Senate votes 56-40 to begin debating fixes to healthcare reform bill

The Senate voted Tuesday to formally begin debating a measure to make final changes to healthcare reform law.

Senators voted 56-40 to approve a motion to proceed with the healthcare reconciliation bill that was approved Sunday by the House.

This bill makes a series of changes to the Senate's original healthcare legislation, which was passed Sunday by the House and signed into law Tuesday by President Barack Obama.

The motion begins 20 hours of debate in the Senate on the reconciliation bill, with 10 hours alloted to each party. 

Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.), who said he opposes the reconciliation package, voted against the motion to proceed. Sen. Blanche Lincoln (Ark.), another Democrat who opposes the package, voted in favor of moving ahead with the debate.

Four senators did not vote: Democratic Sens. Robert Byrd (W.Va.) and Tom Udall (N.M.) as well as GOP Sens. Robert Bennett (Utah) and Johnny Isakson (Ga.). Isakson is hospitalized with a bacterial infection.

Republicans will try to raise points of order and offer amendments to this package, which would send it back to the House for another vote.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) has said he's signed up a "significant majority" of the Senate, though, to vote against any such changes. Reid's office has said he hopes to finish the bill by Saturday.