US Senate "Stays Until Health Law Passes"

Exasperated by inter-party bickering by both democratic and republican Senators and filibustering by the Republicans, US Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell last week repeated his pledge to keep the Senate in session until a health reform bill is produced. "The Republicans can prolong this by stalling, but we're going to stay until it's done," he declared. "We're staying - I can't make it clearer or say it more directly."

Observers note that Sen Mitchell's determination to get a bill passed could well pay off, if only because of the unique situation in that no previous health reform legislation has ever progressed so far in the Congress. Should this attempt die, Sen Mitchell and others have warned, it will be a long time before any US president takes up the issue of health reform again.

A bipartisan bill similar to one already in the House, without taxes or an employer mandate, was offered last week by centrist Senators, led by John Chafee. It is backed by business but there are serious doubts about its financial provisions, and its chances are also hampered by some Republicans' desire for a new bill rather than amendments, Senate Minority Leader Robert Dole's reaction to any new plan, and the group's "floating" membership.