The Associated Press reports - ” Legislation to provide cash-strapped states with $16 billion in Medicaid money and $10 billion to reduce layoffs of teachers and other public-school employees roared back to life in the Senate Wednesday.

A 61-38 procedural vote moved the bill closer to Senate passage, expected Thursday. It also set the stage for vacationing House lawmakers to return to work next week for a final vote that would send the bill to President Barack Obama.

Wednesday’s breakthrough took place after two moderate Republican senators from Maine, Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins, joined Democrats in voting to move the bill forward. Democratic Sen. Ben Nelson of Nebraska also dropped his earlier opposition to the bill.

The procedural vote advanced a major piece of congressional Democrats’ agenda. It was followed several hours later by an announcement from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., that she would call the House back into session early next week.”