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House Democrats are poised to add $5 million to the state budget bill for a controversial program that provides intrauterine contraceptive devices to teenagers, a move that may derail negotiations with Republicans on the $25 billion spending plan.

The money will continue a privately funded program that provides IUDs or other long-acting reversible birth control to women at little to no cost one credited with a 42 percent decline in the state's teen abortion rate and a 39 percent drop in the teen birth rate in five years.

The House is expected to consider the amendment along with 38 others Wednesday afternoon in a marathon session on the budget bill. But the majority Democratic caucus took an informal vote earlier in the day to support the provision after a verbal whip crack from House Speaker Dickey Lee Hullinghorst, who shut down initial misgivings about the procedural move.

"Members, we need this amendment," the Boulder Democrat said, cutting off debate on the move that initially drew a handful of Democratic opponents. "This is a priority for the caucus. This is belt and suspenders in case the bill doesn't pass we need the appropriation."

Democrats are pushing to put the language in the budget because a related bill to continue the Colorado Family Planning Initiative won't survive the state Senate, where Republicans control the majority.

Senate Republicans oppose the measure, with some saying it represents a duplication to services provided in the federal health care law and others suggesting IUDs cause abortions a point disputed by the medical community.

Senate Republicans opposed a similar amendment to the budget bill a week earlier, meaning the two chambers will need to work out the differences in a conference committee next week.

However, this provision may prove especially difficult. For it to win approval in the conference committee, which is the Joint Budget Committee, it needs at least one Senate Republican to support it.

John Frank: 303-954-2409, jfrank@denverpost.com or twitter.com/ByJohnFrank

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Democrats to seek $5 million for IUD program in Colorado budget battle