Health Care Vote:

The Senate passed the first of three votes in its effort to approve a health care reform bill.
The 60-40 vote was split among party lines.  Democrats need 60 votes on three separate occasions to pass the measure.  The Senate bill is all but assured to be passed by Christmas.

The 871 billion dollar bill would extend coverage to more than 30 million Americans who do not currently have health insurance.  It would also ban insurance company practices such as denial of benefits on the basis of pre-existing medical conditions.

The House has already passed its version of the health care reform bill.

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WASHINGTON D.C. (WKOW) -- The US Senate is on track to vote on the health care reform bill sometime around midnight Monday.

However, under Senate rules, Democrats need 60-votes on three separate occasions to pass the measure: the first scheduled for around 1 A-M eastern time.

The middle-of-the-night vote is a result of rising Republican fury, on full display in the Senate Sunday.
Senator Lindsay Graham, (R) South Carolina, says, "We're not going to put the whole nation at risk and take a broken system and make it worse just to get a vote.

No way in hell." Democratic Majority Whip Senator Dick Durbin says, " For once we're able to say to the American people; we're going to help you make heath insurance more affordable."
The House has already passed legislation.

Attempts to work out a compromise are expected to begin in the days after Christmas.