The issue of abortion threatened to derail House Democrats' health care bill Friday unless staunchly anti-abortion Democrats and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops succeeded in their effort to get strict abortion limitations into the measure.
From: www.cnn.com
Washington (CNN) -- The issue of abortion threatened to derail House Democrats' health care bill Friday unless staunchly anti-abortion Democrats and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops succeeded in their effort to get strict abortion limitations into the measure.
The hotly anticipated vote on the bill by the full House of Representatives may be delayed until Sunday, according to two Democratic sources, although the vote on the nearly $1.1 trillion bill is still planned for Saturday.
The sources blamed the potential postponement on GOP delaying tactics. Sharp differences among Democrats over abortion and immigration, however, have raised questions over whether Speaker Nancy Pelosi has the 218-vote majority needed for passage.
Now House leaders are not only negotiating with fellow lawmakers, but also with representatives from the bishops' organization, Democratic sources said.
"It's come to this," said one bewildered senior Democratic lawmaker, speaking on condition of anonymity in order to discuss internal deliberations.