Durbin: Senate Version Of Stupak Amendment Unlikely To Pass

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.

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.”

Durbin noted that a compromise is currently being examined.

“We are trying to find if there is an alternative provision that is somewhat different than the current bill, that doesn’t quite reach the Stupak level, that would satisfy the needs of Senator Nelson and our pro-life Senators.”