Senators away for the Thanksgiving holiday are continuing the health care reform debate with constituents and are facing far less vitriol than during the August recess.
CongressDaily: "In a memorandum to members, Senate Democratic leaders suggested this is a prime time to frame the debate because momentum is growing after Saturday night's vote to start debate on the measure. ... The memo plays down a dispute between moderate Democrats who threaten to scuttle the language due to opposition to the public option with a state opt-out and liberals who say they might balk if that measure is dropped." Meanwhile, a talking points memo from GOP leadership claims "that the measure will cost $2.5 trillion when fully implemented" (Friedman and House, 11/24).
White House health care czar Nancy-Ann DeParle on Tuesday praised Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., and Rep. Anh "Joseph" Cao, R-La., for their roles in helping move health care reform along, reports The New Orleans Times-Picayune. "DeParle said she believes that Congress can craft legislation that will pass both (chambers) with both Cao and Landrieu on board." DeParle said that she can see the pieces of a compromise coming together on the public option, which is a sticking point for many moderate senators, but she wouldn't say what such a compromise might look like (Tilove, 11/24).
Here's a rundown of what's happening at home for some members of Congress: