Above: Victoria Kennedy and Sen. Harry Reid celebrate after
the Senate OKs landmark insurance overhaul on a 60-39 vote.
(Harry Hamburg / AP)

Associated Press
WASHINGTON – 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 the country’s history. The 60-39 vote on a cold winter 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.” Read more.

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