March 10, 2010: U.S. Senate Set to Vote on Plan to Extend Unemployment Benefits
The U.S. Senate is set to approve a $138 billion plan that would extend unemployment benefits through the end of this year after eight Republicans joined Democrats yesterday to end efforts to block the plan.
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March 10, 2010: Senate jobs bill moves toward final vote
The Senate’s latest jobs bill cleared a key procedural hurdle Tuesday, with the chamber voting to limit debate on a $150 billion package of tax-break extensions and aid for the unemployed.
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March 10, 2010: Obama pushing on health care end game
President Barack Obama is making his closing arguments for a health care overhaul, pushing a new anti-fraud plan as he cranks up the pressure on skittish Democratic lawmakers to act fast.
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March 10, 2010: Thousands rally to support health-care reform in downtown Washington
Amid a sea of brightly colored T-shirts and wave after wave of protest signs, Regina Holliday’s homemade banner still stuck out as she marched Tuesday in support of health-care reform.
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March 10, 2010: Abortion is bill’s remaining hurdle
It’s taken Democrats a year to finalize their health care bill, so it should come as no surprise that they’re now fighting about the endgame — including an increasingly public spat about when a final push for passage should take place.
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March 9, 2010: Dem plan to pair health reform, student lending complicates vote
Senate Democratic leaders have decided to pair an overhaul of federal student lending with healthcare reform, according to a Democratic official familiar with negotiations.
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March 9, 2010: Obama launches attack on health insurance companies
The White House is mounting a stinging, sustained broadside against health insurance rate increases as President Obama and his aides enter what they hope will be the final stretch of a year-long political war over health-care reform.
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March 9, 2010: In final push, Obama stresses bill’s reforms will rein in cost of healthcare
President Barack Obama said his healthcare plan takes into account “every single serious idea” on cost containment from both parties.
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March 9, 2010: Obama Turns Up the Volume in Health Care Bid
President Obama challenged wavering members of his party on Monday not to give in to political fears about supporting health care legislation, asserting that the urgency of getting a bill through Congress should trump any concern about the consequences...
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March 9, 2010: Obama: Time to debate health care over
President Obama on Monday tore into private health insurers for recent rate hikes, taking a more aggressive rhetorical turn as he pushes for final congressional passage of his top domestic priority.
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March 8, 2010: Reconciliation: why healthcare reform ‘nuclear option’ is deadly
When the word “reconciliation” came up, it was Senator Lindsey Graham’s tone more than his words that suggested the political enormity of what might lie ahead in the healthcare reform debate.
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March 8, 2010: A Handy Road Map for the Final Weeks
This really is the home stretch in the health care debate.
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March 8, 2010: Obama to appeal for public support on health care
With the fate of his signature legislative initiative far from certain, President Barack Obama is taking his last-ditch push for a health care overhaul on the road.
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March 8, 2010: President Obama takes reform on the road
President Barack Obama is reviving his health care road show Monday, even as he admits every argument has been made and Republicans say voters have already rejected his plan, citing a slew of recent polls.
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March 8, 2010: Dems keep pressure on Stupak over healthcare bill and abortion concerns
Abortion continued to loom Sunday as the thorny issue that could paralyze the momentum of healthcare reform efforts in the home stretch.
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March 5, 2010: Abortion coverage dispute divides House Democrats
On the other side of the obstacle course that President Barack Obama must clear to get his health care overhaul, a final trapdoor is lurking: the divisive politics of abortion.
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March 5, 2010: Obama Takes Health Care Deadline to Democrats
President Obama, beginning a full-court press for his health care overhaul, met Thursday with insurance industry executives and House Democrats as party leaders on Capitol Hill struggled to figure out whether they could meet the president’s timetable...
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March 5, 2010: Democrats dodge post-Rangel gavel fight
The race is on for permanent control of the Ways and Means Committee.
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March 5, 2010: Liberals grill Obama on health reform
House liberals pressed President Barack Obama on healthcare reform Thursday and left the White House without making any commitments to vote for the final bill.
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March 5, 2010: MedPAC Suggests Small Update, Blasts Medicare Advantage
The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) is recommending that physicians receive a 1% payment update in 2011.
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March 5, 2010: For Many House Democrats, Cost Is the Concern
Everybody paid attention when President Obama, in a speech at the White House on Wednesday, said “now is the time to make a decision” and “the United States Congress owes the American people a final vote on health care reform.”
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March 4, 2010: Pete Stark hands off gavel
Rep. Sander Levin will take over as chairman of the Ways and Means Committee after Rep. Pete Stark, who held the gavel for a day, stepped aside.
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March 4, 2010: Stark Runs Into Stiff Resistance
Rep. Pete Stark (Calif.) may have the shortest chairmanship in the young history of the House Democratic majority.
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March 4, 2010: Democrats Unsure Whether Stark Fit to Replace Rangel on Tax Committee
House Democrats on the powerful Ways and Means Committee are meeting Thursday to decide whether short-fused Rep. Pete Stark should take over for Rep. Charlie Rangel as chairman, with questions being raised about the California Democrat’s temperament....
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March 4, 2010: Some Dems are wary of Obama’s final health push
Rank-and-file Democrats in Congress remain wary of health care legislation in spite of President Barack Obama’s closing argument for overhauling the system, well aware that success is far from assured and political perils abound.
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