Dems Get 60 for Health Care

Senators Harry Reid and Ben Nelson have reached an agreement over the proposed health-care legislation's handling of abortion after a long series of negotiations, giving Democrats the 60 votes they need to avoid a Republican filibuster and pass the bill. Nelson told reporters this morning that he would vote for the legislation after meeting with Majority Leader Reid late Friday, and a "manager's amendment" will be filed today, adding a series of changes to the bill. If Republicans demand the full reading of the manager's amendment, as expected, the bill's final vote seems likely to take place on Christmas Eve. The final version of the Senate legislation has not been unveiled, and the CBO still hasn't released an estimate of its cost.