Reproductive rights groups compare Obama to Bush for Plan B decision

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Americans United for Life cheers on Stearns’ Planned Parenthood investigation

Responding to congressional opposition to an investigation of Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA), the national anti-abortion rights group that instigated the investigation is using donor solicitations, blogs and a new petition to help drive the investigation forward.

Ethical questions remain over federal funds received by Iowa FRC affiliate

The Iowa Family Policy Center, a division of The Family Leader, did not comply with federal-grant protocol when it relinquished the last year of federal funding it received for a controversial marriage-counseling program, according to documents obtained by The American Independent under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). 

Recession Means Fewer Resources for Refugees, Struggling Amid Jobs Crisis

Stan Delp, a 67-year-old retired teacher living in Lansdale, Penn., was sitting in church in June, 2008, when he noticed four unfamiliar black-haired men by him. He found they were new to the United States, having spent 11 years in refugee camp in Thailand. Delp’s church is not big — More…

Iowa Anti-Gay Marriage Group Pulls in Over $3 Million in Federal Funding

Last month, The Iowa Independent reported on an anti-gay marriage Christian group that called homosexual activity “more dangerous for individuals who engage in it than is smoking.”

Today, they report that this same group, the Iowa Family Policy Center, has received over $3 million in federal funding.

Wasserman Schultz: New Mammogram Guidelines ‘Causing Mass Confusion’

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.), a breast-cancer survivor, has been busy on the news shows this week, attacking the new guideline that women seek routine mammograms later in life. Last night, she was at it again, telling MSNBC’s Chris Matthews that it’s “totally inappropriate” for a More…

GOP Preventing Confirmation Vote for Surgeon General

Following up on Daphne’s piece about the hold-up on Dawn Johnsen’s nomination to head the Office of Legal Counsel, this Roll Call story by Jessica Brady got published on Saturday, so it hasn’t received much attention. It should. Regina Benjamin, the president’s nominee for surgeon general, More…

Finance Panel Quietly Postpones Hearing on HHS Nominees

With all the focus on (and delays surrounding) the Senate Finance Committee’s health reform bill, the outcome of another Senate health care controversy has been put on hold.  In the past week, the finance panel has twice postponed hearings to examine two White House nominees for positions in More…

GOP Threatens White House Over Medicare ‘Gag-Order’

It’s no news that Republicans are up in arms over the recent White House decision to bar insurance companies from encouraging their customers to oppose the Democrats’ health reform plans. But today they upped the ante.

In a letter to the White House, Republican leaders have threatened to More…

Sebelius Confirmed as HHS Secretary

Lost in the din over Sen. Arlen Specter’s decision to switch parties today was Health and Human Services Secretary-nominee Kathleen Sebelius’ confirmation hearing. Well, she was confirmed by the Senate, by a vote of 65 to 31.