A 60-39 vote has just ended the Republican's filibuster. The filibuster was the last stop for the health care reform bill before it's voted on. Recent procedural decisions - such as starting the debate and ending the filibuster - have required 60 votes, but passing the bill requires a simple majority. The final vote is scheduled for tomorrow, Christmas Eve day, at 7am. It has been 114 years since a vote was held on Christmas Eve. "Away from Capitol Hill, special deals on Medicaid obtained by some Democrats - notably Ben Nelson of Nebraska, who provided the crucial 60th vote - continued to provoke grumbling. Under the Senate bill the federal government will pay the entire cost of an expansion of Medicaid in Nebraska, unlike other states, which will have to start picking up a portion of the tab themselves after several years."
You can read the coverage from the Associated Press here.
