Senators Ready to Vote on Proposals While the are ready, there is no apparent compromise in sight. Many remain skeptical

Senate Minority Whip Don Nickles, R-Okla., said over the weekend he was afraid the Senate might not be able to pass a bill. ``I'm afraid that might happen,'' Nickles said on CBS' ``Face the Nation.'' ``I hope not. I hope that we can pass something.''

A spokesman for Finance Committee Chairman Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., conceded Monday that a compromise could take some time.

``Our commitment to this issue is to get the right bill,'' said Michael Siegel. ``We're operating under no self-imposed deadlines, which means we could be at this well beyond this week.''

I hope that they can develop a reasonable compromise.