Politics as usual in Congress

From the AJC: "The Senate must resume work Monday on the complex legislation that could have an enormous impact on 44 million Americans with pensions, airline employees, low-wage workers and wealthy people with large estates.

With the House's actions, however, Congress appeared heading toward a noisy fight that could end with no legislation being passed at all. The Senate has only until Friday to sort it all out before its recess.

Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) is demanding that the House measures be passed without change. But Democrats denounced Republicans' legislative maneuvers, which have attached minimum wage hikes to an estate-tax reduction.

Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) said that by combining the issues, Republicans are playing 'a cynical game of politics.' He said he was 'confident the Senate will reject this political blackmail.'"