They are now expected to take the draft to the UN General Assembly, where it will likely pass by a large majority.

BBC: Arms treaty blocked by Iran, North Korea and Syria

Some history: He is Fat Boy to some, Tough Guy to others and, to the vast majority of people who pass him by without so much as a glance, "that statue" on the corner of Queens Boulevard and Union Turnpike.

WSJ: New Outrage Over Infamous Statue

Others advocate Europe-wide referendums on a single day to pass new treaties, which would be approved by a majority of voters in a majority of countries.

ECONOMIST: Charlemagne

Although it takes two-thirds of legislators to pass a tax increase, fees could be increased by a simple majority vote.

ECONOMIST: California's budget

Another piece of legislation introduced in the House would amend the state constitution to require future wildlife or natural resource-related initiatives to pass by a two-thirds margin, rather than by a simple majority.

CNN: Alaskan airborne wolf hunting resurfaces

With McConnell up for re-election in 2014, he is considered unlikely to risk angering the party's conservative base by supporting a compromise or allowing one to pass on a simple majority vote that would need no GOP backing, sources said.

CNN: Down to the fiscal cliff wire, with no solution in sight

On an afternoon when England's World Cup flops were booed by the vast majority of the 84, 623 inside Wembley, Wayne Rooney played a superb low pass for Antonio Valencia's opening goal.

BBC: Chelsea 1-3 Man Utd