Obama delays Asia trip to deal with health care
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama has delayed his first international trip of the year, a three-country visit to Asia, to focus attention on the final push to salvage health care legislation after a year of contentious debate. The trip to Guam, Australia and Indonesia — the world's most populous Muslim country, where Obama spent several years as a youngster — will now run from March 21-26, rather than March 18-24, according to a senior administration official who spoke condition of anonymity because the White House hadn't announced the delay.
Democrats pare differences over health overhaul
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama is postponing his long-scheduled Asian trip for a few days to make a final push for passage of historic legislation reinventing the health care system. Obama's decision, revealed Friday morning by senior administration official, came amid assertions by leading Hill Democrats that they're resolving disputes over the measure that has been through a host of rewrites. At the same time, these Democrats said decisions remain on how to subsidize health insrance coverage. And they confirmed they're still hunting for sufficient votes to get it through.
Need for results drives Obama's domestic juggle
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama's intense juggling of domestic issues reflects all the realities he faces: a vast agenda, a smaller window for results this year and a need to keep promises to constituencies that will have a huge say in the fall congressional elections. Obama is in the heart of a period in which he has pledged to do everything in his power to make the case for health reform, a time-consuming blitz that he hopes will end in a final vote in Congress this month. That's on top of his commitment to make jobs his top priority.
AP Source: Obama wants Yellen as Fed vice chair
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama intends to nominate Janet Yellen, the president of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, to take over as vice chairman of the Federal Reserve, a person familiar with the selection said Friday. Yellen is considered a dove on monetary policy, meaning she is more concerned about high unemployment than rising inflation. As vice chair she would be the second highest ranking Fed official.
Reid's wife hospitalized after traffic accident
WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's wife remained hospitalized Friday with serious injuries suffered when a tractor-trailer rear-ended the minivan she and their daughter were riding in on a suburban Virginia interstate, officials said. Landra Reid, 69, suffered a broken back and neck in Thursday's crash, but her injuries were not believed to be life-threatening. Mrs. Reid and their daughter, Lana Barringer, 49, were taken by ambulance to Inova Fairfax Hospital in Falls Church, Va. The daughter was released Thursday night, hospital spokesman Tony Raker said.
Senators question $1 million pay for charity's CEO
WASHINGTON (AP) — A group of Republican senators is questioning high salaries and expensive travel bills for executives at the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, raising issues that could jeopardize millions in federal funding for the national charity. The four senators said they were concerned that the chief executive of a charity that has been closing local clubs for lack of funding was compensated nearly $1 million in 2008. They also questioned why in the same year officials spent $4.3 million on travel, $1.6 million on conferences, conventions and meetings, and $544,000 in lobbying fees.
Lawmakers probe lax enforcement of animal rules
FRESNO, Calif. (AP) — The knives at the slaughterhouse weren't properly sanitized, a government investigator said, and employees at the meatpacking plant didn't know how to test the carcasses of days-old veal calves for a dangerous pathogen. Food safety conditions were so poor at the Vermont processing facility that it should close before someone got sick, officials warned. Instead, the plant stayed open for months. It wasn't until an undercover video surfaced with images of calves being kicked, dragged and skinned alive that the federal government ordered Bushway Packing Inc. to close last November for the inhumane treatment of animals.
Utah House GOP leader says he paid off woman
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Utah's House majority leader said late Thursday he paid a woman $150,000 to keep silent about going nude "hot-tubbing" with her when she was minor a quarter century ago. In a shocking statement on the House floor, Kevin Garn, 55, of Layton said he paid her to keep quiet about the incident during his unsuccessful U.S. congressional bid in 2002, but did not have sexual contact with her.
'Little Billy' punks VIPs in wide-eyed letters
WASHINGTON (AP) — "Little Billy" was in a jam: His parents blamed him for dismembering his sister's doll, but the dog did it. How could he clear his name? He scribbled a note to Robert Shapiro, the high-priced O.J. Simpson attorney, who counseled him to gather forensic evidence, examine the doll's body for tooth marks or dog saliva, or find an alibi witness who would get him off the hook. No charge for the advice.
Pa. GOP picks Burns as nominee for Murtha's seat
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Republicans in Pennsylvania have nominated a political newcomer to fill the congressional seat of the late Rep. John Murtha. Tim Burns is a 41-year-old millionaire businessman and a native of Murtha's hometown of Johnstown. Burns now lives in the town of Eighty Four, about 30 miles south of Pittsburgh.
