Washington in 60 Seconds: Landmark Health Bill Set to Pass Tomorrow

Good morning, Capitolists! The Senate session has looked a lot like the Iditarod dog-sled race lately. Both feature loud barking, cover snowy terrain, seem to last forever and require the teams to push themselves to their physical limits. The good news for mushers and spectators alike: The end is in sight.

Here's what's making news in Washington today:

* Final Health Vote Set. Set your alarm for 8 a.m. Christmas Eve to watch the Senate's final and exceedingly anticlimactic vote on health care reform. After wrangling 60 votes for a series of procedural maneuvers this week, Harry Reid needs just 51 votes to finish this leg of the race. Next stop: conference with the House, which, trust us, isn't going to be pretty.

* Guess What, John McCain: You Lost! Sen. Mary Landrieu went to the Senate floor this week to helpfully remind Sen. John McCain that, in case he forgot, he lost the presidency last year, so the will of the people should be clear to him on health reform. McCain's response: "I really didn't need to be reminded," he said with a laugh. "I had not forgotten, although sometimes I would very much like to." McCain added, "I would like to remind my friend from Louisiana, I did carry her state."

* Byrd in Hand for Democrats. It took Joe Lieberman and Ben Nelson a while to come around on health reform, but Democrats will quietly tell you it was Sen. Robert Byrd's vote they sometimes worried about the most. The Washington Post's Paul Kane writes about the 92-year-old senator's spirited "Aye!" votes on health care reform and his colleagues' clear relief that his sometimes-fragile health has held up through 1 a.m. votes, snowstorms and Republicans' prayers that God would strike down one Democrat, just one, before the Senate vote this past Monday.

* Budget-Busters' Battle Brewing. Senators have agreed to delay a major floor debate on the cringe-worthy state of the federal budget until next year, with a vote scheduled tomorrow on raising the federal debt ceiling. Without it, the administration warned that Social Security and disability checks wouldn't go out in January (editors' note: disturbing). In exchange for the extension, senators have told the White House to expect serious strings to be attached to any big-spending plans for next year.

* 'Barry' from D.C.? Please Hold. President Obama took a break from health care and climate change to call a D.C. radio show yesterday that features Virginia Gov. (and Obama bud) Tim Kaine. It was the outgoing governor's final show before leaving office. Among other surprise callers wishing Kaine well was the guv's Republican replacement, Bob McDonnell.