Stupak: 12 Dems ready to oppose health care bill…

WASHINGTON – A congressman who has played a key role in the long-running health care debate says he and 11 other Democrats will vote against the overhaul unless a provision subsidizing abortion is removed.

Rep. Bart Stupak argued Thursday that the provision in the Senate-passed version has language that would permit the federal government to “directly subsidize abortions.”

The Michigan Democrat said he supports health care change, but he said several Democrats who voted for it the House would oppose it next time around in the absence of change. Stupak said on ABC’s “Good Morning America” that “we’re not going to bypass some principles that we believe strongly about.” The administration argues that Obama’s bill would retain existing restrictions on federally-financed abortions.