Fox News "On The Record With Greta Van Susteren" - Transcript

Interview

GRETA VAN SUSTEREN, FOX NEWS HOST: Our next guest, Congressman Bart Stupak has an enormous amount of power. He is the author of the amendment in the House bill that bars federal funding for abortion.

Congressman Stupak opposes the Senate bill, he says, because unlike his amendment the Senate bill does not go far enough to bar federal funding.

So now what? Moments ago, Congressman Stupak went "On the Record."

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

VAN SUSTEREN: Congressman, nice to see you sir.

REP. BART STUPAK, D - MICH.: Good to see you.

VAN SUSTEREN: Depending on which side of the debate you are on you are either the biggest hero or the biggest villain having to do with the Stupak amendment. Where do we stand? How many people do you have who are going to stick with you on the Stupak amendment?

STUPAK: At least 12 who voted for the bill before. That's why it is so important that the 12 of us who voted for health care before in the House continue to vote for health care.

And one of the objections we have is the language, the Senate language or abortion. We believe the Senate language provides for federal subsidies for abortions. Plus there's a language in there where you have to pay one dollar per month, every enrollee, to pay for in fun for reproductive rights which include abortion.

And that's totally against federal law. So we are saying take that out

VAN SUSTEREN: If the language remains in, and if the 12 vote against it, your 12, does that mean that Speaker Pelosi does not have enough votes?

STUPAK: She does not have enough votes. The speaker would not have enough votes if the 12 of us who have indicated we are not going to vote for it unless we change this language, she is short at least 12 votes.

VAN SUSTEREN: What do you think is going to happen?

STUPAK: Today I had a good discussion with Chairman Waxman, no agreements, no negotiations, just a good discussion. And I think those discussion will continue right up to the time of vote.

VAN SUSTEREN: Has the Chairman Waxman said don't worry, you are going to get the language that will satisfy you?

STUPAK: Chairman Waxman is concerned about my language, but he's also very concerned we don't have the votes. So we are trying to work out -- we are having good discussions. No negotiations because there is no bill. The president has to put his proposal in writing. There is not proposal.

The president could take this issue away and put it in there, here's my proposal Congress, no federal funding for abortion. That resolves the issue.

VAN SUSTEREN: It is abundantly clear where you stand?

STUPAK: We are not voting for health care if we do not resolve this language on public funding for abortion -- no public funding for abortion.

VAN SUSTEREN: Is it likely that language does get in the bill that Speaker Pelosi will lose those who feel differently on the issue than you in the House?

STUPAK: I can't speak for other members. I heard they wrote a letter, and the letter said keep current law. All I'm asking for is the law that's been on the books for the last 33 years, no public funding for abortion. We are both saying the same thing, pro-life, pro-choice. Let's find the language that works for both of us so we can pass health care.

* Watch Greta's entire interview with Rep. Stupak

VAN SUSTEREN: Congressman, what are all these?

STUPAK: This is language found in eight different pieces of legislation currently in federal law which says who public funding for abortion.

VAN SUSTEREN: Is that language that you and your 11 others could live with if it were in the federal health care bill?

STUPAK: Yes. We've said there's eight programs, pick the one you want and we'll be done with this. You have all voted for this. President Obama has signed two of these eight programs into law since he has been in office. The most reason was December of '09 for HHS, this one here.

VAN SUSTEREN: He can live with the language on this particular bill, and you can as well?

STUPAK: Sure, even the S-Chip bill, the State Children's Health Initiative Program, one of the first bills the president signed we he came into office, expanded S-Ship, State Children's Health Initiative program to cover more kids, again, has a prohibition on no payment of funds for abortions.

Take that language. We've already voted on it. The president signed it. It's law.

VAN SUSTEREN: Why hasn't this been done? Is there some objection or confusion?

STUPAK: Convenient confusion.

VAN SUSTEREN: What does that mean?

STUPAK: They don't want to admit that federal law is no funding for abortion. You have eight choices, take it. No response.

VAN SUSTEREN: None at all?

STUPAK: None.

VAN SUSTEREN: Who have you may the statement to?

STUPAK: To Mr. Waxman, to others publicly. On the news, I've been saying here's the law. Pick the one you want and move on.

VAN SUSTEREN: And they don't say we can't accept that or we never signed it or we've changed our mind?

STUPAK: They say the Senate might object. The Senate voted for it too.

VAN SUSTEREN: Everybody has.

STUPAK: Everybody has voted for it. But now suddenly it is not very good.

One was not even 90 days ago we did the labor HHS bill, December 16th, the president signed it into law. That's, what, 10 weeks ago. Now the language is no good? That doesn't make sense.

VAN SUSTEREN: Who's objecting? You would think the speaker of the house would come and even the president say, look, you are the hold-out because you sort of control this group of 12 who could defeat the bill. We'll take the language we've already agreed to.

STUPAK: Yes, that's what we are offering. It is not good enough. I can't speak for them. I don't know why. I think the Stupak amendment, OK, cut out b and c if that's what you object to. There will be one paragraph, which is basically right here, section 507 and section 508 of labor HHS bill. Take that.

VAN SUSTEREN: And they won't.

STUPAK: Call it the Waxman amendment, call it the Pelosi amendment, I don't care. Just keep the principle.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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