US Democrats united to push health care legislation past a key Senate hurdle over the opposition of Republicans who were eager to inflict a punishing defeat on President Barack Obama. There was not a vote to spare.
The 60-39 vote Saturday night cleared the way for a bruising, full-scale debate on the bill after lawmakers return from their break for Thursday's Thanksgiving holiday.
The legislation is designed to extend coverage to roughly 31 million of the nearly 50 million Americans who lack it, crack down on insurance company practices that deny or dilute benefits and curtail the growth of spending on medical care nationally.
