Fed official says state health exchanges are ready, yet Florida still delaying implementation

Donald Berwick, the administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, told reporters yesterday that the agency has the funds necessary to move forward with the Obama administration’s plans to create state health care insurance exchanges throughout the country. However, Florida remains one of five states that has not made More…

13 states prohibit abortion coverage in health exchanges, report says

The National Women’s Law Center recently released a report that lists all statewide measures prohibiting abortion coverage in More…

Stupak joins DC lobbying firm

Bart Stupak, the Democrat who retired from the Dist. 1 Congressional seat he held since 1993 this year after facing bipartisan attacks for his vote on federal health care reform, has signed on with the DC law and lobbying group Venable LLP.

Politico has the announcement:

Venable LLP announced

More…

Pro-Choice Caucus chair DeGette leads defense of abortion rights in House

Colorado Representative and head of the Congressional Pro-Choice Caucus Diana DeGette is surprised to find herself doing heated battle on a number of fronts in the war over abortion rights this early in the year. This session of Congress was supposed to be about jobs and the economy,

Corporations Seek Favor from Lawmakers Through Donations to Their Charities

Loopholes riddle campaign finance laws and ethics rules in Washington, but the widest may be the one governing corporate donations to the charities of lawmakers. Thanks to a provision that allows businesses to make unlimited gifts to foundations run or founded by members of Congress, the New York Times More…

Energy and Commerce Committee Requests Briefing on Vermilion 380 Explosion

The Democratic leadership of the House Energy and Commerce Committee sent a letter today to Mariner Energy CEO Scott Josey requesting a “briefing” on the possible causes of today’s Vermilion 380 oil rig explosion.

The letter was sent by committee Chairman Henry Waxman (D-Calif.), and subcommittee chairmen Edward Markey More…

Waxman Dismisses Industry Criticism of Oil Spill Response Bill

Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) is not moved by the oil industry’s argument that House oil spill legislation would prematurely require specific blow-out preventer technology and other well design measures.

Industry groups like the American Petroleum Institute say the cause of the April explosion on the Deepwater Horizon well should More…

Salazar to Testify on Spill Next Week

Interior Secretary Ken Salazar is slated to testify next week before the House Energy & Commerce Committee on “the role of the Interior Department in the Deepwater Horizon Disaster.”

The July 20 hearing is a co-production of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations and the Subcommittee on Energy and More…

Stupak Decries ‘Cozy’ Relationship Between Oil Industry, Government Regulators

We ran a piece earlier this week noting an apparent failure of federal regulators to enforce safety laws governing the oil and coal industries, both of which have suffered deadly, high-profile accidents in the last six weeks. Today, Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich.) put his considerable weight behind that More…

Stupak Cites Passage of Health Reform as Reason for Retiring

Outgoing Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich.) met with reporters today just a few hours after the news leaked that the 18-year House veteran had decided to hang up his hat at the end of this year. After suffering a barrage of criticisms over his stand on abortion during the health care More…