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Pro-life Democrat Bart Stupak (D-Mich.) announced Sunday that he will vote in favor of health care reform legislation following assurances from the White House that the president will provide an executive order to ensure that no federal funding will be used for abortion.

“With the final bill, plus the executive order … there will be no public funds for abortion,” Stupak said during an afternoon press conference.

Stupak stated that although he would have preferred to have language similar to the amendment he proposed when the House initially passed their health care reform bill, he conceded that it was not politically conceivable.

“We’d all love to have a statute. That’d be stronger,” Stupak stated. “We can’t get 60 votes in the Senate. The reality is we can’t do it.”

Added Stupak, “Remember, executive order has the same force as law.“

The Michigan Democrat noted that although a number of pro-life Democrats would likely have voted against reform legislation without the assurance of abortion language, the order will not alter Sunday’s final result.

“I do believe…they had the votes even before we decided to vote for this legislation,” Stupak said.

Stupak’s announcement comes shortly after Democratic leaders decided that the House will not hold an individual vote on an amendment specifically prohibiting abortion funding.