The fate of health care reform legislation appears to be hanging in the balance in the wake of the upset election of a Republican from Massachusetts to the U.S. Senate.

That victory by Scott Brown, winning the seat left vacant by the death of Sen. Ted Kennedy, trims the Democrats' Senate majority to 59, foreclosing their ability to shut down Republican filibusters.

According to several sources, rank-and-file Democrats in the House appear to be balking at suggestions that the House pass the Senate's reform bill immediately and negotiate further changes through a reconciliation process.

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