Clinton's appearance at a caucus luncheon came three days after President Obama delivered a similar message to House members, after which the House passed its health-care bill.

Clinton noted the grim consequences of his failed effort 15 years ago: Democrats lost control of Congress in that year's midterm elections, health-care costs skyrocketed, and the uninsured rate continued to rise.

This time, the former president admonished, senators should compromise for the sake of a deal.

"It's not important to be perfect here," Clinton said after the meeting. "It's important to act, to move, to start the ball rolling. There will be amendments to this effort, whatever they pass, next year and the year after and the year after, and there should be. It's a big, complicated, organic thing. But the worst thing to do is nothing."

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D., Nev.) invited Clinton to speak at the weekly session "to share his insights," Reid spokesman Jim Manley said. White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel, a former senior Clinton aide, also urged him to attend, Manley said.

Democratic lawmakers have yet to read the Senate health-care bill, which Reid is expected to unveil early next week. He is awaiting a cost analysis from the Congressional Budget Office on a merged bill, based on the legislative work of two committees.

In the meantime, Reid is scrambling to unify the 60 members of his caucus behind a procedural motion to bring the bill to the floor.

Reid said yesterday morning that he expected floor action to begin next week and said the House and Senate could still produce a final bill by Christmas.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R., Ky.) said he would use all available parliamentary options to ensure a lengthy debate, with no shortcuts.

"The Senate is a place where the American people get to weigh in, where there are amendments on a whole broad array of issues," McConnell said. "And we will have lots of amendments. They may have, as well."

Sen. Charles E. Schumer (D., N.Y.), a member of the Senate leadership, said Democrats came away from the lunchtime meeting with "real optimism we can get it done this year."

Other Democrats said they were impressed by Clinton's presentation.

"He made a strong case for Congress getting this done this year," said Sen. Ron Wyden (D., Ore.). "I think there is a general sense that the clock is ticking . . . that getting it done this year will in effect clear the tables and allow the focus to be on jobs and infrastructure and education. He made a compelling case for that position."

Several Democrats who attended the meeting with Clinton said he did not express an opinion on many of the controversial issues embedded in the health-care debate, the Associated Press reported. Such issues range from calls for a government-run insurance option to the availability of abortion coverage in private and government insurance.

Sen. Ben Nelson of Nebraska, the only Democrat who has yet to support bringing a bill to the Senate floor, noted that Clinton appealed to lawmakers not to expect their ideological ideal.

"He said you need to pass the best bill that you can," Nelson said. "Getting the best bill is not only good for the people, it's good politics - and it's that simple."

After Health Vote, a Backlash for Cao

The only House Republican to vote Saturday for the Democratic-backed health-care bill said that two fund-raisers for him had been canceled since the vote and that some campaign contributors had asked for their money back.

Rep. Anh "Joseph" Cao said, though, that he stood by his vote. "At the end of the day, we all have to represent our respective districts," he said yesterday.

Cao rejected any notion that he might leave the GOP. And House Minority Whip Eric Cantor (R., Va.) said he planned no political retaliation against Cao.

Cao, 41, a Vietnamese American, defeated former Rep. William J. Jefferson in a mostly black, mostly Democratic New Orleans district. Jefferson had been politically hobbled by a criminal indictment and has since been convicted.

Cao drew harsh criticism in his district for siding with his party against President Obama's stimulus bill. But he has also broken with the Republicans before on issues including an expansion of health insurance for children.

- Associated Press