Reply #17: Catholic bishops met with Pelosi Friday night. Good access, I would say.

[madfloridian]

"Negotiations over a stronger amendment went late Friday evening. A half dozen lobbyists for the US Conference of Catholic Bishops joined negotiators in Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office to come to terms. There was a deal; then, an hour and a half later, it fell apart. Then, Speaker Pelosi stepped in. At the direction of leadership, the House Rules Committee after midnight agreed to allow a vote on an amendment that explicitly bans federal funding of abortions through the new exchanges created by the law.

“The amendment would never have been made in order without the Speaker’s help,” said Rep. Bart Stupak (D) of Michigan, the lead negotiator for opponents of abortion rights.

http://features.csmonitor.com/politics/2009/11/07/on-healthcare-reform-house-lawmakers-get-past-the-abortion-hurdle/

We need to remember this as time goes on.