Originally posted by the Voice of America.
Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America,
a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in
the public domain.


US Senate Moves Closer to Historic Health Care Vote

   VOA News 22 December 2009

   The  U.S.  Senate  has  moved  closer  to passing landmark health care
   reform legislation later this week.
   Early Tuesday, majority Democrats and their independent allies got the
   60  votes  needed  to  cut  off  debate on the bill, and help move the
   legislation forward.  They also approved a package of changes.
   The  measure  is advancing toward a vote late Thursday, Christmas Eve.
   There  will  be  another  procedural  vote  on  Wednesday,  before the
   expected final vote.
   U.S.  President  Barack  Obama  has  made  passing  health  care a top
   domestic priority.
   Republicans  are  strongly opposed to the bill.  The top Republican in
   the Senate, Mitch McConnell, says the legislation is too expensive and
   does not fix the problems with the U.S. health care system.
   The  bill  got  a  further  boost  Monday  when  the  American Medical
   Association announced its support.
   The  proposed  legislation would require most Americans to have health
   insurance,  extending  coverage to 31 million Americans now uninsured.
   It also would ban insurance companies from denying benefits because of
   pre-existing medical conditions.
   The  House  of  Representatives  passed  its  version of a health care
   reform  bill  last month.  Negotiations for a compromise final version
   are  expected  to  begin after the December 25 Christmas holiday, with
   President  Obama  hoping  to  sign a bill into law sometime early next
   year.

   Some information for this report was provided by AP,Reuters.

.