HEALTH CARE . . . LIMBO TILL LABOR DAY

Like the House before it, the Senate has put health-care reform on hold until early September -- a move that will probably shoehorn any effort at legislation this year into the nine-week slot between Labor and Election days. After wearing themselves out on the crime-bill fight, Senators pressured majority leader George Mitchell to scrap his vow to hold up vacations until they crafted a compromise package.