Senate, Health Care Debate | featured news

As Senate Democrats struggle to line up 60 votes and pass their health care bill before Christmas, an attempt to debate a single-payer system fails.

Riven by partisanship, the Senate plunged into a debate Monday over sweeping health care legislation that President Barack Obama and congressional Democrats have vowed to approve and Republicans have sworn to block.

Vice President Joe Biden told Iowa Democrats on Saturday that the Senate handed the president a big victory with its decision to move forward with debate on sweeping legislation to overhaul the nation's health care system.

LIVE BLOGGING | Debate leads up to a vote that serves as a critical test for Obama's proposal.