The US Senate moved closer today to passing legislation to overhaul the health care system in the largest reforms in decades that would extend insurance coverage to more than 30 million people, according to dpa. The Senate was set to vote Wednesday afternoon to end debate on the bill with a final Christmas Eve vote scheduled for early Thursday morning. The bill"s passage would hand President Barack Obama a key victory on one of his top priorities less than a year into his term. The legislation"s fate is no longer in question after months of intense debate and last minute compromises. The Democrats who, along with two independents, control the 60 votes needed to end the discussion and move to a final, simple majority vote in the 100-seat Senate. Republicans have been united in opposing the bill. All of those who have remained in town are expected to vote against it, arguing the federal government would be going too far in mingling into the private health care industry and it would come at a high cost to taxpayers. Obama argues the bill would reduce the deficit by 132 billion dollars over the first decade and more than 1 trillion dollars in the following decade. Obama was scheduled to leave for Hawaii for his holiday vacation on Wednesday, but elected to stay in town until the final vote in the event there are some last minute snags. The Senate has been in late night and weekend sessions as it tries to wrap up business before the year ends. The Senate bill nudged closer to passage earlier Tuesday when Democrats mustered the 60 votes needed in a key test vote. The House of Representatives passed their version in November. Once the Senate measure passes, both chambers will have to work out differences in their respective bills before Obama can sign it into law, which could take place early next year.
