Senate Democrats passed a landmark health care bill in a climactic Christmas Eve vote that could define President Barack Obama's legacy and usher in near-universal medical coverage for the first time in U.S. history. The 60-39 vote on a cold Christmas Eve morning capped months of arduous negotiations and 24 days of floor debate. It also followed a succession of failures by past congresses to get to this point. Vice President Joe Biden presided as 58 Democrats and two independents voted "yes." Republicans unanimously voted "no." ...more

December 24, 2009

Help Wanted: Brave senator or senators willing to champion amendment creating fail-safe mechanism to control health care spending. ...more

December 18, 2009

WASHINGTON (AP) — A senior Democratic leadership aide says legislation headed to the Senate floor would extend health care coverage to 31 million uninsured Americans at a cost of $849 billion over a decade. ...more

November 18, 2009

The House on Friday passed a plan by Democrats to pump $61 billion in government spending into the economy through public works projects, help for the jobless and money for states struggling with their Medicaid bills. ...more

September 27, 2008

The fate of $600-$1,200 rebate checks for more than 100 million Americans is in limbo after Senate Republicans blocked a bid by Democrats to add $44 billion in help for the elderly, disabled veterans, the unemployed and businesses to the House-passed economic aid package. ...more

February 7, 2008

Senate Democrats on Tuesday reversed President Bush's cuts to education, health research and grants to local entities as they gird for Bush's first-ever veto of a regular appropriations bill. ...more

October 24, 2007