by
Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
November 6,
2009
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Washington,
DC (LifeNews.com) -- In a conference call with liberal activists,
Majority Leader Steny Hoyer just revealed that the health care reform
bill with massive abortion funding may lack enough votes for a majority.
The bill is slated to get a vote Saturday evening, but he said that
could be pushed back to Sunday or early next week.
Hoyer, in a conference call with reporters and the liberal health care advocacy group Families USA, said pro-abortion Democrats were "very close" to securing enough votes for passage.
"As of now we're expecting to consider the legislation [Saturday] however we could make additional time as needed," he said. "I think we can finish the debate by 7 or 8 o'clock [Saturday] night."
"We're very close," to having enough votes, Hoyer said. "There are many people that are still looking for a comfort level [with the bill]."
Asked Thursday if she had the votes, Speaker Nancy Pelosi replied: "We will" -- an indication that they are not collected and more time may be needed.
Part of the comfort level revolves around abortion and whether or not he and Speaker Nancy Pelosi will include the Ellsworth amendment in the Rule for debate on the bill. The amendment is the fake version of the authentic pro-life Stupak amendment that would actually ban all abortion funding.
Rep. Brad Ellsworth, the Indiana Democrat behind the phony version, has been trying to peel enough pro-life Democrats who planned to vote no on the bill without the Stupak amendment to support his language.
Rep. Bart Stupak of Michigan, reportedly has as many as 40 Democrats who could vote against the Rule and the bill if it continues to fund abortions and Ellsworth is trying to pick them off.
According to a report in The Hill, Rep. Mike Doyle of Pennsylvania is joining Ellsworth in trying to get votes for the phony amendment and, ultimately, the pro-abortion bill.
"Doyle lobbied Democratic abortion-rights opponents one by one, including Reps. Steve Driehaus (Ohio), Tim Ryan (Ohio), Jim Langevin (Rhode Island) and Joe Donnelly (Indiana)," the newspaper indicated. "Then he went to talk to Pelosi. Doyle talked with his hands, and Pelosi put her hands on her hips and frowned."
Asked if the conversations were going poorly, Doyle said, No. You misread that one," and then ducked into Pelosi's office.
At the same time, pro-abortion Rep. Lois Capps lobbied Rep. Marcy Kaptur of Ohio and pro-abortion Rep. John Dingell of Michigan lobbied pro-life Rep. Lincoln Davis, who has said he can't back the Ellsworth language.
The machinations make it clear that abortion advocates and a few pro-life Democrats are trying to get Pelosi to the number she needs to pass the bill.
Meanwhile, pro-abortion President Barack Obama is expected to head to Capitol Hill on Saturday morning to lobby Democrats to support the bill.
No
Republican lawmakers have indicated they will support the pro-abortion
legislation. Assuming all Republicans vote no, a revolt of 40 or more
Democrats would torpedo the legislation as Pelosi needs 218 votes
for the bill.
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