That is a tack evident in the Democrats' continuing debate with Republicans over how extensively to regulate health maintenance organizations and other health insurance providers.

"We're going to keep doctors first, lawyers second," Mr. Frist told reporters of the Republican plan to regulate health maintenance organizations.

In the Senate, interest in legislation to regulate health maintenance organizations has been bubbling for months in both parties.

He supports Democratic initiatives to expand Federal spending on day care, to protect the environment, to revamp campaign finance laws and to regulate health maintenance organizations.

Enrollment has increased from 100,000 in 1974, when the state first began regulating health maintenance organizations, to 1.4 million today.

But it also took a procedural step that may jeopardize legislation to define patients' rights and regulate health maintenance organizations.

On the Capitol lawn today, gleefully defiant Democrats announced a petition drive to force the House to consider a bill to regulate health maintenance organizations.

The Democrats want to try again to regulate health maintenance organizations and overhaul campaign finance laws.

In July 1999, by a vote of 53 to 47, the Senate passed a Republican bill to regulate health maintenance organizations and insurance companies.

In addition, health care executives expect numerous efforts by lawmakers from both parties to regulate health maintenance organizations.