Representative Dale Kildee, Democrat of Michigan and a strong opponent of abortion, announced on Wednesday that he was satisfied with the provisions in the Senate-passed health care bill that seek to limit the use of federal money for insurance coverage of abortion.
The announcement by Mr. Kildee that he would support the health care legislation and would not oppose it based on the abortion issue gave a huge lift to House Democratic leaders, who have been working to assure abortion opponents that a vote for the bill would not reflect any change in policy on abortion, including the law known as the Hyde amendment, which prohibits the use of federal money for abortion in most cases.
In a statement, Mr. Kildee said:
For those who know me, I have always respected and cherished the sanctity of human life. I spent six years studying to be a priest and was willing to devote my life to God. I came to Congress two years after the Hyde amendment became law. And I have spent the last 34 years casting votes to protect the lives of the unborn. I have stood up to many in my party to defend the right to life and have made no apologies for doing so. I now find myself disagreeing with some of the people and groups I have spent a lifetime working with. I have listened carefully to both sides, sought counsel from my priest, advice from family, friends and constituents, and I have read the Senate abortion language more than a dozen times.
He added, ?I am convinced that the Senate language maintains the Hyde amendment, which states that no federal money can be used for abortion.?
Mr. Kildee is a close ally of Representative Bart Stupak, Democrat of Michigan and a leader of the House pro-life caucus, who sponsored an amendment adding tighter abortion restrictions to the House health care bill in November.
Mr. Stupak has said he would oppose the legislation unless it included those tighter restrictions and that the Senate language was insufficient. But the Senate language was negotiated by two lawmakers, Senators Ben Nelson of Nebraska and Bob Casey of Pennsylvania, who have solid credentials as opponents of abortion rights.
A number of critics, including the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, have said the Senate language is insufficient. But Democratic leaders have sought to make the case that if the Senate provisions were good enough for them, it should be good enough for abortion opponents in the House, too.
Mr. Kildee had voted in favor of the House health care bill in November, and in his statement said there were important reasons to support the health care bill.
?We must not lose sight of what is at stake here ? the lives of 31 million American children, adults, and seniors who don?t have health insurance,? he said. ?There is nothing more pro-life than protecting the lives of 31 million Americans. Voting for this bill in no way diminishes my pro-life voting record or undermines my beliefs. I am a staunch pro-life member of Congress ? both for the born and the unborn.?
