Panel's battles on health highlight a broader split

Senate Democrats turned down Republican attempts to make fundamental changes in their healthcare legislation as the Finance Committee voted on a wide range of amendments that highlighted the deep partisan divide over the bill. The committee chairman, Senator Max Baucus, said he hoped the committee would approve the bill this week so it could be merged with a separate bill approved in July by the Senate health committee. The Senate majority leader, Harry Reid, Democrat of Nevada, said the full Senate could start debate early next month.