Lone Democratic holdout in Senate agrees to back healthcare bill

With a critical vote looming this weekend, Senate Democrats reached a long-sought deal with the lone Democratic holdout, Nebraska Sen. Ben Nelson, who will back the party’s healthcare bill after settling weeks of negotiating over abortion.

That would give Democrats the 60 votes they need to quash a series of Republican-led filibusters and pass a bill by Christmas.

Nelson, who was pushing for tougher restrictions on federal funding for abortion, reached the agreement with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s office Friday night after round-the-clock talks with Reid and Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), a leading supporter of abortion rights.