The Maryland Democrat said in an interview [this week] that House leaders will have the 218 votes needed to pass the sweeping bill, presuming a couple final issues are resolved. He acknowledged that the vote will be close.

Hoyer said language on abortion and illegal immigrants was still being worked out but predicted those issues could be solved in time for Saturday's debate and vote on the legislation that President Barack Obama has made his top domestic priority.

. . . A debate and vote are expected Saturday on the 10-year, $1.2 trillion bill that would extend coverage [for the uninsured], [create a government-run public plan], require employers to insure their employees and bar such insurance company practices as dropping coverage for sick people.

. . . Leaders stopped short [earlier this week] of declaring they had the 218 votes needed to pass the bill, and they were still negotiating language on abortion and immigration. But scheduling the vote meant those issues would have to be resolved and undecided lawmakers would have to declare themselves.

. . . Action is slower on the other side of the Capitol, where senators are awaiting an analysis from the Congressional Budget Office on legislation written by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and others. The timeline there appears likely to spill into next year.

The rest of the story . . . .