Democratic leaders secure the support of Sen. Ben Nelson to provide the 60th and deciding vote for sweeping health care legislation in the Senate, capping a year of struggle and a final burst of deadline bargaining on President Barack Obama's top domestic priority. ...more

December 19, 2009

Senate Republicans vowed Wednesday to use every available tactic to delay voting on the health care bill, as Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., scrambled to unify Democrats in support of the legislation. ...more

December 17, 2009

The end game at hand, Senate Democrats appeared ready to jettison a proposed Medicare expansion from sweeping health care legislation today in a bid to remove the largest remaining obstacle in the way of Christmas-week passage of the measure. ...more

December 14, 2009

WASHINGTON (AP) — Risking the wrath of Democrats, Sen. Joseph Lieberman, I-Conn., threatened today to join Republicans in opposing health care legislation if it permits uninsured individuals as young to 55 to purchase Medicare coverage. ...more

December 13, 2009

As lawmakers focus on divisive policy issues, Democrats' health bills leave gaps WASHINGTON (AP) - For consumers, the health care bills taking final shape in Congress don't rate close to a perfect 10. ...more

November 24, 2009

WASHINGTON (AP) - Abortion opponents in the Senate are seeking tough restrictions in the health care overhaul bill, a move that could roil a shaky Democratic effort to pass President Barack Obama's signature issue by year's end. ...more

November 9, 2009

Republicans have the answers to lower health costs and expanded coverage, not the Democrats hold power in Washington and are creating more problems as they "recklessly pursue" a government takeover of the health care system, a GOP leader said. ...more

October 31, 2009

Senate Democrats voiced deep disagreements Tuesday about the idea of a government-run health insurance plan, suggesting that the decision by Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada to include a public plan in major health care legislation had failed to unite his caucus. ...more

October 28, 2009

A plan to help disabled veterans created controversy Tuesday when a Senate committee combined it with one to expand term limits for state lawmakers. ...more

March 25, 2009

Secret elections are imperfect expressions of the public will, but nothing else is better. They work well in a number of democratic contexts, especially in selecting government representatives and in whether a company's workers want to unionize. ...more

March 24, 2009