Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's decision to merge controversial energy and global warming measures together into one large bill raises the stakes for sponsors, who now begin counting votes on issues at the core of President Obama's agenda. Reid confirmed yesterday that he now supports packaging a cap-and-trade bill together with a nationwide renewable electricity standard (RES) and other energy provisions. Go to story #1

Senate consideration of the fiscal 2009 omnibus spending bill will drag into next week, as Democrats fell one vote short of cobbling together the 60 votes needed to clear a procedural hurdle to move the bill. The delay will force Congress to approve another continuing resolution -- this one until Tuesday -- to keep the federal government operating. The current CR expires at midnight tonight. Go to story #2