CQ reports that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D., Calif.) could allow a vote tonight or tomorrow on the scaled-back six-month “Doc Fix” that the Senate recently passed:

“We may,” said Pelosi during her weekly news conference. “What we’re looking at now is taking up the short-term [payment fix].”

Meanwhile, the larger package of deficit-funded tax and benefit “extenders” remains hopelessly stalled in the Senate.

“I’ve come to the conclusion that the other side doesn’t want a solution,” Reid, D-Nev., said on the floor Thursday morning. He blamed Republicans for killing a long list of now-expired tax and benefit programs that the bill would revive. “The time to decide is closing in on us. But it’s not over yet. It’s not too late to do what is right.” The “solution” the Republicans favor, by the way, is that the extenders be paid for. UPDATE: The cloture vote on the Democrats’ extenders bill just failed again, 57-41. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: witness the continued vindication of Jim Bunning:

Today’s vote marks the third time that Reid has failed to advance the legislation.
The legislation’s fate is now a big unknown since Reid signaled he would move to legislation providing tax relief and loan opportunities to small businesses if extender package failed.
“We will move to the small business bill,” he told reporters earlier today, adding that without Republican support he will never be able to move the bill from his chamber.
“It’s up to them,” he said.
Republicans’ chief concern with the bill is that it added to the deficit.
Today’s failed vote illustrates the extend to which fears about the deficit are now dominating the legislation process. Senate Finance Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.), moments before the vote, said that deficit concerns have made passing legislation much tougher.
Sen. George Voinovich (R-Ohio) told The Hill that the votes on extenders should be a wake up call to Democrats that deficits will likely determine the fate of future legislation.
“Things have changed,” he said. “The deficit is a big, big deal and we’re at the point right now to where taxes and borrowing could send us over the cliff as far as I’m concerned.”