Landmark health care legislation backed by President Barack Obama passed its sternest Senate test in the pre-dawn hours early Monday, overcoming Republican delaying tactics on a 60-40 vote that all but assures its passage by Christmas.
The bill would extend coverage to more than 30 million Americans who now lack it, while banning insurance company practices [...]
The U.S. Senate is poised tomorrowto take an early morning vote that will lead toward passage ofthe most sweeping overhaul of the nations health-care system inmore than four decades.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid plans to win finalpassage by Dec. 24 now that he secured the vote of his partyslast holdout, Nebraska Senator Ben Nelson.
The little town of Libby, Mont., isn’t mentioned by name in the Senate’s mammoth health care bill, but it’s one of the big winners in the legislation, thanks to the influence of Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, D-Mont.
He didn’t advertise the change, and it takes a close read of the bill to find it.
DAVID AXELROD, SENIOR ADVISER TO THE PRESIDENT
[*] GREGORY: First, the great blizzard of December of 2009 blanketed the East Coast. It dumped nearly 22 inches of snow on the nations capital. It served as a backdrop for a flurry of activity in the halls of Congress this weekend, as Senate Democrats reached a compromise agreement [...]
SPEAKERS: GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS, HOST
SEN. RICHARD J. DURBIN, D-ILL.
DAVID AXELROD, SENIOR ADVISER TO THE PRESIDENT
[*] STEPHANOPOULOS: Good morning and welcome to “This Week.”
DONNA BRAZILE, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST
SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL, R-KY.: This bill is a legislative train wreck of historic proportions.
[*] WALLACE: Im Chris Wallace, and this is “FOX News Sunday.”
Can Democrats hold on to the magic 60 votes to pass their bill? Well ask two of their key players, Senators Kent Conrad and Amy Klobuchar. McCain, Conrad and Klobuchar — only on “Fox News Sunday.”
Its the Sunday before Christmas, but all through the Senate [...]
Senate Democrats reached a compromise on Saturday with the last holdout senator that secured the 60 votes they need to pass a broad healthcare overhaul sought by President Barack Obama.
Nelson, a strong abortion rights opponent, had been the elusive 60th vote for the sweeping revamp, Obamas top legislative priority and the subject of intense political [...]
Outnumbered Republicans are pledging to delay passage of historic health care legislation as long as possible after jubilant Democrats locked in Nebraska Sen. Ben Nelson as the 60th and decisive vote.
“This bill is a legislative train wreck of historic proportions,” the Republican leader, Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, said at a Saturday news conference.
Senators readied for a crucial pre-dawn Monday vote to pave the way for US health care reform, President Barack Obamas top domestic priority, after a key holdout senator said he would back the sweeping legislation.
“Change is never easy, but change is what is needed in America today. I will vote for health care reform,” said [...]
A Senate compromise toughening abortion restrictions drew criticism from activists on both sides of the issue Saturday, prolonging rather than settling the controversy as Democrats try and complete work on President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul.
On the other side of the divide, Nancy Keenan, president of NARAL Pro-Choice America, called the deal “unacceptable” and said [...]
