US President Barack Obama has hailed the Senate's healthcare vote as a "big victory for the American people".

美国总统奥巴马高呼参议院的医疗保健投票是“对美国人民的重大胜利”。

Senators voted in the early hours of Monday to end debate on a compromise折衷，妥协 bill, putting the legislation on course to face a final vote on Christmas Eve.

President Obama has set health reform as a key plank厚木板，政纲条款 of his first term.

The legislation, which aims to cover 31 million uninsured Americans, could lead to the biggest change in US healthcare in decades, if approved.

"The United States Senate knocked down a filibuster海盗，阻挠议事的行动 aimed at blocking a final vote on healthcare reform and scored a big victory for the American people," Mr Obama said.

Acrimonious³ debate

He said the Senate showed it could "stand up to the special interests" and move the nation closer to a health insurance overhaul⁴彻底检修，详细检查 for the country as a whole.

He said the bill would reduce the deficit⁵ in the long term从长远来看, countering Republican criticism that the legislation is too expensive.

After a long, often acrimonious严厉的，辛辣的 debate Senators voted 60 to 40 along party lines to end debate on the bill at 0100 (0600 GMT) on Monday.

Four further votes are scheduled this week on the issue before the final Senate vote on Christmas Eve.

Under the Senate bill, most Americans would have to have health insurance.

Private insurers保险公司 would be banned from refusing to provide insurance because applicants⁶ had pre-existing medical conditions.

If passed, the Senate bill would have to be reconciled with与……和解 a more expansive one passed last month by the House of Representatives.

Key differences in the House version include a government-run health insurance plan, or public option, and how to pay for the reform.