Dems Prove They Have 216

Over and over today, House Democrats insisted they finally had the votes to pass the health-care bill and a preliminary vote has proved them right. By a margin of 224 to 206, the House approved a critical procedural step to pass the health-care bill, making it all but certain that it will pass when the House votes again, later tonight. President Obama and House Democrats cut a deal with anti-abortion representatives, led by Rep. Bart Stupak (D-MI), that brought over enough votes. Obama agreed to issue an executive order "to ensure that federal funds are not used for abortion services" under the bill—a move that the National Organization for Women sharply criticized.