The Vote is 224 to 206 in the House on procedures….clearing the way for the vote tonight…..

Landmark health-care legislation passed a series of procedural hurdles in the House of Representatives and headed toward a crucial vote on final passage Sunday night after President Obama reached a deal with Democratic holdouts on an executive order designed to allay their concerns about abortion funding.

After 5 1/2 hours of often contentious floor speeches and a string of procedural votes, the House approved the rules for final debate on a Senate-passed health-care bill and a House package of fixes by a vote of 224 to 206. That vote set the stage for what House Democratic leaders hoped would be the penultimate milestone later Sunday night of Obama’s year-long effort to overhaul the nation’s $2.5 trillion health-care system.

Following the House votes, Obama planned to launch a campaign aimed at countering conservatives’ criticisms of the health-care bill, aides said.

Rallying last-minute support for the overhaul, Obama announced Sunday afternoon that he would issue an executive order after passage, attesting that the bill is consistent with longstanding restrictions on the use of federal funds for abortions.

The arrangement won the support of a key bloc of anti-abortion House Democrats, whose leader, Rep. Bart Stupak(D-Mich.), said at a news conference, “I’m pleased to announce we have an agreement.”

Appearing with Stupak were half a dozen other holdout Democrats. With them on board, “we’re well past” the 216 votes needed in the House to approve the health-care legislation, Stupak said.

After 5 1/2 hours of often contentious floor speeches and a string of procedural votes, the House approved the rules for final debate on a Senate-passed health-care bill and a House package of fixes by a vote of 224 to 206. That vote set the stage for what House Democratic leaders hoped would be the penultimate milestone later Sunday night of Obama’s year-long effort to overhaul the nation’s $2.5 trillion health-care system.

Following the House votes, Obama planned to launch a campaign aimed at countering conservatives’ criticisms of the health-care bill, aides said.

Rallying last-minute support for the overhaul, Obama announced Sunday afternoon that he would issue an executive order after passage, attesting that the bill is consistent with longstanding restrictions on the use of federal funds for abortions.

The arrangement won the support of a key bloc of anti-abortion House Democrats, whose leader, Rep. Bart Stupak(D-Mich.), said at a news conference, “I’m pleased to announce we have an agreement.”

Appearing with Stupak were half a dozen other holdout Democrats. With them on board, “we’re well past” the 216 votes needed in the House to approve the health-care legislation, Stupak said.

More…….

White House pictures from Talkandpolitcs.…..

Check out these photos from inside the White House today, as congress debates the Health Bill and the final vote in the House of Reps.

Rahms office

The Oval Office