Waxman Disputes Claim He Said He Wanted Government to Fund Abortions

One of the chief architects of the health care reform bill now moving through Congress is disputing a fellow lawmaker's claim that he said Democrats want federal funding to pay for abortions.

Late last week, Rep. Bart Stupak, D-Mich., told a Michigan radio station that House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Henry Waxman, D-Calif., told him, "We want to pay for abortions." Stupak is the author of a key amendment that prohibits the use of taxpayer money to cover abortion services in the health care reform measure.

Monday night, Waxman contested Stupak's version of the events.

"It's inaccurate," Waxman said of Stupak's assertion. "I thought he mischaracterized my position last week."

In the radio interview, Stupak indicated that Waxman told him he thought the government "should" pay for abortions.
Waxman claims he said no such thing.

"I am not pushing a position on this health bill that would have the government pay for abortions," Waxman said.

Fox News was unable to locate Stupak for comment during a series of votes on the House floor Monday night. Also, senior House Democratic sources say Stupak did not attend a caucus meeting later that night in the Capitol complex.