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Senate Majority Whip Richard Durbin of Ill., accompanied by, Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., left, and Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., speak during a health care reform news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Friday, Nov. 20, 2009. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
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Associated Press
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Senate Majority Whip Richard Durbin of Ill., center, accompanied by Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., left, and Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., speaks during a health care reform news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Friday, Nov. 20, 2009. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
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Associated Press
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Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., left, accompanied by Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, and Senate Minority Whip Jon Kyl of Ariz., right, lifts copy of the Democratic health care reform bill, Friday, Nov. 20, 2009, during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
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Associated Press
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Senate Minority Leader Sen. Mitch McConnell of Ky., center, shows copy of the Democratic health care reform bill during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Friday, Nov. 20, 2009. From left are, Sen. Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., McConnell, Senate Minority Whip Jon Kyl of Ariz., Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, and Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
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Associated Press
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Senate Minority Leader Sen. Mitch McConnell of Ky., center, gestures during a health care reform news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Friday, Nov. 20, 2009. From left are, Sen. Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., McConnell, Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, and Senate Minority Whip Jon Kyl of Ariz. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
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Associated Press
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Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., left, accompanied by Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, and Senate Minority Whip Jon Kyl of Ariz., right, lifts copy of the Democratic health care reform bill, Friday, Nov. 20, 2009, during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
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Associated Press
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Democrats united Saturday night to push historic health care legislation past a key Senate hurdle over the opposition of Republicans eager to inflict a punishing defeat on President Barack Obama. There was not a vote to spare.The 60-39 vote cleared the way for a bruising, full-scale debate beginning after Thursday's Thanksgiving holiday on the legislation. The bill 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. The spectator galleries were full for the unusual Saturday night showdown, and applause broke out briefly when the vote was announced. In a measure of the significance of the moment, senators sat quietly in their seats, standing only when they were called upon to vote. One Republican missed the vote.
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