The recent Republicans’ procedural shot at sidelining health reform legislation was rejected by the House Sunday, thereby defeating the GOP motion on abortion issue revival.

Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich.) and a couple of anti-abortion Democrats struck an agreement with party leaders and the White House on an executive order reiterating that the federal funds would not be allocated for abortion.

“The motion to recommit does not promote life, it is the Democrats who have stood up for the principle of no public funding for abortion,” Stupak said on the House floor, insisting that Democrats’ reform bill would improve the lives of everyone from babies to the elderly.

GOP leaders did not have high expectations on the motion to recommit getting passed. However, such events are valuable to the minority, which usually uses these motions to gain leverage against members of the majority, accusing the latter of voting against popular interests.

Read more on: The Washington Post