President Obama and his Democratic allies in Congress are poised to trample Republican opposition to his health care bill with a controversial legislative tactic known as reconciliation.
The fast-track process would protect Obama's ambitious plan to overhaul the U.S. health care system from a potential GOP filibuster and limit the Republicans' ability to get concessions. It also would give Democrats far more control over the specifics of the health care legislation.
Under typical Senate rules, 60 votes are needed to advance a bill, but reconciliation would enable Democrats to enact the health care plan with just a simple majority and only 20 hours of debate.
Democrats hold 56 seats in the Senate, and two independents typically vote with the party. Republicans have 41 seats, and there is one vacancy.
Republicans have complained furiously about the prospect of health care reform passing under fast-track rules. But they're not planning to go down without a fight.
A GOP Senate committee aide told FOXNews.com that Republican lawmakers are considering offering amendments to the legislation that would be unpalatable to Democrats.
If the Dems don't want to allow the usual Senate procedures in order to ram Obamacare through, the GOP had better be prepared to go to war. Shut the Senate down.
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