Mother-in-law’s death prevents Stupak from voting on Health Care Bill

After signaling for months that he has enough votes in Congress to kill the Health Care Bill, Bart Stupak may not even be in DC to vote.

Elaine Olsen, Stupak’s mother-in-law unexpectedly passed away in Escanaba on Sunday.  May she rest in peace.

For months and months, Stupak has been telling constituents and making headline news that he leads a group of about 40 Democrat legislators who vow to vote down the health care bill currently on the schedule in the House.  The vote will presumably take place on Friday.

Stupak’s main problem with the bill is that it contains wording that will allow for the federal funding of abortion.  Recently, he stated that “even if it costs him his seat,” he will not vote for abortion funding.  Catholic News Agency writes:

“Democratic leaders, including President Obama, have claimed that no federal funds would be used to pay for abortions, but this is a deception, because the public plan will be a federal agency program that can spend only federal funds. The federal government would pay abortion providers for performing elective abortions – a sharp break from decades of federal policy.”

An absolute must-read from theblogprof shows the stark contrasts of Catholic opinion in congress over the bill.

Without a leader there to voice opposition to federally funded abortion in the health care bill, will the other Catholic House members of the Democrat majority do anything about the provision?

Democrat Catholics in the House of Representatives:

Jason Altmire, Pennsylvania

Michael A. Arcuri, New York

Joe Baca, California

Xavier Becerra, California

Timothy H. Bishop, New York

John Boccieri, Ohio

Robert Brady, Pennsylvania

Michael E. Capuano, Massachusetts

Dennis A. Cardoza, California

Christopher P. Carney, Pennsylvania

William Lacy Clay, Missouri

Gerald E. Connolly, Virginia

Jim Costa, California

Jerry F. Costello, Illinois

Joe Courtney, Connecticut

Joseph Crowley, New York

Henry Cuellar, Texas

Kathy Dahlkemper, Pennsylvania

Peter DeFazio, Oregon

William D. Delahunt, Massachusetts

Rosa L. DeLauro, Connecticut

John D. Dingell, Michigan

Joe Donnelly, Indiana

Michael F. Doyle, Pennsylvania

Steve Driehaus, Ohio

Brad Ellsworth, Indiana

Anna Eshoo, California

Kirsten E. Gillibrand, New York

Charlie Gonzalez, Texas

Raul M. Grijalva, Arizona

Luis V. Gutierrez, Illinois

John J. Hall, New York

Phil Hare, Illinois

Brian Higgins, New York

Maurice D. Hinchey, New York

Ruben Hinojosa, Texas

Tim Holden, Pennsylvania;

Paul Kanjorski, Pennsylvania

Marcy Kaptur, Ohio

Patrick J. Kennedy, Rhode Island

Dale E. Kildee, Michigan

Mary Jo Kilroy, Ohio

Ann Kirkpatrick, Arizona

Dennis J. Kucinich, Ohio

James R. Langevin, Rhode Island

John B. Larson, Connecticut

Daniel Lipinski, Illinois

Ben Ray Lujan, New Mexico

Stephen F. Lynch, Massachusetts

Dan Maffei, New York

Betsy Markey, Colorado

Ed Markey, Massachusetts

Jim Marshall, Georgia

Eric Massa, New York

Carolyn McCarthy, New York

Betty McCollum, Minnesota

James P. McGovern, Massachusetts

Michael E. McMahon, New York

Jerry McNerney, California

Charlie Melancon, Louisiana

Michael H. Michaud, Maine

George Miller, California

Harry E. Mitchell, Arizona

James P. Moran, Virginia

Patrick J. Murphy, Pennsylvania

John P. Murtha, Pennsylvania

Grace F. Napolitano, California

Richard E. Neal, Massachusetts

James L. Oberstar, Minnesota

David R. Obey, Wisconsin

Frank Pallone, New Jersey

Bill Pascrell, New Jersey

Ed Pastor, Arizona

Nancy Pelosi, California

Tom Perriello, Virginia

Charles B. Rangel, New York

Silvestre Reyes, Texas

Ciro D. Rodriguez, Texas

Lucille Roybal-Allard, California

Tim Ryan, Ohio

John T. Salazar, Colorado

Linda T. Sanchez, California

Loretta Sanchez, California

Jose E. Serrano, New York

Joe Sestak, Pennsylvania

Carol Shea-Porter, New Hampshire

Albio Sires, New Jersey

Hilda L. Solis, California

Ellen Tauscher, California

Gene Taylor, Mississippi

Mike Thompson, California

Paul Tonko, New York

Nydia M. Velazquez, New York

Peter J. Visclosky, Indiana

Diane E. Watson, California

Peter Welch, Vermont

Charles A. Wilson, Ohio