Nelson defends anti-abortion compromiseS

tory Discussion Image (3) By DON WALTON / Lincoln Journal Star | Posted: Wednesday, December 23, 2009 1:40 pm


Sen. Ben Nelson, D-Neb., rides the Senate subway following the announcement that he will support the health care bill on Capitol Hill in Washington, Saturday, Dec. 19, 2009.(AP Photo/Harry Hamburg)


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Sen. Ben Nelson said Wednesday he's convinced language he negotiated in the health care reform bill assures no public funds can be used to pay for abortions.

"I did not compromise my pro-life principles," he said.

"We just found different language that will work."

Nelson helped negotiate the provision after failing to win Senate approval of an amendment that would match restrictive abortion language in the House bill.

Nebraska Right to Life Executive Director Julie Schmit-Albin subsequently condemned the compromise and accused Nelson of betraying the pro-life organization, which endorsed his re-election in 2006.

The three Catholic bishops in Nebraska also have rejected the new Senate provision.

But Nelson said his language "absolutely ensures no public funds will pay for abortions."

"If you choose to purchase abortion coverage, you have to pay with your own money," he said in a telephone news conference from Washington.

His negotiated agreement also allows states to bar abortion coverage, he said.

"No Democrat can ever be pro-life enough for some of those on the other side," Nelson said.

During the lengthy conference call, Nelson strongly defended his decision to support the health care reform bill and defied his political and newspaper critics.

"I've never focused on my political future in advance," Nelson said.

"But neither the chairman of a political party nor any newspaper is going to write my political epitaph."

Republican State Chairman Mark Fahleson had declared Nelson's support for the bill sounded "the death knell" of his political career.

The Omaha World-Herald has written a series of editorials opposing the legislation and urging Nebraskans to hold Nelson politically responsible for his support.

This week, the Lincoln Journal Star published an editorial opposing the legislation and urging the Senate to start over.

Nelson said the legislation will reduce the costs of health care, preserve existing health insurance coverage and provide for those who do not have insurance now.

The reforms will reduce federal budget deficits, Nelson said, and the bill protects the free market instead of creating a new government plan.

Nelson, who provided the critical 60th vote required to end a Republican filibuster and allow Senate passage of the bill, said he chooses to be "a problem-solver" rather than a spectator.

"The system provides better rewards for those who stand on the sidelines and criticize," he said. "I wanted to be constructive and not obstruct.

"I don't know why you want to be a senator just to sit on the sidelines and criticize."

The conference call contained an undercurrent of what appears to be a growing divide between Nelson and Republican Gov. Dave Heineman and Republican Sen. Mike Johanns.

Three times, Nelson referred to the Medicaid funding concession for Nebraska granted as part of his negotiated agreement as "the Heineman exemption."

Nelson sought funding relief for the state after Heineman wrote him raising concerns that expansion of Medicaid coverage would strain the state budget.

Heineman has criticized the concession that provides for full federal funding of Medicaid expansion in Nebraska.

Nelson repeated his concern that Johanns "participated in (and) didn't take issue with partisan political banter" on the Senate floor that tagged the Nebraska concession as the "Omaha Stakes Fix."

Reach Don Walton at 473-7248 or dwalton@journalstar.com.

http://journalstar.com/news/local/artic ... 03286.html