’t pay in to this system if it funds abortion, even if it costs me my job or I end up thrown in jail by the IRS.

 

Balanced Health care - Liberal-style.

beafrank Saturday, August 1st at 3:10AM EST (link)

The govt pays coverage to abort the fetus and limits coverage for ‘end-of-life’ care.

 

Waxman is a Nazi

Britcom (Diary) Saturday, August 1st at 4:55PM EST (link)

A Goebbels wannabe.

“The opposite of courage in our society is not cowardice, it is conformity.” – Rollo May

Is America a Democracy or a Republic?

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