Landrieu to flip-flop on abortion amendment?
The Weekly Standard is reporting that Sen. Mary Landrieu has decided to vote against a proposed amendment to the Senate health-care bill that would ban federal funding of abortions in insurance plans, though her press secretary who was quoted in the article denied that in an interview with Eyewitness News
Saunders said Landrieu has always been against providing federal funds for abortions.
“Her record on that has been clear, and that remains her position," Saunders said.
He said while he did tell The Weekly Standard he "expects her to oppose" the amendment, he meant that she would oppose further restrictions on funding for abortions, not that it would result in a vote against the amendement as reported. He said the office won't say which way the senator will vote until her announcement Tuesday.
Regardless of which way Landrieu votes, Weekly Standard writer John McCormack said "no one" expects the amendment, penned by Nebraska Sen. Ben Nelson, to pass when it's voted on Tuesday. However, he said the opposition could put a wrench in the Democrat's plan for health-care reform.
"Rep. Bart Stupak said he will lead a group of pro-life Democrats to vote against final passage in the House if this amendment isn't included in the conference report. And Senator Nelson has said he will filibuster the bill if his amendment isn't included in the final version," McCormack writes. "Democrats might then be forced into making a play for pro-choice Republicans Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins of Maine."
Landrieu made headlines last month after she became the pivotal vote needed to surmount a Republican filibuster in the health-care debate. She said a promise made by President Barack Obama to provide Medicaid relief for the state factored into her decision, prompting some to call it the $300 million Louisiana purchase.
According to a poll listed by the McCormack, 61 percent of U.S. citizens are opposed to allocating federal funds towards plans that would cover abortions.
Rep. Joseph Cao, who became the only Republican in the House to vote for the health-care bill, said he "wouldn't consider" voting for any health-care legislation that includes funding for abortion. He's said his pro-life stance is the only reason he became a Republican.
Sen. David Vitter and Congressman Charlie Melancon, who are both duking it out before the 2010 election over Vitter's Senate seat, are pro-life and have voiced support for the amendment.
