Marquette, Mich., Apr 9, 2010 / 08:54 am
Bart Stupak (D-Mich.), the U.S. Representative who secured an executive order he claims will bar federally funded abortions in the health care overhaul law, told the Associated Press on Friday that he is retiring at the end of this term.
Rep. Stupak, who became a national figure for his outspoken role in fighting abortion funding in the health care bill, has been in Congress for 18 years and will make an official announcement on his retirement at 12:30 p.m. ET at Northern Michigan University in Marquette.
Although the Michigan representative recently described his life leading up to the health care vote as “a living hell,” given the harassment he received for opposing federally funded abortions, he told the Associated Press today that this did not influence his decision to retire.
However, Rep. Stupak mentioned prior to today's announcement that he is “burned out.”