DeGette rounds up votes to defeat anti-abortion health reform amendment

House Democratic leaders might have thought they dodged a bullet on Saturday when they agreed to appease moderate Dems with an amendment to restrict abortion coverage — a provision that allowed the bill to pass by a very slim 220 to 215 margin. One day later, however, liberal Democrats vowed to sink the bill if the amendment remains the next time the bill travels through the House. And they already have the numbers to defeat it.

From The Washington Post:

Although House liberals voted for the bill with the amendment to keep the process moving forward, Rep. Diana DeGette (Colo.) said she has collected more than 40 signatures from House Democrats vowing to oppose any final bill that includes the amendment — enough to block passage.

“There’s going to be a firestorm here,” DeGette said. “Women are going to realize that a Democratic-controlled House has passed legislation that would prohibit women paying for abortions with their own funds. . . . We’re not going to let this into law.”

And the White House thought the public option was going to be the highest hurdle …

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