Senators question $1 million pay for charity’s CEO (AP)
AP - A group of Republican senators is questioning high salaries and expensive travel bills for executives at the Boys Girls Clubs of America, raising issues that could jeopardize millions in federal funding for the national charity.
Democrats pare differences over health overhaul (AP)
AP - Top Democrats say they are resolving disputes over President Barack Obama's health overhaul plan, but they face decisions on subsidizing coverage and are still hunting votes to push the vast package through Congress.
Lawmakers probe lax enforcement of animal rules (AP)
AP - The knives at the slaughterhouse weren't properly sanitized, a government investigator said, and employees at the meatpacking plant didn't know how to test the carcasses of days-old veal calves for a dangerous pathogen. Food safety conditions were so poor at the Vermont processing facility that it should close before someone got sick, officials warned.
Obama pushes trade initiative as jobs helper (AP)
AP - President Barack Obama sought Thursday to put some detail behind his lofty drive to double U.S. exports over the next five years, calling the effort imperative to putting people back to work. But doubts remain about how many net jobs his trade agenda will create mdash; and how he will get it done.
US criticizes China’s domestic, economic policies (AP)
AP - The Obama administration accused China on Thursday of abusing its citizens' rights and maintaining currency policies that cost millions of U.S. jobs, a double-barrel attack that comes amid a growing willingness to confront and even antagonize the Asian power.
Dodd to offer his own financial regulation bill (AP)
AP - With one eye on the calendar and the other on elusive bipartisanship, Senate Banking Committee Chairman Christopher Dodd plans to offer his own version of a sweeping overhaul of financial regulations without Republican support.
Gov’t may seek more authority on vehicle safety (AP)
AP - Government vehicle safety regulators may seek greater authority to investigate defects in cars and trucks and are weighing a range of new safety requirements in response to Toyota's recall of more than 8 million vehicles over brake and acceleration problems.
Senate seeks to boost regional airline safety (AP)
AP - The Senate is pushing to strengthen pilot training and hiring requirements in an effort to improve the safety of regional airlines, a problem exposed by an air crash last year that killed 50 people.Obama details plans to boost exports, create jobs (AP)
AP - President Barack Obama sought Thursday to put some detail behind his lofty drive to double U.S. exports over the next five years, calling the effort imperative to putting people back to work. But doubts remain about how many net jobs his trade agenda will create mdash; and how he will get it done.