You have heard the talk already about how busy the U.S. Senate will be in December with debate and votes on major health care legislation from Democrats.  Well, you know what?  They have a ton of things to do other than that as well.

This list of "To-Do" items would be more than enough to keep the Senate busy, even without health care being on the agenda.

It's one of several reasons why I think it is almost impossible for the Senate to finish work on a health bill by the end of the year.

For example, seven budget bills for the current fiscal year (which began on October 1) still are not finished.

Democrats are talking about lumping them all together into one giant "Omnibus" bill, which by itself, would tie the Senate up for a number of days.

And don't forget about all the pork and last minute provisions that will get stuffed in those bills.

But there are outside issues lurking in those measures as well, like expected efforts by Republicans to block money from being spent on 9/11 terror trials in New York and from transferring detainees out of Guantanamo Bay and to the United States.

And did I mention a new strategy on Afghanistan?  Maybe the White House will decide to send more troops, which will mean hearings in Congress and maybe votes in the House and Senate on extra money for that?

Also, there is what's called the "Debt Limit" - which is exactly what it sounds like.  The federal government has a law that limits how much debt the federal government can take on.

Right now, the limit is at $12 trillion (yes, that's "T" trillion).  Lawmakers will have to approve a bill to raise that, which is a tricky political vote for a lot of Democrats.

Just those issues right there could keep the House and Senate tied up in knots for most of the month.

How about I add in something else?  Like the big conference in Copenhagen on climate change?  A bunch of Senators from both parties are scheduled to be there, and there has been talk that President Obama might go as well, stopping off before or after a visit to Oslo to pick up his Nobel Peace Prize.

It will be a busy December.  Even without health care legislation.