Part of the $636 billion military spending bill that the US Senate just approved are

Extended through February 28, 2010, of the following:

* Jobless benefits and health-insurance subsidies for the jobless

* Current reimbursement rates for doctors under the national Medicare health insurance program for the elderly, thus averting a 21% pay cut

* Loosening of regulations to encourage small business lending. so that The Small Business Administration will continue to waive or reduce its loan fees and back 90% of the loans it oversees

Plus:

* A law that allows satellite television providers to retransmit broadcast-TV signals


It took strong words by Dan Pfeiffer, White House Communications Director, posted a post titled "The Time for Political Games is Over" at The White House Blog. December 18, 2009 at 12:10 PM EST, to get the Senate moving on the military spending bill per se.