Senate's efforts on health care being slowed by other issues

The Wall Street Journal: "The Senate's slow-moving health bill is colliding with other legislative priorities on the economy, raising chances that Democrats won't meet their goal of pushing a health-care overhaul through the chamber this month." Though some forward progress was evidenced on Thursday when the chamber, for the first time since floor consideration of the health bill began, voted on amendments. "But action on the bill has slowed sharply, with the war in Afghanistan and the struggling economy moving to the forefront of lawmakers' concerns." Meanwhile, Democrats are complaining that Republicans are trying to use parliamentary maneuvers to slow the measure's consideration but Republicans insist they merely want full debate on the issues. All the while, the Senate's to-do list includes passing "an increase to the nation's borrowing authority this month." Action also may be taken this month to stop planned cuts in Medicare payments to doctors from taking effect  (Hitt and Bendavid, 12/4). 

Meanwhile, The Washington Post reports on Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's behind-the-scene efforts to advance the health reform measure. "As the Senate debate unfolds on the chamber floor, Reid has remained burrowed in his office, looking past the daily political drama playing out and, as he said recently, 'getting my deals done.'" Reid also "has been slow to tip his hand as he confronts uprisings from the left and right on major flashpoints, such as abortion coverage and a controversial public insurance plan."

In this round of legislative negotiations, Reid, an experienced deal-maker, has urged his Senate colleagues "to negotiate compromises among themselves and to bring their concerns directly to him," according to the Post. "The essence of Reid's calculus is to make sure that the cost of locking in one vote is not driving away another. Almost every Democratic senator has requested a favor or exemption of one form or another, senior Senate aides said" (Murray, 12/4).