Overcoming the threat of a filibuster, the Senate Democratic majority advanced the health care bill to the full Senate on Saturday. The vote was 60-39, along party lines. Debate can now begin on the bill, which is expected to begin next week. Republican Sen. George Voinovich of Ohio missed the vote.

Rank-and-file Democrats still await details on the health care legislation heading for the Senate floor this week. However, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) already has seen it, and estimates the price tag at $849 billion over a decade.

The U.S. Senate voted unanimously tonight to extend unemployment benefits for Americans who have exhausted their unemployment benefits would do so by year’s end. Senators voted 98-0 for the extension, which now heads to the House of Representatives. Once approved, which could be as early as Thursday, it will be sent to President Obama to sign.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said on Monday that the health insurance reform legislation headed to the Senate floor will include a public option. He added that states will be able to opt out of the program if they choose.

The U.S. Senate passed landmark legislation Thursday. The bill makes violence against gays and lesbians a federal crime.

The U.S. Senate has approved injecting another $2 billion into the "Cash for Clunkers" bill. The approval will keep the program alive until Labor Day. The final vote was 60 to 37.

On Tuesday, the Senate Judiciary Committee voted 13-6 in favor of Sonia Sotomayor, President Barack Obama's nomination to replace retiring Justice David Souter on the Supreme Court. This will move the nomination on to a full vote of the Senate.

On Wednesday, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee approved a bill to revamp the nation’s health care system. The vote, however, 13 - 10, was strictly along party lines.

The United States senate has decided to heavily regulate tobacco products in an attempt to gain control over the deadly drug and to help consumers to stop smoking.

Tobacco has historically being one of Virginia’s most valuable crops, but a new poll shows that the majority of the people in that state are putting public health and safety above state revenue from tobacco farming by supporting stronger regulation of tobacco products.

Amazingly fast, since the final vote on the first Senate proposal took place only Tuesday, the House and Senate came to quick agreement on a reconciled stimulus package on Wednesday. Or did they?

Late Friday, on a day when the Labor Department said the U.S. unemployment rate reached 7.6%, the Senate appeared to have reached a deal on reductions to the economic stimulus package which could lead to a vote as early as tonight.