Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/7509
Obama demands health care vote quickly WASHINGTON (AP) — The end game at hand, President Barack Obama took command Wednes- day of one final attempt by Democrats to enact bitterly contested health care legislation, calling for an ''up or down vote'' within weeks under rules denying Republicans the ability to kill the bill with mere talk. Appearing before a White House audience of invited guests, many of them wearing white med- ical coats, Obama firmly rejected calls from Republicans to draft new legislation from scratch. ''I don't see how another year of negotiations would help. Moreover, the insurance companies aren't starting over,'' the president said, referring to a recent round of announced premium increases affecting mil- lions who purchase indi- vidual coverage. While Obama said he wanted action within a few weeks, Senate Major- ity Leader Harry Reid, D- Nev., seemed to hint a final outcome could take far longer. ''We remain committed to this effort and we'll use every option available to deliver mean- ingful reform this year,'' he said. The results will affect nearly every American, mandating major changes in the ways they receive and pay for health care or leaving in place current systems that leave tens of millions with no coverage and many others dissatis- fied with what they do get. With Republicans united in opposition, there is no certainty about the outcome in Congress — or even that Democrats will go along with changes Obama urged on Wednesday in what he described as a bipartisan gesture. With polls showing voters unhappy and Democrats worried about this fall's elections, Obama also sought to cast the coming showdown in terms larger than health care, which is an enor- mously ambitious under- taking in its own right. ''At stake right now is not just our ability to solve this problem, but our abil- ity to solve any problem,'' he said. Rangel steps down from chairmanship WASHINGTON (AP) — Buffeted by ethics inquiries, 20-term Rep. Charles B. Rangel of New York stepped down Wednesday as chairman of the tax-writing House Ways and Means Com- mittee, delivering a heavy new political jolt to a Democratic Party already facing angry voters. The action also mud- died the congressional picture on taxes, coming as the House moves toward difficult debate over large automatic increases that lie just over the horizon. The outcome will affect tens of millions of American taxpayers. Rangel's relinquishing of the gavel spared col- leagues from having to vote on a Republican- sponsored resolution to strip him of his post. But it also focused attention on ethical lapses by a top leader of a party that had promised to end a ''cul- ture of corruption'' when it regained control of Congress in 2006 from Republicans. That could spread far beyond Rangel. Ethical problems can be political- ly toxic for the party in power, particularly this election year with so much anti-Washington sentiment in the air. Rangel stepped aside just days after being admonished for breaking House rules by accepting corporate-financed travel. Some Toyota owners say repair didn't end problem WASHINGTON (AP) — Some Toyota owners say they're still having trouble with unintended acceleration after their recalled cars were repaired, and the Trans- portation Department said Wednesday it is looking into their com- plaints. The complaints raise new questions about whether Toyota's reme- dy will solve the prob- lem. David Strickland, the administrator of the National Highway Traf- fic Safety Administra- tion, said in a statement the agency is reaching out to consumers about the complaints ''to get to the bottom of the problem and to make sure Toyota is doing everything possible to make its vehicles safe.'' ''If Toyota owners are still experiencing sudden acceleration incidents after taking their cars to the dealer- ship, we want to know about it,'' Strickland said. The government has received a limited num- ber of acceleration reports from the Toyota owners whose floor mats or gas pedals have been fixed. Toyota and the government are investigating potential electrical problems as part of the Japanese automaker's recall of more than 8 million vehicles worldwide. NHTSA has linked 52 deaths to crashes allegedly caused by Toyota's acceleration problems. The company has blamed mechanical causes or drivers press- ing the wrong pedal and repaired about 1 million vehicles, but has said it is looking into electron- ics as a potential cause. Brazil rebuffs Clinton over Iran nukes BRASILIA, Brazil (AP) — Brazil rebuffed a U.S. appeal for new sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program, vowing during a visit from U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton not to ''bow down'' to gathering international pressure. Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva pre-empted Clin- ton even before she could make the case for new United Nations Security Council penal- ties. Silva is an outspo- ken opponent of sanc- tions, and his country currently sits on the Security Council, which will be asked to approve its toughest-ever penal- ties on Iran later this year. ''It is not prudent to push Iran against a wall,'' Silva told reporters hours before meeting with Clinton. ''The prudent thing is to establish negotiations.'' Clinton told a news conference she respects Brazil's position but thinks if there is any possibility of negotiat- ing with Iran, it would happen only after a new round of sanctions. Iran has accelerated its disputed nuclear pro- gram in the face of pre- vious U.N. penalties, but the United States and other supporters say a renewed demonstra- tion of world resolve could finally push Iran to the bargaining table. NY Gov. mired in scandal ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — New York Gov. David Paterson, trying to hold onto office in the face of one scandal, was accused Wednesday of violating state ethics laws when he sought and obtained free Yan- kees tickets for the 2009 World Series and then may have lied about his intention to pay for them, according to a state report. He faces penalties of nearly $100,000, and the case was referred to the Albany County prosecutor's office and the state attorney gener- al for possible criminal investigation into whether Paterson or anyone else gave false answers to questions by the Public Integrity Commission or backdat- ed a check to pay for the tickets. The charge isn't directly related to the scandal now plaguing Paterson over contact he and others in his admin- istration had with a woman who accused a top Paterson aide of domestic violence. But the panel said the aide in the scandal, David John- son, was one of Pater- son's four guests, along with Paterson's son and a son's friend, getting tickets for the Oct. 28 World Series game pro- vided by the Yankees. Four days later, also in the Bronx, Johnson was accused of domes- tic violence by his then- girlfriend, a case that now threatens Pater- son's job and adminis- tration. The ticket scan- dal may ultimately be more damaging to the governor, especially given the timing. ''I, at all times, upheld the oath of my office and never at any point attempted to influ- ence or coerce anyone to do anything they did- n't want to do,'' Pater- son told reporters Wednesday, saying he intends to fight the ethi- cal charge. 26-foot wave hits cruise ship Europe BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — A 26-foot wave smashed into a cruise ship carrying nearly 2,000 people in the Mediter- ranean on Wednesday, smashing glass wind- shields and killing two passengers, according to officials and news reports. Another six people suffered light injuries, the Greek coast guard said in a statement. The victims were identified as a Ger- man and an Italian man. The ship asked for per- mission to dock in Barcelona and arrived at the Spanish port shortly after 9 p.m. (2200 GMT), the Spanish news agency Europa Press said. There, four ambu- lances were waiting to take the bodies and the injured to a hospital in the city, the agency said. 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