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Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has decided to begin debate on ratification of the START treaty as soon as Wednesday, after the Senate passes the tax cut package, according to his spokesman Jim Manley.

Senate Democrats had already planned on staying in session through the weekend and possibly into next week in order to debate the treaty, but were waiting for a green light from the White House. That now appears to have happened.

Another outstanding issue is funding the government. A resolution to keep the government running expires at week's end.

Manley said the Senate will "juggle" that, along with the START treaty.

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