The Senate headed for a Saturday morning vote on a package that funds the Pentagon and keeps other key programs, including benefits for the unemployed and highway spending, from expiring.
The defense bill cleared a crucial hurdle early Friday with a vote to end a Republican effort to prolong debate.
Anchored by a $626 billion Pentagon funding bill, the measure also carries short-term extensions of unemployment benefits, highway and transit funding, key pieces of the anti-terrorism Patriot Act and a measure to save doctors from shouldering a 21 percent cut in Medicare payments.
The timing of the 63-33 post-midnight tally -- which blocked GOP stalling tactics and forced a final vote to clear the bill for Obama no later than Saturday -- was governed more by the brawl over health care than significant opposition to the defense measure or its additional baggage.
The bill passed the House on Wednesday by 395-34.
The underlying defense measure provides $626 billion to the Defense Department for the budget year that began almost three months ago, a 4 percent increase for core Pentagon operations. It includes $128 billion for military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The president has yet to request funds for his recently announced troop increase in Afghanistan.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
