December 1, 2009 6:20 PM

Ben Nelson to Offer Stupak Amendment for Senate Health Bill

By
Stephanie Condon
Topics
Health Care
(AP Photo/Harry Hamburg)
Sen. Ben Nelson, a conservative Democrat from Nebraska, intends to introduce an amendment to the Senate health care bill that would add controversial abortion language similar to the Stupak amendment in the House bill, CBS News Capitol Hill Producer John Nolen reports.

"I'm working on an amendment to bring Stupak language to the bill," Nelson said today, referencing an amendment added to the House health care bill by Reps. Bart Stupak (D-Mich.) and Joe Pitts (R-Penn.).

The amendment restricts health insurance coverage for abortion and has raised the ire of abortion rights groups. A coalition of those groups are launching a "day of action" on Wednesday to lobby against the amendment.

Nelson has said he may join a Republican filibuster against the health care bill unless it is changed to his liking, something that would include adding the Stupak language. Even though the Stupak amendment made it through the House, some Democratic House members are now saying they have enough votes to block any bill that comes back to the House with the language intact.

CBSNews.com Special Report: Health Care

Add a Comment See all 11 Comments
by Bomber1052 December 2, 2009 1:58 PM EST
Yes, I'm 25 and, yes, I'm capable of-- As you put it-- "Independent thought" (That's really a euphemism for "Since I don't think the way you do, then I'm wrong"). The question is, are you? Ignoring the rather poor attempt at an ad hominem, I would like to point out to you that you never did get around to answering my question. If you weren't talking about the abortion lobby, then why would you mention women stabbing Nelson in the back with the knife he used on them? Outside of support for the Stupak Amendment, what "knife" has he used on women?

Personally, I didn't think it was all that hard of a question, myself.
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by Bomber1052 December 1, 2009 8:37 PM EST
If you're not talking about the abortion lobby then why mention "women stabbing [Nelson] in the back with the knife he just used on them"? Given that statement, and given the fact that the article is on Nelson's support for the Stupak Amendment, what else could you have been talking about or trying to reference?
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by stn_sage December 1, 2009 9:49 PM EST
Listen, pal! I'm guessing you're some twenty something year old...you will find...as you age...that there is a method of thought...called independent thinking...that many adults use and employ as necessary that allows them greater flexibility, comprehension, and analytical ability in thought! Yes, I highly recommend you try it someday and see what happens, you may gain insight into others' writings and won't have to errantly assume what they mean!!
by Bomber1052 December 1, 2009 7:56 PM EST
Nelson comes from Nebraska. The abortion lobby isn't strong enough to vote him out of office, especially since he was elected on a pro-life platform. Reid, on the other hand, is a different story all-together. He's under *A LOT* of pressure from pro-life groups, especially in his home state. If he allows a bill to go through with Federally funded abortions, he can pretty much kiss the Senate good-bye.
Reply to this comment
by stn_sage December 1, 2009 8:13 PM EST
Who's talking about the abortion lobby, pal? I'm NOT!
I'm talking about discontented voters in general, and women...whether or not they belong to any abortion group...who feel betrayed by his actions!

In a close election, he's history!
by stn_sage December 1, 2009 7:49 PM EST
Mr. Nelson can earn the payoff he got from the health industry (contributions) and vote against health care, but he better enjoy the time he has left in Congress...because the next time he goes up for election he'll probably get VOTED OUT!

I imagine besides discontented voters in general, there will be a large block of women waiting to 'stick him in the back' with the knife he just used on them!

Yeah, 'payback' is a '_itch'!
Reply to this comment
by starleo146 December 29, 2009 6:52 PM EST
yep, for sure he will be voted out the democrats do not need this guy, him and Joe Lieberman need to go. Mary Landau, Baucus, BLANCHE Lincoln. We need people who want to help there country with all the problems we have had to clean up. They did not help at all with health reform they helped themselves. I do not like paying his medicaid bill either.
by Bomber1052 December 1, 2009 7:43 PM EST
Moderate and conservative Democrats can afford to not pass the health care bill. On the other hand, liberal Democrats cannot afford to not pass the health care bill. This is why the Stupak Amendment was added to the house bill to begin with. Without it, the health care bill would have failed because moderate and conservative Democrats would not have voted for it, and liberal Democrats would have been in the proverbial deep doo-doo.

It'll be no different in the Senate. With Republicans being unilaterally opposed to the current health care bill, pragmatism is the name of the game. The Democrats will need every single vote to pass the health care bill, and to garner the vote of the moderate and conservative Democrats, the liberal Democrats will have to make concessions. It's really that simple.

And, for what it's worth, I wish these "reproductive rights" groups would shut up. Polls have shown that Americans are against public funding of abortions. That is the only thing the Stupak Amendment bans. Women are still free to pay out-of-pocket for their abortions if they are so inclined.
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by j_mcdonald-2009 December 1, 2009 7:20 PM EST
What do those people have against women?

If a woman wants to use her own private dollars to pay a private insurance company for coverage of a constitutionally protected right, who are they to say no?
Reply to this comment
by markj2 December 1, 2009 7:15 PM EST
Good luck in getting it added,your radical liberal members of the Democratic party will shot it down. But hope is not lost the whole take over of Health Care will be shot down as Un-Constitutional and be thrown in the trash where it belongs. Then of course you could get smart and jump ship and join the Republican party and maybe even get re-elected when your term is up,but if you stay a Democrat you will go down with the ship.
Reply to this comment
by markj2 December 1, 2009 7:03 PM EST
Good luck in getting it added,your radical liberal members of the Democratic party will shot it down. But hope is not lost the whole take over of Health Care will be shot down as Un-Constitutional and be thrown in the trash where it belongs. Then of course you could get smart and jump ship and join the Republican party and maybe even get re-elected when your term is up,but if you stay a Democrat you will go down with the ship.
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