By Matt Loffman

Mar 16, 2010 2:02pm

Whip Count ( No. 17 in a Series) Rep. Perriello: Senate Bill Does Not Allow Federal Funds for Abortion

From David Chalian:

A vulnerable and still publicly undecided House Democrat provided some helpful words to Speaker Pelosi and her leadership team on the thorny abortion issue enmeshed in their battle to get 216 votes on health care reform.

Freshman House Democrat Tom Perriello voted for the health care bill last November in no small part because he also voted to include the Stupak amendment language which prevented federal funds being used for abortion services.

Today, he issued a written statement below stating his belief that the Senate language does NOT allow for federal funds to be used for abortion services.

“As health care experts and pro-life leaders agree, the abortion language in the Senate bill upholds the Hyde Amendment standard. The Senate health care bill prevents federal taxpayer dollars from funding abortions, as the Catholic Hospital Association and legal experts have recently stated and as my own research has confirmed,” he said.

Rep. Perriello continues to state that he is undecided on passing the Senate bill.  But it is clear that his abortion concerns have been assuaged.  His arguments will no doubt be used by Democratic leaders and the White House to try to convince other Stupak supporters who voted for the bill last November to do so again this time around.

Perriello represents the Charlottesville, VA area in a congressional district that John McCain won with 51% of the vote.  Perriello’s victory was one of the most narrow in 2008.  He defeated incumbent Virgil Goode by fewer than 800 votes.

His votes for health care, cap and trade, and the stimulus bills have caused him to be a prime Republican target in November’s midterm election.

As we’ve previously covered, 220 members of Congress voted for the bill when Pelosi brought the House legislation to a vote.

Since then, four yes votes are no more: Rep. Anh "Joseph" Cao, R-La., has said he won’t vote for final passage, Rep. Neil Abercrombie, D-Hawaii, retired to run for governor, Rep. Robert Wexler, D-Fla., also retired, and Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., died.

That means to pass the Senate bill, Pelosi starts out with 216 members of Congress who voted yes last time.

With the retirement of Rep. Eric Massa D-N.Y., there are now only 431 members of Congress total, meaning a majority is 216 vote.

-David Chalian

User Comments

So what? Apparently Pelosi plans on passing this with or without the vote.
Doesn’t ANYONE think that if they use the Slaughter rule it will come back to bite them? No cause the Dems are just a tad short sighted on this one.

Posted by: Denbo | March 16, 2010, 2:24 pm 2:24 pm

The “PASS IT NOW, AND WE’LL FIX IT LATER*” crowd/politicians sound a lot like the management team at Toyota in regards to the “speed-up, then try to slam on the brakes, then crash, burn and die” folks managing the PRIUS et al issues
*BTW, for all you Pro-Lifers who think that the current abortion language will/can be fixed it reconciliation, super bad news. The abortion language in the current Senate Bill that The House will vote on CONNOT BE CHANGED in reconciliation, as reconciliation can ONLY deal with budget items, of which abortion does NOT qualify. So it is now/never on this issue, too.

Posted by: JMo | March 16, 2010, 2:26 pm 2:26 pm

What’s the “Slaughter Rule”? I haven’t seen anything on ABC “News” regarding this issue.
/sarc.

Posted by: tjp612 | March 16, 2010, 2:27 pm 2:27 pm

Enjoy your remaining months in office, Rep. Periello.
It’s a tough economy out there – Hope you have something lined up for when you are unemployed in January 2011.

Posted by: tjp612 | March 16, 2010, 2:29 pm 2:29 pm

I guess Stupak is stupid and only Perrillo has been allowed to read the bill .

Posted by: nat turner | March 16, 2010, 2:34 pm 2:34 pm

Pelosi is considering DEEM AND PASS!
Scenario No. 1: The Senate Bill is deemed passed with the passage of the House Rule for debate. So, once the House has passed the rules for debating the reconciliation package, the Senate Bill could immediately be sent to the president for his signature.
Scenario No. 2: The Senate Bill is deemed passed with the House’s passage of the Reconciliation Bill. Since the vote on “the rule” happens before the vote on Reconciliation, this would delay the Bill being sent to Obama. The Bill must be signed by the president before the Senate takes up the Reconciliation.
What’s the advantage for Democrats? Why are Democrats considering this, even though there will still be a roll-call vote? There are a number of House Democrats — either vulnerable in their re-election bids or who don’t like the Senate Bill — who want to avoid a DIRECT vote on the Health Reform Bill. They feel this indirect vote — even though it includes the health-Care Bill — gives them a measure of cover “politically”.
A little history: “Deem and Pass” has been used often and by both parties. Democrats point out that Republicans used it quite a bit in the 1990s, in fact — THOUGH NOT FOR SOMETHING QUITE AS LARGE AS THIS!
In this Congress, Democrats used “Deem and Pass” for raising the debt ceiling, which was tucked into the PayGo Bill.
God only knows what this Bill will cost us! Most Americans are afraid of this Bill. This corrupt administration will do anything to get what they want!

Posted by: EAST COAST | March 16, 2010, 2:47 pm 2:47 pm

where is my free tv? thats what i want now.

Posted by: catman | March 16, 2010, 2:49 pm 2:49 pm

Uncle Sam Says No 466,872 Times
As Obama administration touts new transparency, report finds 17 government agencies refused to release information nearly a half a million times in one year
Obama VS America

Posted by: another crisis-another photo op | March 16, 2010, 4:12 pm 4:12 pm

Uncle Sam Says No 466,872 Times
As Obama administration touts new transparency, report finds 17 government agencies refused to release information nearly a half a million times in one year
_____________________________________
Another Republican right wing fabrication. Why does the Republican right have to spread malicious lies? To try to get elected . . .

Posted by: tierra | March 16, 2010, 5:20 pm 5:20 pm

It’s a tough economy out there – Hope you have something lined up for when you are unemployed in January 2011.”
Unfortunately I would suggest Rep Perriello double check any letters he gets thanks to lying right wingers who do astroturf
Daily Progress: “As U.S. Rep. Tom Perriello was considering how to vote on an important piece of climate change legislation in June, the freshman congressman’s office received at least six letters from two Charlottesville-based minority organizations voicing opposition to the measure.
The letters, as it turns out, were forgeries.
The person who sent the letter has not been identified, but he or she was employed by a Washington lobbying firm called Bonner & Associates.
Gwynn Geiger Hegyi, a partner with the company, traveled to Charlottesville to apologize to Creciendo Juntos’ chairwoman Dilcia Colindres and sent a letter to Freilich.”

Posted by: Ryan C | March 16, 2010, 6:58 pm 6:58 pm

“The lesson as always? Right wingers lie.”
Where’s the lie? With a “yes” vote, Perriello will be one-and-done.

Posted by: tjp612 | March 16, 2010, 7:01 pm 7:01 pm

“Where’s the lie? With a “yes” vote, Perriello will be one-and-done.”
Oh I forgot that you have to been spoonfed before you parrot.
See a right wing lobbying firm decided to forge letters from minority groups opposing a piece of legislation.
The right wing firm copied the organizations’ names, logos, & letterhead and then sent these letters to a US Congressman to oppose legislation.
But I suppose being a right winger you think that is honest behavior.

Posted by: Ryan C | March 16, 2010, 7:08 pm 7:08 pm

What a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive.
Amazing how that line still holds up after 500 years.

Posted by: Woody | March 16, 2010, 8:48 pm 8:48 pm

So Tom Perriello does not think that the health insurance reform bill serves any purpose except if it can be used as a vehicle to further restrict women’s rights?

Posted by: Flash Override | March 17, 2010, 7:20 am 7:20 am

“That means to pass the Senate bill, Pelosi starts out with 216 members of Congress who voted yes last time.”
It is this type of deliberate misinformation that makes the corporate media suspect. Why don’t you try to provide news straight without trying to simplify it to the point that it loses any meaning?

Posted by: Flash Override | March 17, 2010, 7:24 am 7:24 am

That statement is meaningless, as are all Democrat words. Pelosi will gut this bill and rewrite it the day after it passes, and it likely to jam in Cap and Trade and amnesty in there as well and “deem” it the same as the Senate bill.
Those who vote for Democrats are absolutely brain dead.

Posted by: drjohn | March 17, 2010, 7:32 am 7:32 am

There is one ‘constant’ here.. Politicians make faux promises and lie. It’s on their original.. I want to be an elected official employment application (in red tape triplicate).. left, right or center.. it’s a basic attribute..

Posted by: DontGet818OnMeNow | March 17, 2010, 7:47 am 7:47 am

Please pass this bill, I want my free healthcare I demand it!!! I also demand a car, house and cell phone – subsidized by the ultra rich middle class that screws over the lazy people of America.
Quit listening to the people already Congress and jam the bill down Americas throat!!! there are 30 million people with no intention of ever getting a job depending on you!!!

Posted by: Mobboss45 | March 17, 2010, 3:02 pm 3:02 pm

Pelosi will gut this bill and rewrite it the day after it passes, and it likely to jam in Cap and Trade and amnesty in there as well and “deem” it the same as the Senate bill.”
The GOP better hope that immigration reform doesn’t come up.
In 2004, Bush lost the Hispanic vote by 10pts, GOPers generically lost by about 20pts.
After the right wing xenophobe parade that was the opposition to immigration reform in 2005, the Democrats won hispanic voters in 2006 by 40pts.
In 2008, McCain (who is hardly an anti immigrant zealot) lost the Hispanic vote by a 2 to 1 margin to Obama.
GOPer better hope that the Hispanic voters don’t come out in 2010.

Posted by: Ryan C | March 17, 2010, 3:33 pm 3:33 pm

i am agree with RYAN……”The lesson as always? Right wingers lie.”
Where’s the lie? With a “yes” vote, Perriello will be one-and-done.

Posted by: Ilan Ben Menachem | March 18, 2010, 4:38 am 4:38 am

Leave a Reply

Do you have more information about this topic? If so, please click here to contact the editors of ABC News.