Dream on top 10 agenda

WASHINGTON — The lame ducks come quacking back to Capitol Hill this week for a post-election session that is likely to be long on rhetorical fireworks and short on accomplishments. In the final days of California Democrat Nancy Pelosi's speakership, there will be partisan posturing by both parties and stern talk from victorious House Republicans about the will of the voters. But election-weary lawmakers are poised to push most hot-button issues into the 2011 session of Congress. Here is a capsule summary of 10 key issues facing the lame-duck Congress:

1. Taxes: The framework of a deal is in place: Republicans want to extend all of the Bush-era tax cuts, including for the wealthiest Americans, for at least two years. Democrats want to extend long-term unemployment benefits. Because President Obama has signaled that he doesn't want middle-class tax cuts to vanish at year's end, Republicans have the upper hand in negotiations.

2. Spending: Congressional Democrats are still trying to cut a deal with Senate Republicans to approve a catch-all spending bill that would include some earmarked projects. If the back room maneuvering fails, we can expect a bare-bones "continuing resolution" that continues government spending at current levels for up to three months - and punts all difficult decision to the divided Congress of 2011.

3. Immigration: Despite earlier presidential pledges, there will be no attempt to enact comprehensive immigration reform. Democrats will try to pass the so-called DREAM Act, which would grant citizenship to children illegally brought to the United States by their parents if the young people serve honorably in the military or achieve high grades in school. But it's at least one vote short of sufficient support to thwart a Republican filibuster.

4. Gays in the military: Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid emphasized last week that he remains committed to repealing the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy that forbids out-of-the-closet gays and lesbians from serving in uniform. Reid vows to do it in the lame-duck session. But he couldn't round up the necessary support before a showdown vote last month. It will be tough for him to succeed this time, too - even if he waits until December, when a military study is likely to embrace repeal.

5. Pentagon budget: Republicans blocked funding for military operations, including both wars, last month in an attempt to thwart Democrats' efforts to add gay rights, immigration and abortion provisions to the measure. The GOP probably has the votes to kill the DREAM Act and repeal of "don't ask, don't tell." If that happens, frustrated Democrats likely would allow the military proposal to pass. But there is the potential for a protracted political standoff here that could kill most other items on the lame-duck agenda.

6. Child nutrition: Another example of a dysfunctional Congress: Almost everybody agrees on legislation that would improve child-nutrition programs in the U.S., but this popular proposal got stuck in line behind the controversial stuff. So its chances are iffy in the lame-duck session. Its fate probably depends on a public outcry (or lack thereof) in the next week. That's one reason why Academy Award-winning actor Jeff Bridges, an anti-hunger crusader, told a nationally televised luncheon at the National Press Club on Wednesday, "I invite the viewers out there in TV land to call their congressmen and encourage them to pass this bill."

7. NASA: One small detail to watch: How will Congress pay for the additional space shuttle flight authorized just before the election? Lawmakers will decide whether to take money from "earth science" spending or from other space programs. Houston businesses are hoping to avoid a hit on space spending.

8. Energy: Texas energy executive T. Boone Pickens has a lot at stake. He's hoping that lawmakers will pass a measure with strong bipartisan support that would create subsidies and tax incentives to convert long-haul trucks to natural gas fuel and create natural gas fueling facilities around the country. Time is Pickens' biggest enemy here.

Another issue that could be doomed by the clock: Giving subpoena power to the commission investigating the Deepwater Horizon explosion. Panel members say they need this power to pressure witnesses to come forth and testify under oath.

9. Nuclear arms reduction:: A new arms-control pact with Russia has sufficient support to win Senate approval, but it could become a victim of a clogged calendar. If it doesn't pass in 2010, it will likely come up early next year.

10. Angry doctors: If Congress doesn't act, Medicare reimbursement to doctors will be slashed by 23 percent on Dec. 1. Doctors are angry and plan to flood Capitol Hill this week to make their views known to legislators. The "Medicare fix" is an annual game of political chicken - and it always has gotten done - but this Congress hasn't yet acted. Physicians are worried that they could get caught in the political crossfire.

"I am exceptionally exhausted with these annual and biannual threats to cut my reimbursement by drastic amounts," said San Antonio breast cancer surgeon Kathryn Wagner. "As a businessperson, I can't budget at all because I have no idea how much money is going to come in."

Stewart Powell and Charles Lewis of the Washington bureau also contributed to this report.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/nation/7294842.html

wow!! i'm surprised it is No. 3

we don't have any time left! we should pass DA ASAP before 12/31/2010

cool

I wish it was #1 but America wants Taxes and Spending taken care of first. Oh god I hope there is enough time for DREAM in the Senate and House.

is it ranked here according to numbers or just random order?

I'm pretty sure DADT is of higher importance for the congress.

Since Taxes is #1, and it IS #1, I would guess its according to the author's perspective.

well... immigration is the second top issue among hispanics, and it is at least in the top 5 among the white population (according to polls and information displayed on other articles, cspan, al punto), I just hope it translates to being one of the issues considered soon, and hopefully before kirk takes his spot.