Ben Nelson Will Block Health Reform Without Abortion Restrictions

Sen. Ben Nelson, a Democrat from Nebraska, plans to introduce an anti-abortion amendment to the Senate health care reform bill.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said Thursday he expects a measure later this week that is similar to the House amendment, which restricts direct or indirect funding for abortion in the proposed health insurance exchanges.

Although Republican Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah had planned to take the lead in the Senate on the abortion amendment, Reid said the language will actually be offered by Nelson.

"It appears at this stage that Sen. Nelson's going to offer the Stupak amendment," Reid said, referring to the House language drafted by Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich.). "Whether he's going to be joined with any Republicans is still something that he's waiting to find out."

Nelson spoke separately to reporters Thursday and said he will not only introduce the amendment, but that he will support a filibuster of the entire health care reform bill if the stronger restrictions on abortion funding are not included.

"I've said at the end of the day, if it doesn't have Stupak language on abortion in it, I won't vote to move it off the floor," Nelson said.

The Stupak amendment in the House health reform bill says people who buy insurance through the exchange, and use government subsidies to help them do it, would not be allowed to buy a policy that covered abortion.

Reid said that Nelson's amendment has already been drafted and that Nelson has made it as close to the Stupak provision as possible. "He's very concerned about the Stupak amendment. He's very concerned about the public option," Reid said of Nelson. "And, as I've indicated, I've found him a most reasonable person, and he's trying to build coalitions on both of those, and we'll see what happens."

Like Nelson, Reid opposes abortion, but he said he has not read the proposed amendment yet and did not know if he would vote for it.

Nelson's plans significantly complicate an already complex road ahead for Reid, who needs 60 votes for final passage of the bill, but also for any controversial amendment to it. Because Nelson is unlikely to get 60 votes for his abortion language, his support for final passage is unknown.