Chesapeake Bay restoration reports call for greater regulation of large livestock farms

WASHINGTON — Chesapeake Bay cleanup efforts are likely to require greater regulation of the region’s large-scale animal farms, according to federal officials.

Gov. Rick Perry says Texas Ranger teams headed for Texas-Mexico border

HOUSTON — Special teams of Texas Rangers will be deployed to the Texas-Mexico border to deal with increasing violence because the federal government has failed to address growing problems there, Gov. Rick Perry said Thursday. “It is an expansive effort with the Rangers playing a more high-profile role than they’ve ever played before,” Perry said of the Department of Public Safety’s elite investigative unit.

Gov. Perry says Texas Ranger teams headed for Texas-Mexico border

HOUSTON — Special teams of Texas Rangers will be deployed to the Texas-Mexico border to deal with increasing violence because the federal government has failed to address growing problems there, Gov. Rick Perry said Thursday.

Meltdown 101: Why has Obama administration’s housing plan fallen short of high hopes?

WASHINGTON — The government set expectations sky-high earlier this year when President Barack Obama launched an effort to help up 7 to 9 million homeowners avoid foreclosure.

As employer-provided plans decline, gov’t health programs pick up slack to cover uninsured

WASHINGTON — The number of Americans covered by government-sponsored health insurance plans surged to 87.4 million last year — or 29 percent of the U.S. population — amid a fierce, national debate about whether to create a new U.S.-run plan that any American could join.

White House cautiously optimistic in first stimulus report, says 1 million jobs saved, created

WASHINGTON — White House economists said Thursday that the Obama administration’s recovery efforts have saved or created more than 1 million jobs, an estimate that underscored a cautiously optimistic forecast about the direction of the economy.

State-by-state glance of Americans who have health insurance

Here is a list of the percentage of insured people by type and state in 2008. The private insurance category includes both employer-sponsored and directly purchased plans; the government category includes Medicaid, Medicare and military plans.

Number of uninsured rise to 46.3 million; poverty rate hits 13.2 percent, an 11-year high

WASHINGTON — The number of Americans without health insurance rose to 46.3 million last year as people began losing jobs and coverage in the current recession. The poverty rate hit 13.2 percent, an 11-year high.

Number of uninsured rises to 46.3 million; poverty rate hits 13.2 percent, an 11-year high

WASHINGTON — The number of Americans without health insurance rose to 46.3 million last year as people began losing jobs and coverage in the current recession. The poverty rate hit 13.2 percent, an 11-year high.

Transportation Sec’y LaHood: Gov’t on track to reimburse dealers for ‘Clunkers’ by Sept. 30

WASHINGTON — Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood says the government has approved $1.22 billion in reimbursements to car dealers for sales under the Cash for Clunkers program.

Health care industry could face continued uncertainty over reform, despite Obama speech

NEW YORK — Shares of health insurers wavered in premarket activity Thursday after President Barack Obama made clear he is sticking to his goal of health care reform in a televised speech to a joint session of Congress Wednesday night.

Many moved by Obama’s soaring rhetoric on health reform, but others await more details

While some were moved to tears by the president’s soaring rhetoric, others were moved not at all. Where some saw a new clarity, others saw more vagueness. And while some praised him for reaching out to Republicans, there were those who felt he was overreaching in some ways and not reaching far enough in others.

Text of Obama’s speech to Congress on health care reform

Text of President Barack Obama’s address to Congress on health care reform Wednesday, as prepared for delivery and provided by the White House.

A look at the main points of Obama’s health care speech

A look at key points in Obama’s health care speech:

FACT CHECK: Obama uses iffy math in pledging health insurance overhaul won’t fatten deficit

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama used only-in-Washington accounting Wednesday when he promised to overhaul the nation’s health care system without adding “one dime” to the deficit. By conventional arithmetic, Democratic plans would drive up the deficit by billions of dollars.

Obama: Medicare trust fund will not be used to pay for health care overhaul

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama on Wednesday night promised to protect Medicare and reassured the elderly that Medicare funds would not be used to pay for a health care overhaul.

Obama exhorts Congress to pass health care overhaul, says ’season for action’ has arrived

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama summoned Congress to join in a “season for action” on health care Wednesday night, urging lawmakers to set aside partisan gamesmanship in favor of drafting legislation that benefits millions who have insurance and many more without it.

HIV testing proposed to be added to Medicare coverage

WASHINGTON — The government proposed Wednesday to have Medicare cover tests for HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.

Obama seeks new life for health care in speech to lawmakers, increasingly skeptical public

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama summoned Congress to join in a “season for action” on health care Wednesday night, urging lawmakers to set aside partisan gamesmanship in favor of drafting legislation that benefits millions who have insurance and many more without it.

Mixing attacks and appeals, Republicans call on Obama to start over on health care overhaul

WASHINGTON — Slow down and start over.

Obama to urge Congress that a ’season for action’ on health care has arrived

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama summoned Congress to join in a “season for action” on health care Wednesday night, urging lawmakers to set aside partisan gamesmanship in favor of drafting legislation that benefits millions who have insurance and many more without it.

Obama urges Congress to enact sweeping health care bill, saying ‘time for bickering is over’

WASHINGTON — Shaking off a summer of setbacks, President Barack Obama summoned Congress to enact sweeping health care legislation Wednesday night, declaring the “time for bickering is over” and the moment has arrived to protect millions who have unreliable insurance or no coverage at all.

Obama exhorts Congress to pass health care overhaul, says ‘time for bickering is over’

WASHINGTON — Shaking off a summer of setbacks, President Barack Obama summoned Congress to enact sweeping health care legislation Wednesday night, declaring the “time for bickering is over” and the moment has arrived to protect millions who have unreliable insurance or no coverage at all.

Obama hopes to salvage health care plan after delays and GOP attacks take a toll

WASHINGTON — In retrospect, President Barack Obama now says, he should have offered more details about health care proposals a few months ago, rather than give critics all summer to criticize them, often with baseless claims.

Wells Fargo says mortgage modifications under government program jump 64 percent in August

DES MOINES, Iowa — Wells Fargo & Co. on Wednesday said it completed 33,172 trial and final modifications under the Home Affordable Modification Program through the end of August.

Sun Healthcare Group cuts 2009 profit, revenue outlook, plans restructuring move

NEW YORK — Health care facility operator Sun Healthcare Group Inc. cut its 2009 guidance Wednesday, citing an expected decrease in Medicare reimbursement rates, and said it will cut an undisclosed number of jobs to reduce costs.

Health care overhaul, an odyssey of social-system change whose time, critics say, hasn’t come

WASHINGTON — Harry Reid could hardly believe his ears.

Bank of America names Andrew Plepler its new consumer policy executive

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Bank of America Corp. said Wednesday it named Andrew Plepler, who formerly led its charitable foundation, to the newly created position of consumer policy executive.

Health care’s bumpy road: More potholes, headaches than Democrats expected

WASHINGTON — Harry Reid could hardly believe his ears.

Taxpayers likely to face significant losses on $81 billion auto bailout, watchdog report says

WASHINGTON — Taxpayers face losses on a significant portion of the $81 billion in government aid provided to the auto industry, an oversight panel said in a report to be released Wednesday.