Senate Version Of Stupak Amendment Will Likely Not Pass, Says Durbin

Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) stated Friday that an amendment to the Senate health care reform bill barring federal funding of abortion may not pass in the Senate.

“We do not believe that the Stupak language, if offered at this moment, is likely to pass,” Durbin said during a conference call with reporters. (0:23)

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Durbin: Democrats Still Need Ben Nelson's Vote

Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) said Friday that Democrats have not written off the vote of pro-life The amendment is a key factor in securing the vote of Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.), a center leaning Democrat who has voiced dissatisfaction with the bill’s current language on funds for abortion.

“At the end of the day we need Senator Nelson’s vote,” said Durbin. “We still don’t have a promise of a vote from the Republican side, so we would need his vote to make our sixty.” (0:10)

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Durbin: Need To Reform Crack Laws

Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) explains why he believes that the disparity in sentencing between crack cocaine and powdered cocaine is "unjustified and unfair." He thinks that the laws have to be completely reformed in order to restore trust to the justice system. (0:28)
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