In a move underscoring the Democratic push to pass a health care overhaul this year, House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer issued a revised legislative calendar Wednesday scheduling possible roll call votes almost to Christmas Eve.

Hoyer, D-Md., said in a notice to members that the House will be in session the weeks of Nov. 16, Nov. 30, Dec. 7 and Dec. 14.

He also told members that votes are possible the week of Christmas, on Monday Dec. 21 and Tuesday, Dec. 22.

In making the announcement, Hoyer said he hopes the Senate will pass a health care overhaul bill and send the measure to a House-Senate conference committee in time to allow a final vote in both chambers this year — just as President Obama has long requested.

“As action on health insurance reform legislation moves to the Senate, the House is updating its schedule for November and December to reflect that, and to ensure there is time to complete our work on other important issues,” Hoyer said in a statement.

That may be wishful thinking. Senate Democratic leaders have yet to unveil the health care legislation they will take to the floor, and they face repeated filibuster threats and a lengthy debate once the measure is actually called up.

As recently as Tuesday, Senate Majority Whip Richard J. Durbin , D-Ill., said, “Our goal is to get it out of the Senate this year.”

The House has other business to complete this year before it adjourns. That includes finishing work on the fiscal 2010 appropriations bills, so that an omnibus spending bill is not necessary.

The House, which passed its climate change legislation in June, also hopes the Senate will pass its version of a bill this year — though that appears unlikely — and both chambers are working on financial regulatory overhauls.

The new calendar represents a big shift from Hoyer’s original timetable, which optimistically called for the House to adjourn for the year on Friday, Oct. 30. And it stretches beyond the informal revised target of Friday, Dec. 18, when the current stopgap appropriations bill expires.