[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 20]
[House]
[Page 27183]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   VOTE ``YES'' ON PRO-LIFE AMENDMENT

  (Mr. PITTS asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. PITTS. Mr. Speaker, I rise to inform the Members of the status of 
the pro-life amendment on the bill today.
  Last night, there were lots of negotiations. There were a couple of 
compromises discussed. I went with my colleagues, Bart Stupak, Chris 
Smith, Marcy Kaptur, and Kathy Dahlkemper, before the Rules Committee 
after midnight. The final outcome is this: There will be only one pro-
life amendment offered on the floor today. It will be the Stupak-
Ellsworth-Pitts-Smith-Kaptur-Dahlkemper amendment that will prevent 
Federal funds from funding abortions in both the public plan or with 
affordability credits. It just codifies the Hyde Amendment for the two 
new programs.
  This actually preserves the status quo of our law today. No Federal 
Government funding for abortions, just like SCHIP, Medicaid, DOD, 
FEHBP, Indian Health.
  This is a bipartisan amendment. The pro-life groups National Right to 
Life, Catholic Bishops, and family groups all support this. I urge the 
Members to support this amendment when it comes to the floor today.

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