Senate Democrats have come together to support a major health care legislation, the biggest in 40 years, providing the necessary fodder for US president Barack Obama’s domestic policy goal to extend medical care coverage to about 31 million Americans.

The controversial Affordable Health Care for America Act, or H.R. 3962, managed to gain the necessary minimum of 60 support votes on the Senate floor after Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid recommended a motion in the bill to prevent the federal funding of abortions, the same issue that nearly stopped the bill from clearing the House of Representatives some weeks ago.

With the revised compromise package, Nebraske Senator Ben Nelson, a strong advocate against abortions, announced that he was to be the 60th member of the motion to support the health care bill.

“Change is never easy, but change is what’s necessary in America today. That’s why I intend to vote for cloture and for health care reform,” Nelson was reported as saying.

The $871 billion bill is projected to extend federal health care coverage to approximately 31 million Americans by 2019.