Sen. Ben Nelson has reached an agreement with Democratic leaders on health care reform, senators say.

Dr. Sanjay Gupta | BIO
AC360° Contributor
CNN Chief Medical Correspondent

Last night I was up late covering the senate vote on health care for CNN. The number of e-mails I was receiving while discussing this on air was staggering. I realized that as much as we talked about cloture and reconciliation, most people who didn’t read the 2,000+ page bill (which is most everyone) really wanted to know what this bill means for them. They didn’t care as much about the compromise that was struck by Sen. Ben Nelson, which would obligate the federal government to pick up the Medicaid tab for his state of Nebraska into perpetuity. They are still not sure if a public option is a good thing or not, and they aren’t sure how the exchange would work for them. In short, there is a collision of politics and health care, and sometime the impact on individuals gets a little lost in the shuffle.

I want to use this blog as a platform to try and address some of your specific question and to also throw out some key information that may have flown under the radar. I will start with a number. 2014. This is the year most of the provisions of the bill would kick in under this version of reform. That’s right – four years away. Many people think health care reform in binary terms. One moment there is a vote, and the next moment you have it. Many wish it were that easy. It is true that children may benefit earlier in some areas, but for the vast majority of the more than 40 million uninsured, things aren’t going to change significantly for a few years. And, speaking of the more than 40 million uninsured, this bill won’t impact all of them, but instead roughly 31 million.

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Maureen Miller
AC360° Writer

Tonight, we're tracking your money on Capitol Hill. It's buying votes for health care reform.

The Senate vote to end debate on a $871 billion bill took place early this morning, very early. 1 a.m. ET. The final tally was 60-40, straight-down party lines. All Republicans voted no. All Democrats and two independents, Sen. Joe Lieberman and Sen. Bernie Sanders voted yes.

How did the Dems get those 60 votes? That's what we're looking into.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nevada) had to reel in moderates like Democratic Sen. Ben Nelson.

Nelson got a provision added to the bill that would let your tax dollars pay for any Medicaid expansion in his state of Nebraska. No other state has that benefit.

He's not the only senator who made a deal.

We'll tell you who else got something in the negotiations.

Back to Sen. Harry Reid, he said there's nothing wrong with the tactic. He sees it simply as politics.

"That's what legislation is all about. It's the art of compromise," Reid said.

Republicans fired back on the Senate floor.

"Make no mistake, if the people who wrote this bill were proud of it, they wouldn't be forcing this vote in the dead of night, " Minority Leader Sen. Mitch McConnell said.

What do you think of the vote? Sound off below.

The bill faces a few procedural votes this week, with a final vote expected Christmas Eve. It's expected to win approval, again along party lines. Then the bill must be reconciled with a House version.

Tonight, we'll dig deeper into the two different versions and show you what's at stake for you and your family.

Also on our radar, the New Jersey father at the center of an international custody fight. David Goldman hopes to find out tomorrow if Brazil's Supreme Court will let him bring home his 9-year-old son Sean. We've been following this case since 2004, when Goldman's wife took Sean to Brazil and never returned. She filed for divorce, remarried and died last year giving birth to a daughter. Since then, Sean's been living with his stepfather in Brazil.

Tonight, you'll hear from David Goldman and the lawyer for the Sean's Brazilian family.

And, we're looking at a new order from the U.S. general in charge of northern Iraq that makes getting pregnant or impregnating a fellow soldier an offense punishable by court-martial.

"Anyone who leaves this fight earlier than the expected 12-month deployment creates a burden on their teammates. Anyone who leaves this fight early because they made a personal choice that changed their medical status - or contributes to doing that to another - is not in keeping with a key element of our ethos," Gen. Anthony Cucolo explained in a statement sent to the troops

Join us for these stories and much more starting at 10 p.m. ET on CNN. See you then!

Tonight, we're keeping them honest on Capitol Hill. See what deals Democratic leaders made to get the Senate health care reform bill passed early this morning. It's your tax dollars. Plus, up close, the mysterious death of actress Brittany Murphy.

Want to know what else we're covering? Read EVENING BUZZ.

Scroll down to join the live chat during the program. It's your chance to share your thoughts on tonight's headlines. Keep in mind, you have a better chance of having your comment get past our moderators if you follow our rules.

Here are some of them:

1) Keep it short (we don't have time to read a "book")
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3) Use your real name (first name only is fine)
4) No links
5) Watch your language (keep it G-rated; PG at worst - and that includes $#&*)

Barbara Starr and Adam Levine
CNN

A new order from the general in charge of northern Iraq makes getting pregnant or impregnating a fellow soldier an offense punishable by court-martial.

The directive, part of a larger order restricting the behavior of the 22,000 soldiers under Gen. Anthony Cucolo's command, is meant to prevent losing soldiers at a time when troop strength is stretched thin, Cucolo explained in a statement sent to the troops under his command and provided to CNN.

"I need every soldier I've got, especially since we are facing a drawdown of forces during our mission," Cucolo wrote. "Anyone who leaves this fight earlier than the expected 12-month deployment creates a burden on their teammates. Anyone who leaves this fight early because they made a personal choice that changed their medical status - or contributes to doing that to another - is not in keeping with a key element of our ethos."

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The Senate hopes to vote on its health care bill before Christmas

CNN’s Political Unit

Senate Democrats claimed a major victory this weekend after voting to end debate on their version of the health care bill.

The Senate is on track to hold a final vote on Christmas eve, but there's still a long way to go before a bill is on President Obama's desk.

Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about what's in the House and Senate health care bills and what's next.

Where does the health care debate stand?

The House passed its version of health care reform last month. The Senate, which follows different procedures than the House, is slated to vote on its version of the health care bill before Christmas.

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CNN

Brittany Murphy, the bubbly, free-spirited actress who appeared in such films as "Clueless" and "8 Mile," died apparently of natural causes, the Los Angeles County coroner's office said.

Murphy, 32, was pronounced dead at 10:04 a.m. PT (1:04 p.m. ET) Sunday at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, hospital spokeswoman Sally Stewart said.

An autopsy had not been scheduled as of Sunday night, but Capt. John Kades, a spokesman for the coroner's office, said there was no sign of foul play or trauma.

Go here to keep reading and view a timeline of Brittany Murphy's acting career.

Senate Democrats claimed a major victory this weekend after voting to end the Republican filibuster on their version of the sweeping $871 billion health care bill. The 60-40 party line vote kept Senate Democrats on track to pass the bill on Christmas Eve.

Go here to view the full Senate Bill (PDF)

The House of Representatives passed a sweeping health care bill by a vote of 220-215 on November 7. The House Democrats needed 218 votes to ensure passage of the bill.

Go here to view the full House Bill (PDF)

Time

As President Obama ramps up his efforts to overhaul the country's health-care system, these are the personalities on both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue who will most likely determine whether he succeeds or fails

Go here to view the top 10 Healt-Care-Reform players.

Ready for today's Beat 360°? Everyday we post a picture – and you provide the caption and our staff will join in too. Tune in tonight at 10pm to see if you are our favorite! Here is the 'Beat 360°' pic:

USA House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi grimaces during a press conference at the Bella Center in Copenhagen on December 17, 2009. (AFP/Getty Images)

Have fun with it. We're looking forward to your captions! Make sure to include your name, city, state (or country) so we can post your comment.

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Support for the health care reform bill that Democrats are pushing through the Senate has risen six points since early December.

CNN

Support for the health care reform bill that Democrats are pushing through the Senate has risen six points since early December, according to a new national poll, and although a majority of Americans still oppose its passage, only four in ten agree with Senate Republicans that the bill is too liberal.

The CNN/Opinion Research Corporation survey, released Monday, also indicates that President Barack Obama's approval rating has experienced a similar six-point rise.

According to the poll, 42 percent of Americans, based on what they've read or heard about the bill, support Senate Democrat's legislation. That's up from 36 percent in a poll conducted December 2-3. Nonetheless, a majority of people questioned in the survey, 56 percent, oppose the bill.

The CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll was conducted Wednesday through Sunday, as Senate Democrats were negotiating a final health care bill, but before a crucial party-line vote early Monday morning to end debate, a huge hurdle to eventual passage of the legislation that the Democrats successfully were able to jump.

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Susan Powell, 28, has been missing since December 6.

Gabriel Falcon
AC360° Writer

A $10,000 reward has been offered for information leading to the location of missing Utah mother Susan Powell, authorities announced today. West Valley City Police spokesman Capt. Tom McLachlan said the offer was made by an anonymous donor.

It has been more than two weeks since Powell, 28, disappeared from her home. Her husband, Joshua Powell, said she was not in the house when he and their two small children returned from a camping trip. Mr. Powell has been named a person of interest in the case, West Valley City police said. He has provided a sample of his DNA to the authorities, police added.

A candlelight vigil for Susan Powell was held Sunday evening near her family’s home in Washington State. “We had a very short presentation,” said family spokesperson Shelby Gifford. “ I read a statement from the family. We had a poster that people could sign. We lit candles and sang a hymn and then sang a closing prayer.”

Joshua Powell also attended the ceremony. But Gifford said he arrived after the vigil. He “took the focus away from Susan,” Gifford told CNN. “That wasn’t necessary.”

Gifford said Mr. Powell brought the couple’s 4-year-old son with him.

Mr. Powell has hired a Salt Lake City attorney who has not returned repeated requests from CNN for comment. Gifford is hoping Mr. Powell’s decision to retain a lawyer will help answer questions about Mrs. Powell’s whereabouts. “I think the family is looking for information and trying to fill in some holes,” she said. “ The family is hopeful that Joshua will feel comfortable to answer questions and provide information in a way that will help us find Susan. That’s what we are after.”

For more crime coverage go to cnn.com/crime.

Cynthia Nixon is speaking out against provisions in the House and Senate health care bills that limit coverage for abortions.

Breeanna Hare
CNN

It's been a little more than a week since Cynthia Nixon flew back from filming "Sex and the City 2" in Morocco, and she's already diving headfirst into the debate surrounding abortion and health care reform.

Nixon, a longtime abortion rights activist, says she can't keep quiet about the recent health care bill amendments that would limit insurance coverage for abortions.

"It's a very basic female right that we need to protect," Nixon said. "What's so frightening about this Stupak ban is that he's found a backdoor way to basically not cover abortion for the vast majority of American women."

The Stupak-Pitts amendment, written by Democratic Rep. Bart Stupak of Michigan and Republican Rep. Joseph R. Pitts of Pennsylvania, is a point of contention in the House health care bill. The amendment would limit funds in the health care bill, preventing subsidies from directly paying for abortions and also from paying for any insurance plan that covers abortions.

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U.S. soldiers stand guard outside a mosque during a prisoner release in Baghdad, Iraq.

Fareed Zakaria | BIO
For the Washington Post

Remember Iraq? For months our attention has been focused on Afghanistan, and you can be sure that the surge will be covered exhaustively as it unfolds in 2010. But next year could be even more pivotal in Iraq.

The country will hold elections in March to determine its political future. Months of parliamentary horse-trading are likely to ensue, which could provoke a return to violence. The United States still has 120,000 troops stationed in Iraq, and all combat forces are scheduled to leave by August, further testing the country's ability to handle its own security. How we draw down in Iraq is just as critical as how we ramp up in Afghanistan: If handled badly, this withdrawal could be a disaster. Handled well, it could be a significant success.

Let's review some history. The surge in Iraq was a success in military terms. It defeated a nasty insurgency, reduced violence substantially and stabilized the country. But the purpose of the surge was, in President George Bush's formulation, to give Iraq's leaders a chance to resolve their major political differences. It was these differences - particularly between Sunnis and Shiites - that fueled the civil war in the first place. If they were not resolved, the war might well begin anew or take some other form that would doom Iraq to a breakup or a breakdown.

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David Frum
Special to CNN

I wanted to support President Obama's health care reforms if I possibly could.

The U.S. health care system costs too much, delivers too little and excludes too many. Americans pay 60 percent more per person for health care than any other nation. Yet Americans rank only 41st in life expectancy and live with the paralyzing fear that the loss of a job means the loss of coverage.

Rising health care costs are devouring worker pay. Employers pay 25 percent more per hour on average for labor in 2006 than they did in 2000. Yet not one dime of that extra money reached workers. All of it was gobbled up by the surging cost of health care benefits. The typical worker actually earned less after inflation in 2006 than in 2000.

Health care drives federal spending. The U.S. government will spend twice as much this year on Medicare, Medicaid and other health programs as on national defense, including the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

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Reporter's Note: After much ado the U.S. Senate passed its version of health care reform in the very early hours of this morning. Accordingly, I was up very late covering it…and then writing this letter.

Tom Foreman | BIO
AC360° Correspondent

Dear Mr. President,

Congratulations on clearing the most recent hurdle on this whole health care reform business, but when it comes to the timing, I must say “Bad form, Pan!” Seriously, do your pals over in the Senate not possess a calendar? Or watches? After so many months of talk, and deals, and talk, and compromises, and talk, and talk, and talk, how is it possible that such a key vote winds up scheduled at one o’clock in the morning, with the chimes of Christmas already sounding?

I understand that this is a very important bill for all those who favor it; and that you believe it is crucial for every citizen of the country. So, in turn, I grasp the notion that you may want to push through willy-nilly to the end no matter what the calendar or clock has to say.

But regardless of the merits or weaknesses of the plan, I’ve got to tell you it just seems shady or at least wildly undisciplined, to be voting on something as monumental as this in the middle of the night with the holidays breathing down our necks. Maybe I’ve read too many stories over the years of Congress members from both parties sledge-hammering through shoddy legislation in last minute dashes for the wire.

Don’t get me wrong: I’m emphatically NOT passing that judgment on this measure, nor am I jumping on board with the Republicans, (whom, I understand, Harry Reid blames for all the delays that led to the midnight vote.) What I’m saying is whether or not it is bad, it looks bad. (And don’t tell me that you and your Senate pals don’t care about how something looks; the whole DC crowd absolutely lives for a good photo op.) It feeds into the very criticism that some of your opponents are flinging around; that this is bad legislation sneaking into town under the dark of night.

Wouldn’t it have been much better to have held the vote at high noon on a work day? Then everyone who voted yes could have trooped out to the Capitol steps and whooped it up while they launched an effigy of Dick Cheney down the mall with a catapult. Now that would be a picture! Instead, what we got was dark images of a cold winter night, and endless mumbling about back door deals. And your opponents (who are already watching you and your party falling in the polls) got a whole belt full of new ammunition to say this is just the same old backroom politics…not change at all.

Call if you’d like, even if it’s only to ask what time it is. Ha! Just kidding. But do call.

Regards,

Tom

Follow Tom on Twitter @tomforemancnn.

Find more of the Foreman Letters here.

A USAF technician at Creech Air Force Base, checks Hellfire missile attachments on a Predator.

P.W. Singer
Special to CNN

It sounds like the plot of a Hollywood blockbuster: A group of insurgents hack into American military drones, using software they got off the Internet, according to The Wall Street Journal. But, for the benefit of that screenwriter likely pounding away right now to get his idea in first - as well as for the general public - what actually happened?

Essentially, three trends are coming together in war.

First is the growing use of unmanned systems, something I explore in my book "Wired for War." Just a few years ago, the U.S. military had no interest in unmanned systems. Indeed, when the U.S. invaded Iraq, we had only a handful of unmanned systems in the air and zero on the ground in the invasion force, none of them armed.

Today, we have more than 7,000 in the air, ranging from the 48-foot-long Predator to tiny ones that can fit in a backpack, and 12,000 on the ground, such as the Packbot and Talon systems that hunt down roadside bombs. Many of these systems are armed, giving new meaning to the term "killer app."

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With a deadline to sell Saab by December 31, General Motors ended negotiations with a potential buyer Friday.

Steven Wade
Special to CNN

My name is Steven Wade and I'm a Saaboholic.

I own three of them, though that's not many by Saab collector standards. I write about Saabs daily on a Web site that I've been running for close to five years now. I've traveled to Sweden twice to look at them, as well as to the Detroit and Frankfurt auto shows. Did I mention that I live in Hobart, Australia, which is almost as far away from Sweden as you can get.

Tens of thousands of people visit my Web site, viewing almost 400,000 pages during November 2009. Many of them contributed articles and news tips. And all of them are in mourning today.

With a deadline to sell Saab by December 31, General Motors ended negotiations with a potential buyer Friday and said it will begin an orderly windup of Saab early in 2010 unless another buyer emerges. (Spyker, a Dutch carmaker, said Sunday that it made a new offer to buy Saab from GM.)

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Ted Kennedy believed that health care for all citizens was a fundamental right, not a privilege

Victoria Reggie Kennedy
The washington Post

My late husband, Ted Kennedy, was passionate about health-care reform. It was the cause of his life. He believed that health care for all our citizens was a fundamental right, not a privilege, and that this year the stars - and competing interests - were finally aligned to allow our nation to move forward with fundamental reform. He believed that health-care reform was essential to the financial stability of our nation's working families and of our economy as a whole.

Still, Ted knew that accomplishing reform would be difficult. If it were easy, he told me, it would have been done a long time ago. He predicted that as the Senate got closer to a vote, compromises would be necessary, coalitions would falter and many ardent supporters of reform would want to walk away. He hoped that they wouldn't do so. He knew from experience, he told me, that this kind of opportunity to enact health-care reform wouldn't arise again for a generation.

In the early 1970s, Ted worked with the Nixon administration to find consensus on health-care reform. Those efforts broke down in part because the compromise wasn't ideologically pure enough for some constituency groups. More than 20 years passed before there was another real opportunity for reform, years during which human suffering only increased. Even with the committed leadership of then-President Bill Clinton and his wife, reform was thwarted in the 1990s. As Ted wrote in his memoir, he was deeply disappointed that the Clinton health-care bill did not come to a vote in the full Senate. He believed that senators should have gone on the record, up or down.

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