Epic Attention To Legislative Detail Fail

While I know it's hard getting in those late night sessions before your four-week vacation there, guys, it's still important to actually check the fine print on those amendments, just in case people are trying to, you know, pull one over on you.

In a series of late night votes Thursday, the House Energy and Commerce Committee passed, then went on to reject, an amendment that would prevent a healthcare "public option" from covering abortion.

The amendment, offered by Rep. Stupak (D-Mich.), Reps. Joe Pitts (R-Pa.) and Rep. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), originally passed 31 to 27. Republicans voted unanimously for the measure. On the Democratic side, all but one Blue Dog–Rep. Zack Space (D-Ohio) who did not vote–supported the amendment. ("I just missed the first vote," said Space, who went on to vote against the amendment.)

But before the first round of voting closed, Chairman Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) changed his vote from NO to YES. The switch let him to take advantage of a House rule that allows supporters to bring an amendment back for consideration later. The tactic paid off: Waxman brought the amendment up for another vote, and the committee defeated it 30-29.

Ahh, the surprise amendment. Here's a hint, Dems...anything that House Republicans in your committee are voting unanimously FOR is probably suspect, so you might want to check it out first before voting for it.

The amendment would have prevented the public plan from covering abortion unless the mother's life was at risk.

"I misunderstood it the first time," said Rep. Bart Gordon (D-Tenn.), who originally voted for the amendment but opposed against it the second time around.

"Misunderstood". Right. Ol' Bart here? Blue Dog from Tennessee, been in the House for 25 years almost, and is the Chairman of the House Science Committee. But...he "misunderstood" an amendment. Sounds to me he got caught being a knee-jerk Blue Dog, but he came around in the end.

Nice save by Henry Waxman, by the way.

Still, Bart Gordon's not a Congressional newbie and should know better. Or, maybe he did.

EPIC FAIL.