Here is a brief outline from a variety of sources on the agreement the Senate seems to have reached – for now – as of late last night now that the Tester Amendment has been folded into the full Bill.

Senator Reid filed yet another cloture motion on the bill, and the vote on that motion will be Monday, Nov 29th in the evening. If cloture is invoked then the following amendments will be considered:

· Senator Johanns’s motion regarding 1099 forms (this is a health care related issue)

· Senator Baucus’s motion regarding 1099 forms

· Senator Coburn’s motion regarding a substitute amendment to S510

· Senator Coburn’s motion regarding earmarks

If any motion is agreed to (vote threshold is 60), then the Senate will vote on the actual amendments. Once those are disposed of, there should be a vote on S. 510. Have I lost you yet?

Senator Harkin has said that House leadership will take up and pass S. 510 if the Senate can pass it, but at this point it’s a rumor and not confirmed. The Senate and House will likely be in session for most of December so there is always hope. However, as I said yesterday, with the leafy green and fruit associations pulling support for S. 510 because of the addition of the Tester Amendment, everything is still up in the air.