Player of the week: Sen. Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.)

It is safe to say that Senate Minority Whip Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.) is well-versed in the many issues that are pending in this lame-duck session.

He is arguably the most important legislator in deciding what will and what will not become law this month.

{mosads}Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has tapped Kyl to represent Senate Republicans in the tax-cut negotiations. Kyl, who sits on the Finance Committee, can go deep into the weeds on tax policy.

For years, Kyl and Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.) have been working on a plan to deal with the estate tax. Their hard work may pay off soon.

Kyl is also a key figure in debate over whether the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) will get through the Senate in the 111th Congress.

Last month, Kyl stunned many on Capitol Hill by saying START would not be approved in the lame-duck session, noting the busy agenda Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) has set.

Since then, he has apparently relented a bit, but insists that a deal extending Bush-era tax cuts must be reached before START gets finished.

The Obama administration wants the Senate to ratify START as soon as possible. It needs at least nine GOP votes to secure the necessary 67. Next year, that number would be higher, as Republicans will have more seats.

It appears that all the Bush tax cuts will be extended in exchange for an extension of unemployment benefits and the passage of START. Lawmakers may deny that START is part of the deal, but most deals are done with a wink and a nod. This will be no exception. The Obama White House wants START, and it will not bend on tax cuts unless it has assurances on the treaty.

Kyl is a deal-maker and, like the White House, he wants to get the best deal possible. After the GOP gains in the election, he has the better hand, and he knows it. He will give the White House concessions, but not many.