Capitol Hill (CNSNews.com) - Peaceful pro-life demonstrators and sidewalk counselors won a temporary reprieve Thursday from the threat of multi-million dollar lawsuits by the abortion industry.

CNSNews.com learned Friday that the U.S. House of Representatives tabled the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act (H.R. 333) because of an unacceptable compromise over an amendment by pro-abortion Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.).

Under Schumer's amendment, pro-life protesters could not seek bankruptcy protection from lawsuits filed against them by abortion clinics and their supporters over alleged misconduct.

In the past, victims of such lawsuits - who typically do not have the resources to defend themselves - have been able to declare bankruptcy to avoid having their assets seized.

But opponents of the Schumer proposal feared abortionists could win default judgments against pro-lifers, use the provision to keep them from filing bankruptcy, and then confiscate their assets to cover alleged "damages" and attorneys' fees, thereby funding abortions with "pro-life money."

A compromise agreed to by House negotiators on the conference committee working to meld the House and Senate versions of the bill was initially thought to have assuaged those fears.

A statement that, "Nothing in [this amendment] shall be construed to affect any expressive conduct (including peaceful picketing or other peaceful demonstration) protected from legal prohibition by the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States," was added to the bill.

While the House negotiators may have accepted the change, their pro-life constituency apparently did not.

"We got a defeat with that so-called compromise Schumer language," said Jim Backlin, director of legislative affairs for the Christian Coalition of America.

The National Abortion Rights Action League (NARAL) apparently agreed. It called the agreement a "major victory" and praised Schumer.

"In the face of some anti-choice lawmakers who resisted holding perpetrators accountable, he and his colleagues, Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Joseph Biden (D-Del.), remained steadfast in their determination," a NARAL press release stated.

Backlin said the real goal of the Schumer amendment is to intimidate pro-life individuals so that they will not offer counseling and literature to women approaching abortion clinics.

"The abortion clinics will accomplish their goal of having zero people out in front of abortion clinics so that their billion dollar business can continue unabated," he warned.

A "top Republican House leader" reportedly told Backlin that, "We're not bringing the bankruptcy bill to the floor until we work this thing out." Backlin declined to identify that House leader.

Backlin urged those who support the First Amendment right of pro-life Americans to speak out, picket, and distribute literature on public sidewalks adjacent to abortion clinics to pay attention to the bill.

"We are going to continue to alert our pro-family, pro-life grassroots to be on the lookout for any kind of floor vote on the bankruptcy bill," he warned. "And if we find out that it has any kind of pro-abortion language, i.e. the Schumer language, in it we will mobilize the troops to defeat it."