Abortion Talks Could Bring Back GOP Vote on Health Care

WASHINGTON (March 5) -- President Barack Obama may be able to win back a Republican vote for health care after all.

Rep. Anh "Joseph" Cao of Louisiana was the sole Republican to vote for health care reform in the House of Representatives last November, but it has been widely reported in recent weeks that he had switched to a no vote, imperiling Democrats' efforts to win final passage of the bill.

Rep. Anh Joseph Cao, R-La., in August 2009

Bill Haber, AP

Rep. Anh "Joseph" Cao, R-La., is open to supporting health care reform if it includes abortion restrictions already approved by the House, one of his aides said.

Not so, says an aide to the congressman. Speaking on condition of anonymity, the aide said Cao "is open to supporting the bill" if the abortion language can be changed to reflect the restrictions passed by the House. That puts Cao in line with Rep. Bart Stupak of Michigan, an anti-abortion Democrat who says he and 11 other like-minded Democrats would vote against the final health care bill if the abortion provisions aren't changed.

Stupak is now negotiating with Democratic leaders to find a way to satisfy his bloc's abortion concerns. That may involve passing a separate piece of legislation, because abortion probably cannot be addressed in the Senate reconciliation process, which Democrats must use to pass final bill with a simple 51-vote majority instead of a supermajority of 60.

A Republican vote in the House would give Obama at least a semblance of bipartisan support for legislation that has divided along the sharpest of party lines. And Stupak's stand may now open the door for Cao to vote yes. The Cao aide reiterated that if the abortion language is not changed from the current Senate version, the bill is a "non-starter" for the Republican.