From this morning's Earlybird:

• "Even as health care continues to dominate Capitol Hill, lobbyists are ramping up their efforts behind the scenes to add legislative sweeteners to a tax bill Congress is expected to take up before the end of the year," Roll Call (subscription) reports. "Lobbyists say they believe Congress will be forced to act because the estate tax and a popular tax credit for companies doing research and development are set to expire at the end of the year."

• "Lobbyists are redoubling efforts to advance tax and spending provisions as President Barack Obama considers additional options to bolster the economy," The Hill reports. "The renewed focus on fiscal stimulus measures comes as unemployment numbers have worsened."