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WASHINGTON - Exultant Senate Democrats pushed President Barack Obama's landmark health care overhaul past a final procedural hurdle Wednesday, setting up a Christmas Eve vote to pass the legislation extending coverage to 30 million Americans. Democrats voted 60-39 to end a GOP filibuster and move to a final vote Thursday. All 58 Democrats and two independents hung together against unanimous Republican opposition. It was the 24th day of debate on the 10-year, nearly $1 trillion bill. "It is now only hours until this Senate will pass meaningful health care reform," said Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, D-Mont.

Democrats’ Health Bill Passes Key Senate Vote Republicans pledge to fight on despite losing early Monday WASHINGTON - Senate Democrats’ health care overhaul passed a key test in a party-line vote early Monday, in a dramatic defeat for Republicans that put the legislation on track for Christmas-week passage. In the run-up to the vote, the escalation in rhetoric was remarkable on both sides of an issue that has divided the two political parties for months. "This process is not legislation. This process is corruption," said Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., referring to the last-minute flurry of dealmaking that enabled Majority Leader...