Bill Clinton Tackles Senate Abortion Rift

(CBS/AP)  Former President Bill Clinton knows just how high the political stakes are in the fight to overhaul America's health care system.

His failed attempt to revamp the delivery of medical care contributed to the Republican takeover of the House and Senate in 1994.

Now, with the fate of health care legislation in the Senate's hands, Clinton is heading to Capitol Hill where he's expected to speak to Senate Democrats during their weekly caucus on Tuesday, officials said. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss his schedule.

CBSNews.com Special Report: Health Care

President Obama wants to sign the legislation into law by the end of the year. But abortion opponents in the Senate are seeking tough restrictions in the health care overhaul bill, a move that could roil a shaky Democratic effort.

Sen. Ben Nelson of Nebraska said Monday he could not support a bill unless it clearly prohibits federal dollars from going to pay for abortions. Nelson is weighing options, including offering an amendment similar to the one passed by the House this weekend.

"I want to make sure something comparable ... is in there," Nelson said.

The House-passed restrictions were the price Speaker Nancy Pelosi had to pay to get a health care bill passed, on a narrow 220-215 vote. But it's prompted an angry backlash from liberals at the core of her party, and some are now threatening to vote against a final bill if the curbs stay in.

CBSNews.com's Stephanie Condon reports that the inclusion of Rep. Bart Stupak's restrictive abortion amendment in the bill has prompted well-established abortion-rights groups to oppose the entire House bill, and it is drawing the ire of feminist bloggers and activists. Read Condon's story in Political Hotsheet.

Mr. Obama said the legislation needs to find a balance.

"I want to make sure that the provision that emerges meets that test - that we are not in some way sneaking in funding for abortions, but, on the other hand, that we're not restricting women's insurance choices," Mr. Obama said in an interview with ABC News.

Senate Democrats will need Nelson's vote - and those of at least a half-dozen other abortion opponents in their caucus. They face a grueling debate against Republicans who are unified in their opposition to a sweeping remake of the health care system. It's unclear how the abortion opponents would line up; the pressure on them will intensify once the legislation is on the floor.

Abortion-rights groups, meanwhile, are stepping up to pressure President Obama and the Senate to keep any Stupak-like measure out of the final health care bill. The National Organization for Women held a rally at the Capitol Monday in opposition to the amendment and is fundraising to lobby on the issue, reports Condon.

An intraparty fight over abortion is the last thing that Majority Leader Harry Reid needs. Reid is already facing a revolt among Democratic moderates over the government-sponsored health plan that liberals want to incorporate in the legislation as a competitor to private insurance companies.

Reid, who is himself opposed to abortion, will have to confront the issue directly as he puts together a Democratic bill for floor consideration. Two Senate committees approved separate health care bills which differ on abortion, but none would go as far as the restrictive amendment passed by the House.

The House bill would bar the new government insurance plan from covering abortions, except in cases or rape, incest or the life of the mother being in danger. That's the basic rule currently in federal law.

It would also prohibit health plans that receive federal subsidies in a new insurance marketplace from offering abortion coverage. Insurers, however, could sell separate coverage for abortion, which individuals would have to purchase entirely with their own money.

At issue is a profound disagreement over how current federal restrictions on abortion funding should apply to what would be a new stream of federal funding to help the uninsured gain coverage.

[Sloughfoot]

It is a Love/Hate relationship we have with ol' Bill. However, unlike the peanut farmer, Bill does not alienate the parties he is trying to unite. The more and more we see of Hillary the more and more we become empathetic to Ol' Bill - whips and spurs do get old after a while.

[LtSmily]

Wow, so much vitriol spewed (pun) around here. One question: Why is it so hard to expect girls to not have sex? Do we as parents just give up on them and figure, oh well, they are gonna do it anyway why bother? Religious people need to relax their s_e_x education stance (assuming they can't take responsibility to speak with their own children) and the "other" side needs to realize it's more than just handing out condoms and saying be careful.
Women on here are saying HOW DARE YOU TELL ME,AN AMERICAN WOMAN, WHAT I CAN AND CANNOT DO WITH MY BODY. Who cares about your body and what you do with it, unless you have long legs runnin up to an apple bottom with hazel eyes and long brunette hair.... off topic. The point is there should be no Federal legislation at all for or against abortion. Assuming you are of age or at least 18, I could care less who you spread your legs for, if you reap the consequences of irresponsibility, then get a job and pay for it. Maybe, if you were better in bed the guy would stick around and help pay for it, it's in his self interest if he finds a girl that actually participates in good s_e_x. Maybe we could all get a tax form that has all the things government spends OUR money on and you could fill out a check box where you want YOUR money to go. Maybe we could all crap in one hand and make a wish in the other and see which one fills up first. Abortion is a non starter at the Federal level, takes up too much time and money, but think about it, this is a great way to keep all the sheeple in line arguing about inane topics while they do the "real" work of narcissistic sociopaths who seek power for the sake of power.... I'm talkin to YOU Obama & Bush , Cheney, and that waste of good oxygen Emanuel

[jab712]

Let,s look at bill Clinton,s record.he backed McAulle in the Va.primary & lost.he backed the Dem. in the Va. election & lost
he backed the Dem. in N.J. & losted.he went to S.F. to back
OZZY Newsom for Gov.& Ozzy drops out & Bill says the only thing straight out in S. F. is the bridge !
Rember Bill, motto= "Not only that I MUST suceed but my FRIENDS
MUST also fail."

[briannorwood]

Here's my common sense solution to the abortion issue:

Simply cut the fetus in half. Give the left half to the pro-abortion group, and the right half to the anti-abortion group.

Problem solved!

[Stop_the_crying]

Solamans idea.

[stn_sage]

It appears that MOST...if not ALL actions taken to unite Congress and 'fix' the health bill...are having just the OPPOSITE effect of CAUSING further disunity and fragmenting of the 'whole'!

Is this a coincidence? I think not!

Now, Bill Clinton gets to 'stick his nose into it'! WHICH, will undoubtedly upset certain legislators and senators probably causing them to vote against it!

In the end...after all is said and done...we will probably have NO health care bill...OR...it will be the WORST monster ever created by this lackluster Congress...and everyone...except the insurance industry...will be indisposed by it and thoroughly hate it!

[MPHgrad]

I am against abortion PERIOD. However, the issue for me is that if a woman chooses to have one, she should find the funds. I don't think federal funding should pay for one. With that said, federal funds should go towards reproductive education, contraception, and protection. The focus should be on pregnancy prevention. If the senate is only voting against without providing substantive alternatives, that is simply silly.

[weewillywonka]

I am tired unto death of men having the power to dictate what a woman can do with her own body. We are not children. You cannot legislate your morality onto 52% of the population. If you don't believe in abortion - DON'T HAVE ONE - but keep your laws off my body! If men could get pregnant, abortion would be available at the grocery store.

[rf35]

While I support a woman's right to have an abortion, I don't think it's my responsibility to pay for it. Rape, incest, or life of the mother are valid exceptions and should be allowed under a universal health plan. If it's the woman's choice to have an abortion for reasons other than those stated, fine, but let her (or the father) pay for it. I don't support using abortion as a form of birth control. There are cheaper ways prevent the birth of unwanted children.

[kristenbaby1]

I think that the health care reform is BEYOND ridiculous. Do you realize what it's going to do to the quality of health care alone? No one considers that, because right now all the doctors out there already had to go through years of med school. But when doctors are no longer making the kind of money that they currently do, what sane person would spend close to a hundred thousand dollars to get through med school? Because that's what it costs to get a qualty education. And right now, doctors can make it back in a heart beat, but with healthcare reform, that will no longer be the case. And let's be real, most people become doctors for the money. You can say it's to help people all you want, but it's not. It's for the cushy life style that goes with being a doctor.

[docpeter1953]

"...what sane person would spend close to a hundred thousand dollars to get through med school?"

+++++++++++++++++++

You're about $50K - $60K shy there.

But, on the bright side, M.D.s are all offered the option of working for 1 - 3 years in an under served area, receiving a stipend salary and having a significant % of their loans forgiven/paid by the govt.


Not to mention, drug companies help supply s ome of their needs while in school.

[gboyd41]

Get right in there Bill, now you can be a 2-time loser!