In the first of a pair of votes Tuesday, the Senate rejected, in a 52-47 vote, a plan pushed by Democrats that would spend $594 billion over several years on a drug benefit. A plan that would spend $370 billion and was mostly promoted by Republicans and a few Democrats failed in a 48-51 vote. Both were short of the 60 votes needed for passage under Senate budget rules.

With both parties trying to gain political advantage on an issue that may be important in the fall elections, senators indicated a willingness to get something passed.

"We are to take what happened not as a signal for defeat but rather as a call to action," said Sen. Bob Graham, D-Fla., an author of the Democratic plan. "We've got to work hard to find that middle ground."

Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, said after the vote, "I would meet with anybody, anyplace."

Lawmakers immediately began to huddle over the plans. A Democratic meeting Tuesday afternoon included Graham, Finance Committee Chairman Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., health committee chairman Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., and Sen. John Breaux, D-La., an architect of the plan touted by the Republicans.

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