Late last night or early this morning (depending on your perspective), at 1:08am, by a party line vote of 60-40, cloture was invoked on Majority Leader Harry Reid's Amendment that he introduced Saturday while the East Coast was battling ice and snow.  Among other stipulations, Senator Reid's Amendment removes "Public Option" language from the Senate's Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act amendment to the House of Representatives bill (H.R. 3950).  After the vote last night/this morning, there is a 30-hour window for debate on Senator's Reid's amendment before a vote that requires a simple majority for passage.  Two (2) more cloture votes, requiring a 3/5 majority in the Senate are required. One (1) cloture vote will be on the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act amendment and the final cloture vote will be on H.R. 3950 as amended.  Each cloture vote is followed by a 30-hour window for debate.  If the full 30-hour blocks are exhausted after each cloture vote, the Senate will vote at 7:00pm on Christmas Eve on H.R. 3950 as amended at which time a simple majority is need to pass.