Asia-Pacific
US Senate conducts vote marathon on healthcare
(Agencies)
Updated: 2010-03-25 09:59
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WASHINGTON - The US Senate launched a final marathon session on healthcare reform on Wednesday, with Republicans forcing Democrats into a series of politically tough votes before senators pass the last changes to the landmark law.
Republicans offered at least two dozen amendments designed to derail the package or force Democrats to take a difficult political stance before November's congressional elections.
Democrats easily killed the first eight amendments and promised to reject them all in an around-the-clock "vote-a-rama" that could last into early Thursday.
The Senate's approval of even one amendment would send the whole package back to the House for another vote, just days after the House passed the $940 billion overhaul in a close vote that capped a yearlong political struggle.
"Make no mistake, the intent of every single one of the amendments on the other side of the aisle is to kill healthcare reform," said Max Baucus, Democratic chairman of the Senate Finance Committee.
The Republican amendments include proposals to deny erectile dysfunction drugs to sex offenders, to ensure that insurance premiums do not increase under the law and to prevent tax hikes for families earning less than $250,000.
The vote on final passage could be held post-midnight on Thursday, or held over to the daylight hours.
Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid ridiculed the Republicans over the flurry of amendments.
"How serious can they be?" Reid said of Republicans. "Offering an amendment dealing with Viagra for rapists?"
Republicans promised to keep fighting the overhaul and said the amendments were designed to improve a bill that even Democrats agree needs fixing.
