Healthcare overhaul effort moves forward without Kennedy

Los Angeles Times, June 5, 2009

Senate Democrats and the White House are stepping up preparations to overhaul the nation's healthcare system without the ailing Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, a move that could dramatically alter the course the legislative struggle. While battling a malignant brain tumor, the 77-year-old Kennedy spent months working on a sweeping bill that Democrats hope will help lay a foundation for the most ambitious health overhaul in generations. And lawmakers in both parties were counting on Kennedy's stature and deal-making skills to help craft the kind of bipartisan compromise that many believe will be necessary if a major health bill is to pass the House and Senate.