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Mike Mitka

JAMA. 2006;296:2670.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text and any section headings.

With the Democratic Party gaining slim majorities in both the House of Representatives and the Senate following the November 7 elections, shifts in health care spending, oversight, and philosophy are expected. But whether the Democrats can make drastic changes over the next 2 years as President Bush awaits with his veto pen remains uncertain.

Rep Nancy Pelosi (D, Calif), poised to become the first woman Speaker of the House, said Democrats would introduce an aggressive package of measures that include promoting stem cell research and giving the federal government the power to negotiate with drug companies to lower prices in the Medicare drug program.

On the Senate side, Edward Kennedy (D, Mass), who is expected to become the chair of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, has said he would consider legislation requiring health care institutions to implement electronic health records. According to news accounts, Kennedy is . . . [Full Text of this Article]