Speaking on the Senate floor moments ago, Sen. Al Franken criticized a proposed amendment to the health care reform bill that attempts to ensure public money does not fund abortions.

The legislation, which is very similar to the Stupak amendment in the House, would prevent private insurers from covering abortions if they receive federal funds -- excluding cases of incest, rape or health risks. This includes insurers whose customers receive government subsidies for health insurance.

It would also prohibit coverage of abortions in a proposed government-run insurance plan.

Franken argued that the language of the amendment, authored by Democrat Sen. Ben Nelson, was overly stringent because it would restrict insurers from covering abortions even if subsidized customers paid with their own personal funds.

"The amendment stipulates that health plans cannot cover abortion services if they accept even one subsidized customer -- even if the abortion coverage would be paid with the private premiums that health plans received directly from individuals," Franken said. "If adopted, this would mark the first time in federal law that we would restrict how individuals can use their own dollars in the private health insurance marketplace."