From this morning' s Earlybird:

• "Companies and groups hiring lobbying firms on health issues nearly doubled this year as special interests rushed to shape the massive revamp of the nation's health care system now in its final stretch before Congress," USA Today reports. "About 1,000 organizations have hired lobbyists since January, compared with 505 during the same period in 2008, according to a USA TODAY analysis of congressional records compiled by the nonpartisan CQ MoneyLine."

• "Emboldened by their success in inserting restrictive abortion language into the House health care bill, Roman Catholic bishops say they've found a lobbying model that could provide them a louder voice in future policy debates," Politico reports. "Success in the House came after the church ran a classic lobbying operation: deploying paid staff to Capitol Hill, tapping influential bishops to make private appeals to key congressional leaders and distributing bulletin inserts to 19,000 parishes with easy instructions -- and sample wording -- for sending a message to local representatives."

• "As most of Washington continues to focus solely on the health care debate, Damon Wells may have the best seasonal gig in town -- chief lobbyist for the gobble lobby," Roll Call (subscription) reports. "Wells, who has been at the National Turkey Federation for the past three years, serves as the Thanksgiving centerpiece's eyes, ears and biggest advocate on Capitol Hill."