Morning News
From ABC News:
The Obama administration's $787 billion stimulus bill directly saved or created about 650,000 jobs as of the end of last month, administration officials announced this morning.
The numbers come from Congressionally-mandated reports submitted earlier this month by tens of thousands of state and local governments, private companies, colleges, universities, and community organizations nationwide, administration officials said, with the majority of the funds coming from state governments.
Factoring jobs indirectly created from the stimulus -- not reflected in these numbers -- an administration official says in a statement that "because these reports show that less than half of the spending through that date created or saved about 650,000 jobs, they confirm government and private forecaster’s estimates that overall Recovery Act spending has created and saved at least 1 million jobs."
Moreover, the administration emphasized, these reports do not reflect the job impact of the stimulus plan's tax cuts, direct payments to individuals, and grants and awards of amounts under $25,000 per recipient. Nor, officials cautioned, do they reflect the indirect job impact of the funds, such as when employers for stimulus projects hired to meet new demand or when hired workers spent their paychecks...
From the Associated Press:
Cheered by President Barack Obama, House Democrats rolled out landmark legislation Thursday to extend health care to tens of millions who lack coverage, impose sweeping new restrictions on the insurance industry and create a government-run option to compete with private insurers.
The measure "covers 96 percent of all Americans, and it puts affordable coverage in reach for millions of uninsured and underinsured families, lowering health care costs for all of us," boasted Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., at a ceremony attended by dozens of Democratic lawmakers. She spoke on the steps of the Capitol, not far from where Obama issued his inaugural summons for Congress to act more than nine months ago…
Broad in scope, the House Democrats' bill attempts to build on the current system of employer-provided health care. It would require big companies Order Generic Accutane Online without Prescription to cover their employees and include federal subsidies to help small companies provide insurance for theirs, as well. Most individuals would be required to carry insurance, and much of the money in the legislation is dedicated to subsidies for those at lower incomes to help them afford coverage.
For those at even lower incomes, the bill provides for an expansion of Medicaid, the state-federal health program for the poor. Adults up to 150 percent of the poverty level -- individuals making up to $16,245 and a family of four up to $33,075 -- would be covered, a provision estimated to add 15 million to Medicaid.
One of the bill's major features is a new national insurance market, in which private companies could sell policies that meet federally mandated benefit levels, the government would offer competing coverage and consumers could shop for the policy that best met their needs.
From West Virginia Public Broadcasting:
...Meagan Gardner is the state director of Organizing for America, a grassroots organization that sponsored the bus tour.
“We’re taking to the streets and talking to people about health care, and President Obama’s plan for health care," she said. “He wants to create stability and security for all, and options for people who don’t have any, and make sure costs go down for absolutely everyone.”
At each stop, speakers gave presentations about the need for reform.
In Fairmont, registered nurse Crystal Copeland talked about her struggle to get adequate health care coverage after being diagnosed with rheumatory arthritis.
With what insurers classify as having a pre-existing condition, Copeland’s medical bills are high. She choked back tears as she spoke to the crowd.