By CONGRESSDAILY STAFF
The Senate will vote Tuesday on the nomination of Kansas Democratic Gov. Kathleen Sebelius to be HHS secretary. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said the nomination will be subject to a 60-vote threshold following eight hours of debate.
Sebelius is expected to be confirmed, but debate on her nomination could be contentious, given that her opponents are upset over her support for abortion rights, particularly late-term abortions. Some Republicans claim she was not forthcoming about contributions she received during her run for insurance commissioner from a Kansas abortion provider, George Tiller.
Sebelius claimed she had received $12,450 from Tiller, but amended the number to about $35,000 after press reports found discrepancies.
The 15-8 Senate Finance Committee vote last week on the nomination fell largely along party lines. Sens. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., and Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, crossed the aisle to support Sebelius.
Finance ranking member Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, told Finance Chairman Max Baucus, D-Mont., his "no" vote was not meant to foretell a partisan tone for the upcoming debate on overhauling the nation's health care system.
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