<strongThe CNN Washington Bureau’s morning speed read of the top stories making news from around the country and the world.</strong Compiled by Alison Harding <strongWASHINGTON/POLITICAL</strong For the latest political news: www.CNNPolitics.com <strongCNN: Final Senate vote on health care set for Thursday morning</strong The Senate will hold its final vote on a sweeping health care bill Thursday morning under an agreement that Majority Leader Harry Reid announced Tuesday. http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/12/22/health.care.senate.vote/index.... <strongWashington Post: Robert Byrd back in form for Senate health-care vote</strong This week, amid a historic blizzard, the 92-year-old senator arrived in the wee hours after midnight, and in the frigid minutes just after dawn. When an aide guided him in his wheelchair onto the chamber floor just after 7:30 a.m. Tuesday, his fellow Democrats leapt to their feet and cheered, for the third time in five days. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/12/22/AR200... <strongBoston Globe: Health fight shifts to insurer shopping</strong The public option is gone. Expansion of Medicare is dead. But an intense fight continues over a crucial issue in the proposed health care overhaul: how far Congress should go in emulating the type of insurance marketplace that is at the center of the pioneering Massachusetts insurance program. http://www.boston.com/news/health/articles/2009/12/23/health_fight_sh... <strongCNN: CNN Poll: Afghanistan war still unpopular, but troop increase isn't</strong Although the war in Afghanistan remains unpopular with most Americans, the public supports President Obama's decision to send more U.S. troops to the conflict, according to a new national poll. http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/12/23/afghanistan.poll/index.html <strongBloomberg: Bernanke’s Confirmation Support Runs 3-1 in Favor in Senate</strong U.S. senators are backing Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke for a second term by a 3-to-1 margin, _base_d on a count of 77 lawmakers by Bloomberg News. http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aFqZDUNtADdk&pos=6 <strongChristian Science Monitor: Skeptics dominate hearing on Guantanamo detainees in Illinois</strong Federal and state officials faced a vociferous public and skeptical state legislators here Tuesday at a public hearing on the proposal to transfer Guantánamo Bay detainees to the Thompson Correctional Center in northwest Illinois. http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Justice/2009/1222/Skeptics-dominate-hear... <strongLos Angeles Times: Schwarzenegger to seek federal help for California budget</strong Facing a budget deficit of more than $20 billion, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is expected to call for deep reductions in already suffering local mass transit programs, renew his push to expand oil drilling off the Santa Barbara coast and appeal to Washington for billions of dollars in federal help, according to state officials and lobbyists familiar with the plan. http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-budget23-2009dec23,0,7164018.... <strongCNN: Giuliani to back rival in NY gov. battle, forgo run of his own</strong It appears Rudy Giuliani is giving fellow Republican Rick Lazio an early Christmas gift. The former two-term New York City mayor and 2008 GOP presidential candidate is scheduled to endorse Lazio for governor Tuesday afternoon at an event in New York City, according to a press release from the Lazio campaign. Lazio, a former congressman from Long Island, announced his candidacy for governor in September. http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/12/22/giuliani-to-back-riva... <strongWashington Times: Primary foe has yuletide jeer for Specter</strong Not even warm holiday wishes can soothe Pennsylvania's brutal Democratic primary fight between incumbent Sen. Arlen Specter and Rep. Joe Sestak. Mr. Sestak, who has relentlessly pummeled Mr. Specter for not being a real Democrat, couldn't resist taking one more swing at his opponent in a holiday e-mail sent out to supporters last week. http://washingtontimes.com/news/2009/dec/23/primary-foe-has-yuletide-... <strongCNN: Griffith: 'I can no longer align myself' with Dems</strong Democratic Rep. Parker Griffith announced Tuesday he is switching to the Republican Party, citing fundamental differences with his former party on key issues including, health care reform, 'cap and trade,' and the stimulus bills. http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/12/22/griffith-i-can-no-lon... <strongNATIONAL</strong For the latest national news: www.CNN.com <strongCNN: Pregnant soldiers won't be court-martialed, commander says</strong The commander who instituted a policy cracking down on pregnancy among soldiers defended it Tuesday as necessary to maintain troop strength, but said no soldier would ever be court-martialed for violating the directive. http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/12/22/iraq.us.soldiers.pregnancy/index.html <strongNY Times: Latino Leaders Use Churches to Push Census Bid</strong Fearing that millions of illegal immigrants may not be counted in the 2010 census, Latino leaders are mobilizing a nationwide drive to urge Hispanics to participate in the survey, including an intense push this week in evangelical Christian churches. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/23/us/23latino.html <strongLos Angeles Times: Toyota found to keep tight lid on potential safety problems</strong A Times investigation shows the world's largest automaker has delayed recalls and attempted to blame human error in cases where owners claimed vehicle defects. http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-toyota-secrecy23-2009dec23,0,56... <strongCNN: Jetliner misses runway at Jamaican airport</strong No one was seriously injured Tuesday evening when an American Airlines plane overshot a runway near Kingston, Jamaica, during bad weather and crashed into a fence, officials said. http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/americas/12/22/jamaica.plane/index.html <strongDenver Post: Denver cops give 911-only cellphones to refugees worried about recent attacks</strong Recent beatings of South Asian refugees have prompted Denver police to hand out cellphones to newcomers from abroad. The hope is that the emergency-only phones, which require no payments, will help refugees reach paramedics and police to prevent future trouble, said Scott Snow, director of the Denver police Victim Assistance Unit. http://www.denverpost.com/ci_14053322#ixzz0aV2QA5V8 <strongINTERNATIONAL</strong For the latest international news: http://edition.cnn.com <strongCNN: World powers discuss options should Iran miss nuclear deadline</strong World powers are discussing next steps toward Iran if it fails to meet a year-end deadline for addressing international concern over its nuclear program, the White House and State Department said Tuesday. http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/12/22/iran.nuclear.program/index.... <strongBloomberg: China Signals Resistance to Iran Sanctions, Seeks Further Talks</strong China signaled resistance to any U.S. and European push for tougher United Nations sanctions on Iran, saying talks aimed at preventing its development of nuclear weapons should be given a chance to succeed.