Do they need 60 votes after conference? I thought only a majority.
I spent an hour last night trying to find Senate rules on this. The complete Senate rules are hard to find...not on Thomas....maybe buried with some earmarks somewhere.
Senate Rules (http://rules.senate.gov/senaterules/)
Riddick's Senate Procedure (http://www.gpoaccess.gov/riddick/index.html)
Most of the rules have a catch-all provision, "rule applies unless waived," which makes prediction of action tricky. Also, the Senate will combine rules-based actions into shortcut combinations, e.g., combining what is usually a cloture vote and a final vote into a single final vote w/60 vote margin; or a similar combination but with a point of order vote and a final vote.
Anyway, final passage of the conference report is subjected to an agreement as to ending debate to vote on the conference report, and at that point a 60 vote hurdle is erected.