Senate committee that’s choke point on health care bill is next battle for divided Democrats

WASHINGTON — Keep going. You don’t have to fix all of it now. Just please don’t let it stall. That’s the essence of the message that Senate Democratic leaders have for their Finance Committee senators, who plan to start voting Tuesday on a remake of the nation’s health care system.

GOP lawmaker warns against health care changes, says government involvement brings delays

WASHINGTON — A GOP congresswoman grateful for quick detection of her breast cancer says Democratic health overhaul plans could mean life-threatening delays in treatment.

Rendell announces Pa. budget deal that ends 80-day impasse with mix of cuts and higher taxes

HARRISBURG, Pa. — Gov. Ed Rendell and legislative leaders reached a budget deal Friday to end Pennsylvania’s distinction as the last state still fighting over its annual spending plan.

Rendell to announce details of Pa. budget deal, ending 80-day impasse

HARRISBURG, Pa. — Gov. Ed Rendell and legislative leaders reached a budget deal Friday that would end Pennsylvania’s distinction as the last state still fighting over its annual spending plan.

Meltdown 101: Is American consumer spending really the economic engine we think it is?

There’s power in our pocketbooks. But how much?

What will your surgery cost? That depends, and the answer isn’t simple

CHICAGO — Flower shop owner Bob Hausheer would like to know why he can’t walk into a doctor’s office and see a list of prices.

Fed plan would review banks’ pay policies to ensure they don’t lead to too much risk-taking

WASHINGTON — The Federal Reserve for the first time would police banks’ pay policies to make sure they don’t encourage excessive risk taking under a plan the Fed is drafting.

House passes college aid bill, boosting Pell Grants, killing subsidized student loans

WASHINGTON — The House has voted in favor of the biggest overhaul of college aid programs since their creation in the 1960s — a bill to oust private lenders from the student loan business and put the government in charge.

Obama pushes health plan at rally, but deep divisions foretell rough road ahead

COLLEGE PARK, Md. — President Barack Obama called reinventing health care a “defining struggle of this generation” on Thursday, even as several Democrats criticized some of the fine print in a Senate proposal the president has praised.

Obama renews plea for health care overhaul in campaign-style rally at University of Maryland

COLLEGE PARK, Md. — President Barack Obama is making another impassioned plea for passage of his health care plan, calling it a “defining struggle of this generation.”

Health care overhaul picks up momentum, but deep divisions foretell rough road ahead

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama’s call for an overhaul of the nation’s health care system gained fresh momentum with the introduction of long-delayed Senate legislation to rein in spiraling medical costs and require nearly everyone to carry health insurance.

House college aid bill would boost Pell Grants, kill subsidized student loans

WASHINGTON — The House voted Thursday in favor of the biggest overhaul of college aid programs since their creation in the 1960s — a bill to oust private lenders from the student loan business and put the government in charge.

Baucus plan would improve health care access but costs could still be a barrier for some

WASHINGTON — You’re a 51-year-old single mother raising two kids and juggling a mortgage and a car loan. Because you’re self-employed, getting health insurance has always been a problem. Under the new Senate plan, you still might have to stretch your budget to pay premiums even if the coverage is more secure.

Details on the costs of the Senate Finance Committee chairman’s health care bill

A rundown of the new spending in Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus’ health care overhaul bill, and a look at how it’s paid for. The numbers are 10-year totals covering 2010-2019. Baucus pegs the overall cost of his plan at $856 billion over a decade; the Congressional Budget Office puts it at $774 billion. Baucus aides say the discrepancy is mainly because Baucus is adding up all the costs of the bill to get a gross total, while CBO uses some net numbers.

Baucus’ health care plan marks pivotal moment in debate _ but no GOP support for compromise

WASHINGTON — His calls for compromise rebuffed by Republicans, the Democratic chairman of the Senate Finance Committee unveiled sweeping legislation Wednesday to remake the nation’s costly health care system largely along the lines outlined by President Barack Obama.

Napolitano halts stimulus projects amid Democratic criticism of ‘terrible waste’ of money

WASHINGTON — Facing criticism for her handling of federal stimulus money, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said Wednesday that she would not start any new border construction projects while the department reviewed how projects were selected.

New federal program provides subsidy to suppliers of Upper Peninsula biomass electric plant

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. — Suppliers of wood fuel for a biomass electric plant in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula will get a federal subsidy under an agreement signed Wednesday.

Health insurance emerges as issue in NJ, Va. gubernatorial campaigns, but in different ways

NEWARK, N.J. — New Jersey’s Democratic governor is taking every chance he can to point out his ties to President Barack Obama — even promoting the divisive “public option” for health insurance. Meanwhile, his Republican challenger is careful not to speak ill of the president.

Case of California girl held captive for 18 years casts harsh spotlight on sex offenders

EAST PALO ALTO, Calif. — After being locked away for 25 years for sex crimes, Donald Robinson moved to a little block of unassuming homes in this city on the San Francisco Peninsula on Aug. 27.

Democrat Baucus releases long-awaited health overhaul bill _ Republican support still lacking

WASHINGTON — Sen. Max Baucus on Wednesday brought out the much-awaited Finance Committee version of an American health-system remake — a landmark $856 billion, 10-year measure that starts a rough ride through Congress without visible Republican backing.

HHS announces Medicare pilot program with incentive payments for better primary care

WASHINGTON — The Obama administration announced a new Medicare pilot program Wednesday to strengthen primary care services for patients and cut costly emergency room visits — by offering financial incentives to doctors.

FDIC names first winning bidder in program to back private buys of toxic mortgage assets

WASHINGTON — The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. on Wednesday named the first winning bidder under a test of the government’s program to back private purchases of toxic mortgage assets and get them off banks’ balance sheets.

LaHood: Government has compensated dealers for 70 percent of Cash for Clunker deals so far

WASHINGTON — The government has compensated dealers for 70 percent of the cars sold under the popular Cash for Clunkers program and they should be fully paid by the end of September, the transportation secretary said Wednesday.

Sen. Baucus releases long-awaited health overhaul bill; would cost $856 billion over 10 years

WASHINGTON — Sen. Max Baucus on Wednesday brought out the much-awaited Finance Committee version of an American health-system remake — a landmark $856 billion, 10-year measure that starts a rough ride through Congress without visible Republican backing.

Baucus moving ahead on health care without GOP support, Rangel says Obama’s price tag too low

WASHINGTON — Caught off guard, congressional Democrats are grappling with President Barack Obama’s unexpected call for immediate access to insurance for those with pre-existing medical conditions, as well as richer Medicare drug benefits than envisioned in early versions of health care legislation.

Top Senate negotiator to move ahead on health care without bipartisan agreement

WASHINGTON — The Senate’s top health care negotiator says he’s moving ahead on health care legislation without the bipartisan agreement he’d hoped for. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus said late Tuesday he’ll unveil a formal proposal on Wednesday, and move to committee deliberations next week. The Montana Democrat had spent months negotiating behind closed doors with a small group of senators trying to reach an elusive bipartisan deal.

Obama’s health care prescription cause difficulties for congressional Democrats

WASHINGTON — Caught off guard, congressional Democrats are grappling with President Barack Obama’s unexpected call for immediate access to insurance for those with pre-existing medical conditions, as well as richer Medicare drug benefits than envisioned in early versions of health care legislation.

Summary Box: Retail sales jump in August, but increase may be temporary

SPENDING REBOUNDS: The Commerce Department said retail sales rose 2.7 percent in August, the most in more than three years. A spike in auto sales, spurred by the Cash for Clunkers program, and higher gas prices drove the increase. Still, even excluding autos and gas, sales rose 0.6 percent, the largest rise in six months.

Rep. Rangel says Obama’s health bill price too low, would require slashing subsidies for poor

WASHINGTON — A key House committee chairman said Tuesday that President Barack Obama’s preferred price tag for a health care overhaul is too low and would require slashing subsidies for the poor. Ways and Means Chairman Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., also complained to reporters that “restrictions” Obama set out in his health care speech to Congress last week are complicating matters as House Democrats try to finalize their health care bill.

House committee chairman says Obama’s health bill price tag too low

WASHINGTON — A key House committee chairman said Tuesday that President Barack Obama’s preferred price tag for a health care overhaul is too low and would require slashing subsidies for the poor.