Sen. Carper returns to Wilmington after late vote

Delaware's Senior Senator Tom Carper returned to Wilmington to serve as a bell ringer for the Salvation Army,  after the 1 a.m. vote in Washington D.C. that closed debate on the Senate's health care reform bill.

Concessions to cinch the necessary 60 votes to close debate included the end to the idea of a government-run public option, and an amendment restricting abortion coverage.

The $871 billion reform package intends to help 30 million uninsured Americans get health care coverage.  It creates a  health care exchange, where people could buy into the same type of health coverage programs currently offered to federal employees, according to Carper.

He says he anticipates the Senate will vote on the bill before Christmas," hopefully not on Christmas," Carper said.

Carper says he hopes the bill will ultimately retain language crafted in the Senate Finance Committee version, including  financial incentives for employees who take  preventive health care measures such as stopping smoking, lowering cholesterol, and losing weight.