Congress Ends with Final Flurry -- Nuclear Treaty, 9/11 Health Bills Get Ok in Last Action

Summary

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WASHINGTON - The Senate on Wednesday approved a nuclear-arms treaty with Russia and a bill to aid 9/11 first responders, wrapping up a lame-duck congressional session that left Democrats jubilant and some Republicans feeling whipsawed.

The treaty, dubbed New START, appeared to be in trouble as recently as this weekend, when the two top Republicans in the Senate came out against it. But as was repeatedly the case over the final days of the 111th Congress, other GOP senators failed to hold the party line and joined Democrats to pass the accord in a 71-26 vote.

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Congress Ends with Final Flurry -- Nuclear Treaty, 9/11 Health Bills Get Ok in Last Action

Republican opposition had similarly crumbled in the face of votes on repealing the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy toward gay soldiers, a food-safety bill and long-stymied legislation to help 9/11 firefighters ...

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