Congress Delays Digital TV Switch Until June 12

Republican Rep. Walter Jones says president violated war powers

(NEWSER) - Calls for President Obama's impeachment have come down the pike before, most recently from Grover Norquist . This time a Republican representative—North Carolina's Walter Jones—has introduced a House resolution that would authorize Obama's impeachment for using the military without official permission from Congress, RawStory reports. Jones, a former Democrat who switched sides in the 1990s, backed Ron Paul in the 2008 election and has been a vocal critic of the president's power to make war. More»

Divisions among lawmakers may make reaching goal impossible

(NEWSER) - President Obama has called for the passage of a health care bill by August—but that would require an unusually smooth few weeks on Capitol Hill, Politico reports. The Senate Finance Committee hasn’t released a version of the bill planned for early June; disagreements among Democrats in both chambers have made consensus on that side of the aisle look difficult. If nothing’s done by August, the midterm elections could make passing a measure this year difficult. More»

(NEWSER) - The House today passed the $787 billion stimulus bill, once again without a single Republican vote, the AP reports. Eight Democrats also opposed the bill, which will make its way to the Senate later today. The victory belongs to President Obama, who says the package will save or create 3.5 million jobs. Republicans say the measure is light on tax cuts and contains too much pork. More»

Feds may see $1.2B in savings if for-profit facilities come under new regulation

(NEWSER) - A clause in a child-health bill just passed by the House would restrict Medicare payouts for, and the expansion of, doctor-owned hospitals, the specialized-care units blamed for hurting income at nonprofit facilities, the Wall Street Journal reports. There are 200 such facilities nationwide, touted for their efficiency but criticized for giving physicians a financial incentive to recommend unnecessary tests and surgeries. More»

Press corps miffed by quiet social life, he suggests

(NEWSER) - President Obama isn't aloof, he says—it's just that he and Michelle don't tend to paint the town red. "My suspicion is that this whole critique has to do with the fact that I don’t go to a lot of Washington parties and, as a consequence, the Washington press corps maybe just doesn’t feel like I’m in the mix enough with them," he tells Time in an interview, noted by Politico . "And they figure, well, if I’m not spending time with them, I must be cold and aloof." More»