Pelosi phoned Cardinal McCarrick before permitting Stupak amendment vote
November 11, 2009
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On the eve of her decision to permit a vote on the pro-life Stupak amendment, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi telephoned Cardinal Theodore McCarrick in Rome, according to the Associated Press. The amendment, which passed the House on November 7 by a 240-194 margin, bars the use of federal funds from paying for most abortions in the health care reform legislation that narrowly passed the House of Representatives. AP also reported:
Representatives for the bishops were in House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's Capitol suite negotiating with top officials last Friday evening as they reached final terms of the agreement … It was Stupak who told Pelosi last Friday that if she wanted a deal on the health bill, she'd be well advised to invite the bishops' staff, who were already in his office, to her table. "I said, 'Well, they're here, and they're one of the key groups you want to have on your side, so why don't we just bring them in and work this out," Stupak said.
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Further information:
- THE INFLUENCE GAME: Bishops shape health care bill (AP)
- House approves Stupak amendment in major pro-life victory (CWN, 11/09)
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Posted by: Miss Cathy -
Nov. 14, 2009 8:28 PM ET USA
I don't understand why legislation that is passed that limits abortion funding is called a pro-life victory. This healthcare reform bill is simply a contradictory statement for what it really is, a death mandate. I refuse to consider any legislation that does not recognize the personhood of the preborn child and the lawful protection of said child as pro-life. What are the Bishops' positions on rationed care, reproductive services and euthanasia?
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Posted by: sarsok8679 -
Nov. 14, 2009 6:51 PM ET USA
I am suprised that your suprised. Pelosi can count.. that's about all she can do. They will slip in abortion coverage at a later time in some defense bill on Friday night when no one is looking. We do not need healthcare reform, we need politician reform. They need remedial Constitution reading.
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Posted by: TheJournalist64 -
Nov. 14, 2009 2:39 PM ET USA
Let's get real. The taxpayers under this bill will still be paying for murdering children. All a woman has to do is find a doctor who says a pregnancy will probably shorten her life, or claim there was an element of rape, or claim incest (less likely) and the abortion is done and we pay for it. The Stupak-Pitts amendment is--sorry to say--a joke. No exceptions or no bill!
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Posted by: Minnesota Mary -
Nov. 11, 2009 9:35 PM ET USA
I find it interesting that the majority of Bishops can't get up the nerve to deny Communion to pro-abortion "Catholic" politicians, but now they've shown the kahunas to get all worked up about abortion coverage in a socialistic health care bill that they want so badly, but know they can't openly support if it gives abortion coverage. A Socialist America is their dream come true, and socialized medicine is the coup de grace over the American middle class. God help us!
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Posted by: Gil125 -
Nov. 11, 2009 2:11 PM ET USA
May one guess that the only reason this got through was to provide cover for those who vote for the final package covering baby-killing? It would not be the first time Democrats voted for something before they voted against it. The interesting thing would be to know if the staff of the USCCB agreed to provide the cover. Pass the Stupak amendment now so we can claim to have kept abortion out, and we'll be quiet when you pass the final bill, with coverage restored in the final seconds.
