A group of health providers is disputing reassurances from the Senate's top Democrat that a recent debate over breast cancer screenings is unrelated to contents of healthcare reform legislation.A federal medical advisory group released recommendations that contradict current practice that says women should receive regular mammograms beginning at age 40. That statement from from the U.S. Preventative Services Task Force set off a firestorm of criticism, prompting Senate Majority Leader Harry R... Read Full Story

by Olga Pierce and Sabrina Shankman, ProPublicaUsing results from a questionnaire we did with American Public Media’s Public Insight Network, we’re looking at how the proposed health care reforms will actually affect people facing common health care coverage situations. See our previous posts on what health care reform means for the uninsured, small businesses, and those enrolled in Medicare programs.Mary and Mack KronerAge: 53, 57 Location: Austin, Texas Work Status: Employed Health Care Sta... Read Full Story

A massive TV ad campaign paid that argues that legislation to contain global climate change would result in dramatically higher fuel prices for average consumers is just plain not true, according to a recent report.The American Petroleum Institute, the main Washington trade group representing the oil industry, has been funding television spots attacking Democrats' legislation to create a national cap-and-trade system to contain greenhouse gas emissions.Not only are such charges false, the cli... Read Full Story

by Sheri Fink, ProPublicaOn Monday, ordinary Americans get a rare opportunity to weigh in on a life-and-death issue: Who gets access to scarce, life-saving treatments during a disaster?The public has been invited to participate in a teleconference (PDF) in which advisers to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will discuss ethical guidance they have drawn up for rationing mechanical ventilators in a severe influenza pandemic.The hourlong conference takes place at 3 p.m. EST and any... Read Full Story

By Eric Alterman Last week, Mike Allen and Jim Vandehei at Politico reported that the White House planned on making deficit reduction a centerpiece of the next State of the Union address. Allen and Vandehei called the decision “practical” saying that “Obama has spent more money on new programs in nine months than Bill Clinton did in eight years, pushing the annual deficit to $1.4 trillion. This leaves little room for big spending initiatives.” This fact is taken completely out of the context ... Read Full Story

By Scott NanceWhat's wrong with this picture?In a highly publicized appearance in China earlier this week, President Obama lectures the Chinese against political censorship. He goes so far as to invite criticism of him personally, saying such debate makes "our democracy stronger."But by the end of the week back home, the Army bans media coverage of once — and perhaps future — Obama rival Sarah Palin because the service fears political statements against the president among troops who may come... Read Full Story

Progressives and ardent supporters of a healthcare public option are cheering the Senate version of health reform legislation to emerge Thursday. Social conservatives, meanwhile, are attacking the bill for lack of an anti-abortion amendment that had been included in the House version.Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid unveiled Senate health reform legislation that includes a version of federally run public option health coverage. The Senate bill, known officially as the Patient Protection and ... Read Full Story

by Stephen Engelberg, ProPublicaOn June 26, a joint ProPublica-Washington Post story included what turned out to be startling news. The Obama administration, we reported, was "strongly considering criminal charges in federal court for Khalid Shaikh Mohammed and three other detainees accused of involvement in the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States.’’This line, in a page-one story in one of America’s leading newspapers, provoked hardly a ripple. There were no impassioned speeches on t... Read Full Story

Sen. Sherrod Brown is citing a recent government report which found a dramatic spike in the number of Americans, including children, going hungry as a reason to approve his Hunger Free Schools Act.The Ohio Democrat says his bill would help enroll more students who qualify for nutrition assistance in the school lunch program by increasing the program's efficiency through technology improvements and paperwork reduction.A federal report indicates that the deep economic recession has caused nearl... Read Full Story

Some 57 senators voted to defeat a Republican proposal that would have prohibited the use of funds to construct or modify prison facilities to hold individuals currently being detained at the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.In his first act upon taking office this year, President Obama set a deadline of January 2010 to close the Guantamamo prison, which was established during the Bush administration to hold detainees in the Bush "war on terror."That goal to close the Guantanamo fac... Read Full Story