Just a day after the Senate passed its stimulus bill, House and Senate leaders have reached a tentative compromise on an economic stimulus package. They believe it will create jobs, provide tax breaks and allocate billions of dollars in additional funding for state Medicaid programs.
The agreed-upon price of the stimulus package is $789 billion-much less than either the original House or Senate package. Nursing homes are expected to receive some Read the rest of this entry »

to more than four million uninsured children, as a newly empowered Democratic majority brushed aside Republican objections.
The vote was 66 to 32, with nine Republicans joining Democrats to support the bill.
twice vetoed similar legislation. But
is eager to sign the bill as a step toward providing insurance for all children and eventually all Americans.
The Senate debate showed the outlines of what promises to be a much larger political fight Read the rest of this entry »

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Senate Democrats rallied behind Tom Daschle, President Barack Obama’s choice to lead reforms of the costly U.S. health-care system, on Monday after he apologized for tax issues that raised questions about his nomination.
Democratic members of the Senate Finance Committee, whose approval Daschle needs to become as health and human services secretary, voiced strong support for the former Senate Democratic leader after he met Read the rest of this entry »

The State Children’s Health Insurance Program, which is aimed at families earning too much money to qualify for Medicaid but not enough to afford private insurance, currently covers close to 7 million youngsters at a cost of $25 billion.
Lawmakers voted 66 to 32, largely along party lines, to renew the joint state-federal program and spend an additional $32.8 billion to expand coverage to 4 million more children. The expansion would be paid for Read the rest of this entry »

Published: January 26, 2009
TAMPA – A children’s health care bill that set congressional Democrats against the Bush administration last year now appears headed for passage – but with Florida’s two senators splitting their votes.
Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson expects to vote for the State Children’s
bill – commonly called “SCHIP.” Republican Sen. Mel Martinez, according to a spokesman, hasn’t firmly decided but voted against the bill Read the rest of this entry »

A bill brought before the Senate Judiciary committee today would revoke the registration card of medical marijuana users if terms of the state's Medical Marijuana Act are violated.
Current law prohibits medical marijuana users from driving when medicated.
If a police officer pulls over a qualifying medical marijuana patient, Senate Bill 212 would require the officer to perform a blood test.
If the person refuses the test, the officer would Read the rest of this entry »

abs-cbnNEWS.com
The Senate will send a medical team to the St. Luke’s Medical Center to determine what is ailing former agriculture undersecretary Jocelyn “Jocjoc” Bolante, Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Jose Balajadia said Thursday morning.
Balajadia said the order came directly from Senate President Manuel Villar Jr. because of the hospital management’s refusal to issue a medical bulletin to the media and members of the upper chamber’s security team.
Read the rest of this entry »

Kennedy Returns to U.S. Senate, Pushes Health-Care Legislation
Nov. 17 (Bloomberg) — Senator
, who has brain
cancer, touted health-care legislation as he returned to the U.S.
Senate for this week's debate on an economic stimulus plan.
Kennedy, who underwent surgery in June on a malignant brain
tumor, told reporters he expects legislation extending health-
care insurance coverage to more Americans to be among President-
elect
's priorities Read the rest of this entry »

report that Caroline Kennedy has withdrawn from consideration for the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Hillary Rodham Clinton.
She called New York David Patterson today to tell him her top priority is Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, who was hospitalized Tuesday after suffering a seizure during President Obama’s inaugural lunch. The
cites “a person told of her decision.”
says Kennedy dropped her bid after learning the Patterson was not going to select Read the rest of this entry »

Senate SCHIP Bill Will Include Coverage For Immigrant Children, Pregnant Women, Sen. Reid Says
) likely will include provisions allowing states to extend public health benefits to legal immigrant pregnant women and children who have been in the country less than five years, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said Friday,
reports. Reid said that he expects the Senate to begin debating amendments to legislation expanding the program (Edney,
Read the rest of this entry »