Senate Dems hope for consensus on public option

Sen. Harry Reid confirms he will bring a public option to the Senate floor that states can opt out of. (NYT) Today, the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee will kick off a three-day series of hearings as a precursor to a climate change bill. (Reuters) AOL names a new board of directors to be …

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Democrats give states a choice for national health plan

Senate Democrats are nearing a consensus on the health reform bill that may include a national health plan that states can opt out of, which Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid will likely pass back to the Congressional Budget Office today. (Reuters) The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, led by Sen. Barbara Boxer, is beginning …

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Fed drafts measure to trim executive pay

The Fed may follow suit with Pay Czar Kenneth Feinberg‘s pay cap of bailed-out firms and regulate executive compensation across the board. (FT) GM CEO Fritz Henderson will get a raise this year to $5.45 million. (Bloomberg) Sen. Harry Reid is taking a risk in still pushing for a public option. (NYT) But Republican Sen. …

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Feinberg cuts compensation at seven firms

Pay Czar Kenneth Feinberg will slash pay for top executive at financial firms receiving bailout funds. (WSJ) Sen. Harry Reid‘s plan to increase Medicare payments to doctors was defeated yesterday in the Senate. (NYT) Hedge fund Galleon Group will liquidate amid founder Raj Rajaratnam‘s insider trading woes. (Bloomberg) Though he denies leaving the job, insiders …

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Kerry negotiates Afghani runoff election

Sen. John Kerry emerges as an Obama foreign policy bargaining chip as he travels to Afghanistan to negotiate the runoff elections there. (WSJ) Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner says some TARP programs will be shuttered, but the administration will continue to target the core problems of the financial crisis. (Reuters) Emails show that Bank of America …

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Baucus: public option is still an option

Sen. Max Baucus says the public option is still “alive” in the Senate. (WSJ) Sen. Harry Reid and others are inserting provisions into the health care bill to protect their own constituencies. (Bloomberg) Wall Streeters may decrease monetary contributions to Democrats as they try to cap executives’ pay. (NYT) Billionaire investor Carl Icahn offers to …

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Democrats still fighting for public option

Sen. Chris Dodd says he and key Democratic leaders in the Senate haven’t given up on a public option yet. (Reuters) Health insurance CEOs are firing back against the Senate Finance Committee‘s health bill, saying it will cost them more in the long run. (WSJ) White House aides David Axelrod and Rahm Emanuel are calling …

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Pay czar blocks Bank of America CEO’s pay

Bank of America CEO Ken Lewis will forgo his 2009 pay, after urgings from Pay Czar Kenneth Feinberg. (Reuters) Senate Democrats come together to work out their internal concerns on health reform. (NYT) Sen. Max Baucus says if health coverage is widened, there will be a scramble to pay for it all. (WSJ) Sen. Jay …

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Health bill now brought to Senate floor

Sen. Harry Reid leads Democratic support in the full Senate for the health bill. (Reuters) Republican Sen. Susan Collins reaches across the aisle to work with Democrats on health reform. (WSJ) Rep. Barney Frank leads the House Financial Services Committee to tighten financial regulations, even as he is one of the largest recipients of money …

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Finance committee passes health bill through

The Senate Finance Committee approved Sen. Max Baucus‘ health bill yesterday with a 14-9 vote. (Reuters) In a key Republican vote, Sen. Olympia Snowe votes for the health reform bill. (NYT) Unions are lashing out against White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, who asked organized labor not to publicly oppose the health bill. (Bloomberg) …

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Finance Committee to vote on health bill today

The Senate Finance Committee will vote on Sen. Max Baucus‘ health bill today beginning at 10 am, EST. (Reuters) Democrats fight back against an insurance industry report AHIP President Karen Ignagni used to claim the proposed bill would increase the cost of health insurance. (NYT) Moderate Republican Sen. Olympia Snowe is in the spotlight today …

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