4. Harry Reid
Senate Majority Leader (D-Nevada)
Does he have the votes to avoid a filibuster?
The story so far: Senate Republicans opposed a Democratic bill to get $25 billion in loans for the Detroit Three from the $700-billion Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP), and the bill was withdrawn. At the last minute, Democrats and Republican compromised to propose converting $25 billion tagged for conversion to fuel-efficient cars.
Its status? It was to come up again in a second lame-duck session scheduled for December.
What else will be in the bill? The lame-duck Senate bill required automakers to issue warrants in exchange for the loan guarantees to limit compensation on the D3's top five executives and must provide a business plan that outlines progress toward better fuel efficiency.
Road blocks: Reid can count on 58 or 59 votes in the new Senate, which is just short of filibuster-proof, for any new bail-out bills this year.
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