U.S. House backs anti-abortion amendment

WASHINGTON Nov 7 (Reuters) - The U.S. House of Representatives voted on Saturday to tighten a ban against using federal funds to finance abortions under the proposed Democratic healthcare reform legislation.

Opposition Republicans joined forces with anti-abortion Democrats to pass the amendment to the healthcare legislation on a vote of 240-194.

The amendment angered liberal Democrats who support abortion rights, but its passage is expected to help win support for the legislation from moderate Democrats, many of whom had refused to support the bill without strengthening language that bars using federal subsidies to fund abortions.