While Senate Democrats were all smiles at the White House when President Obama signed a new health reform bill into law, they were all business when the Senate started to turn to the bill that would make changes in that brand new statute.

The Parliamentary Gyrations began as soon as the Senate returned to work on Tuesday afternoon, as Democrats adjourned the Senate for one minute to get to a new legislative day, in order to bring up the House-passed reconciliation bill.

Democrats threatened to keep the Senate in all night long, in order to burn off the 20 hours of time allowed for debate on a reconciliation bill.  The goal was simple - get the bill done as quickly as possible, as both sides made clear they were ready for a fight.

"We're going to treat it as a serious legislative exercise and we're going to have a number of amemdents that are important that people go on record on," said Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell.

Republicans have vowed to blitz the Senate floor with dozens of amendments and repeated parliamentary challenges, but there was already talk in the hallways that the whole exercise might be wrapped up by late Thursday night or Friday.

Why?

Well, the Senate starts a two week break for Easter on Friday, and it wouldn't surprise me one bit to find out that there are some Senators scheduled to fly overseas at the end of the week on Congressional delegation trips during that time.

Meanwhile, Republicans lined up a series of amendments that could put some Democrats on the defensive, trying their best to force a change in the reconciliation bill.

Now whether they succeed or not, GOP Senators do hope to put Democrats on the record on a variety of issues, some of which could be fodder for the November elections.

For example, Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) has filed an amendment that would block any coverage of Viagra and Erectile Dysfunction medications for "convicted child molesters, rapists, and sex offenders."

Right now, the Democratic plan is to vote down all amendments, so that there is no need to send this bill back to the House for further action.

But something like that might be tough for a Democrat up for re-election this year to vote against.  It writes a thirty second attack advertisement by itself.

You can read that amendment at http://bit.ly/buupwh .

Other amendments that have been filed seem like they might not be ruled germane, like one from Sen. Robert Bennett (R-UT), that would "protect the democratic process and the right of the people of the District of Columbia to define marriage."

Bennett has found himself under fire in his home state from a more conservative GOP candidate.

Then there is an amendment from Sen. David Vitter (R-LA) that would prohibit the "use of funds to fund the Associate of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN)."

Maybe Sen. Vitter didn't see the story about ACORN going bankrupt?

One amendment that might have a chance at being approved comes from Sen. Charles Grassley (R-IA), who opposed one section in the Senate-passed health care bill - which is now law - that seemed to exempt senior Congressional staff from some of the changes in the health system.

So, Grassley has filed an amendment that would "make sure the President, Cabinet Members, all White House Senior staff and Congressional Committee and Leadership Staff are purchasing health insurance through the health insurance exchanges established by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act."

On most of these amendments, Democrats will stick together.  But when it comes to Viagra and the Grassley amendment, we'll see whether changes get made or not.