Lobbying for Arms and Legs

WASHINGTON -- Sean Brame looks bored.

He's leaning forward to look down the length of the long, glass covered table, resting his cheek on his right wrist, where the doctors had to cut off his hand three years ago.

Three seats down, a man from Allentown with a prosthetic arm is telling one of Sen. Arlen Specter's aides how he will lose his temporary health insurance in a few months and how that will make it even harder to get the replacement arm he needs. I've got a letter, the man tells the aide, that I'm giving to every lawmaker we meet today.

Sean looks around Specter's conference room inside the Senate's Hart office building, at the deep leather swivel chairs, at the chart dissecting President Clinton's 1993 healthcare proposal blown up mural size, at the senator's staff members, at the other amputees, at the doctors.

He shifts the spearmint gum from the right side of this jaw to the left. Twelve-years-old for more two more days, he wears a tropical print shirt, Steelers sneakers and star-pattern covers over his prosthetic legs....READ MORE