The US House of Representatives must vote again on President Barack Obama's landmark healthcare bill, after Republicans succeeded with two minor challenges in the Senate.
Under a ruling on procedural issues, the Senate upheld the Republican challenges on points of order relating to student loans.
It means the package will require another vote by the House, just days after it narrowly passed the package by seven votes during a contentious debate on Sunday.
Senate Parliamentarian Alan Frumin upheld the two Republican challenges on points of order under budget reconciliation rules, Senate Democratic aides said.
The points of order involved the revamp of the student loan programme included in the package, said Jim Manley, a spokesman for Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid. Under the reconciliation rules, each provision in the package must have a budgetary impact.
The sweeping healthcare overhaul was only signed into law by President Barack Obama on Tuesday.
The decision could set up another politically difficult vote in the House, which narrowly passed the $940bn overhaul after a year-long political struggle.
‘We are confident the House will quickly pass the bill with these minor changes,’ said Kate Cyrul, a spokeswoman for Tom Harkin, Democratic chairman of the Senate Health Committee.
The ruling came after Senate Democrats managed to fend off 30 Republican amendments designed to derail the bill.
The amendments were meant to force Democrats to cast difficult political votes before November's congressional elections.
