Senate Bickers as Storm Bears Down on DC

Republicans vow to stall; Reid targets Christmas Eve health care vote

By Marie Morris

Posted Dec 18, 2009 4:49 PM CST

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Senate Bickers as Storm Bears Down on DC — Sen. Ben Nelson, D-Neb., talks on the phone before heading into a Democratic caucus on health care reform in the Capitol in Washington Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2009. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Even as Harry Reid plans for a Christmas Eve vote on the Senate health care bill, Republicans are vowing to stall, and a massive winter storm is roaring northeast from the Gulf of Mexico with Washington directly in its path. " It is our intention not to pass this bill easily," minority leader Mitch McConnell tells Reuters. "I think we made it pretty clear ."

Democrats need 60 votes to foil a threatened filibuster, but abortion opponent Ben Nelson remains dubious about the measure in its current form. " Hopefully, we are making progress, " he said today. Meanwhile, Virginia has already declared a state of emergency ahead of the storm, the Baltimore Ravens have pushed back the start of Sunday's game, and airlines are predicting widespread cancellations and delays, CNN reports.
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