The Senate is scheduled to cast final votes on the health care reconciliation bill at 2 p.m. Thursday following a second vote-a-rama session on a series of GOP amendments.
Senators voted well into the early hours Thursday morning on nearly two dozen Republican amendments to the package, which was passed by the House on Sunday. But because Senate Republicans succeeded in making two minor changes to the bill, the House will have to revote on it later Thursday.
In addition to the health care reconciliation package, Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said the chamber also has to vote on an extension of unemployment benefits and COBRA health insurance programs before adjourning for the two-week Easter recess, set to begin on Friday. The Senate passed a short-term reauthorization of those programs earlier this month, but that extension will expire April 5. It is unclear whether Republicans will use procedural tactics to delay consideration of that measure.