Election clock ticks for campaign finance bill facing a crowded Senate agenda-thehill.com

Election clock ticks for campaign finance bill facing a crowded Senate agenda-thehill.com: Despite a hard-fought victory in the House, supporters of the Democratic campaign finance bill are now confronting a more dispiriting reality: the dwindling chances the legislation will affect the fall elections.

Candidates and parties in second quarter fundraising flurry-thehill.com

Candidates and parties in second quarter fundraising flurry-thehill.com: Wednesday marks the end of the second quarter fundraising period, which means a flurry of last minute appeals from campaigns and political parties.

Poll: Favorable views of health reform law increasing among Americans-washingtonpost.com

Poll: Favorable views of health reform law increasing among Americans-washingtonpost.com: The health-care overhaul gained popularity from May to June, according to a new tracking poll.

Supreme Court relaxes limits on innovations that can be patented

Supreme Court relaxes limits on innovations that can be patented- washingtonpost.com: The Supreme Court on Monday loosened the limits on the kinds of inventions that are eligible for patent protection in a case that was closely watched for its impacts on innovation.

States' responses to health law mixed- politico.com:

States' responses to health law mixed- politico.com: Governors and state legislatures are beginning to make the key decisions that will affect how the health care reform law will be implemented in their states, with the potential to determine the legislation’s success or failure.

Catch 22: California Lawmakers to head home without budget deal- sacbee.com:

Catch 22: California Lawmakers to head home without budget deal- sacbee.com: With California set to begin a new fiscal year Thursday with no budget, the Legislature had to decide between taking a scheduled recess throughout July or staying in Sacramento and collecting per diem with no deal to vote on.

Robert Byrd dies at 92-politico.com

Robert Byrd dies at 92-politico.com: Sen. Robert C. Byrd died in a Virginia hospital early Monday morning, ending an extraordinary Senate career that began two years before President Barack Obama was born.

Lawmakers Propose Banning the Massachusetts Physician Gift Ban-wsj.com

Lawmakers Propose Banning the Massachusetts Physician Gift Ban-wsj.com: A Massachusetts law banning pharma and medical device companies from giving most gifts to doctors went into effect only a year ago. But a proposal from the speaker of the House of Representatives would rescind the ban due to its purported ill effects on the state’s economy, the Boston Herald reports.

Senate Dems will keep pushing for Medicaid aid to ailing states-thehill.com

Senate Dems will keep pushing for Medicaid aid to ailing states-thehill.com: Emergency Medicaid funding will remain a part of the Senate’s failed tax package, a key Senate Democrat insisted on Friday.

House passes reimbursements reprieve- politico.com:

House passes reimbursements reprieve- politico.com: The House quickly approved and sent to the White House Thursday evening a six-month reprieve from deep cuts in Medicare reimbursements to physicians that took effect June 1.

Senate Dems fail to advance tax extenders bill for the third time- thehill.com:

Senate Dems fail to advance tax extenders bill for the third time- thehill.com: Senate Democrats on Thursday failed for a third time to advance legislation to extend unemployment benefits through November.

Utah Officials Plan for Health-Care Law They Dislike- wsj.com:

Utah Officials Plan for Health-Care Law They Dislike- wsj.com: It's hard to find a place more hostile to the federal health-care overhaul than Utah. Yet, on Thursday, Gov. Gary R. Herbert announced a step towards its implementation: Utah will join 29 other states and the District of Columbia in running its own insurance pool to cover high-risk people.

Rep. Jim Matheson survives primary-thehill.com

Rep. Jim Matheson survives primary-thehill.com: Rep. Jim Matheson successfully beat back a primary challenge from his left Tuesday in the form of Democrat Claudia Wright.

National Republicans get their candidates-thehill.com

National Republicans get their candidates-thehill.com: The Republican Party got the results it wanted from Tuesday's primaries - for the most part.

Confirmation Fight on Health Chief-nytimes.com

Confirmation Fight on Health Chief-nytimes.com: President Obama’s nominee to run Medicare and Medicaid, Dr. Donald M. Berwick, is a man with a mission, a preacher and a teacher who has been showing hospitals how they can save lives and money by zealously adhering to clinical protocols for the treatment of patients.

Follow Those SpaghettiOs! FDA Food, Drug, Device Recall Data Coming-wsj.com

Follow Those SpaghettiOs! FDA Food, Drug, Device Recall Data Coming-wsj.com: Food safety is back in the news thanks to the recalls of certain varieties and lots of Campbell Soup’s SpaghettiOs (on concerns that the food may be undercooked) and ConAgra’s Marie Callender frozen dinners (for their possible link to a salmonella outbreak). Not good.

Gubernatorial candidate Haley withstands S.C. whispering campaign-washingtonpost.com

Gubernatorial candidate Haley withstands S.C. whispering-washingtonpost.com: There's a whisper campaign going on in South Carolina this month, but it's not what you might think. The whisper is that the political smear tactics that this state made famous don't seem to be working this time around.

Undecideds run high in Utah Senate primary -washingtonpost.com

Undecideds run high in Utah Senate primary -washingtonpost.com: Former Congressional candidate Tim Bridgewater holds a nine-point lead over businessman Mike Lee heading into Tuesday's Utah Senate Republican primary, according to a poll released over the weekend.

Groups target Snowe and Collins on extenders bill with ads- thehill.com:

Groups target Snowe and Collins on extenders bill with ads- thehill.com: Maine's two centrist GOP senators found themselves under pressure on Monday to break with their party and support a stalled extenders bill in the Senate.

In Utah Race, Tea Party Has Already Won- wsj.com:

In Utah Race, Tea Party Has Already Won- wsj.com: The Senate Republican primary in this famously conservative state has come down to tea party vs. tea party.

Political Wisdom: Tuesday Runoffs in S.C., N.C. and Utah- wsj.com:

Political Wisdom: Tuesday Runoffs in S.C., N.C. and Utah- wsj.com: Get ready for runoff elections Tuesday in South Carolina, North Carolina and Utah.

House Dem vs. Senate Dem battle heats up as extender bill limps along-thehill.com

House Dem vs. Senate Dem battle heats up as extender bill limps along-thehill.com: Frustration among House Democrats with their Senate counterparts is boiling over.

FDA Database Aims to Spark Orphan-Disease Drug Development-wsj.com

FDA Database Aims to Spark Orphan-Disease Drug Development-wsj.com: For months now, the Food and Drug Administration has been trying novel ways of encouraging drug makers to develop drugs for rare diseases.

CalPERS health premiums to leap again; expect private industry to follow- sacbee.com:

CalPERS health premiums to leap again; expect private industry to follow- sacbee.com: It's known as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act – and its title begs the question: Why are insurance rates continuing to climb?

In Open Primary, Fear of Party Crashing-nytimes.com

Open Primary, Fear of Party Crashing-nytimes.com: The Tea Party as party crasher? That’s the question hanging over the Democratic primary next Tuesday between Utah’s lone Democrat in Congress, Rep. Jim Matheson, and his challenger, a retired schoolteacher named Claudia Wright.

FDA to Propose Tougher Rules for Outsourcing Drug Manufacturing- wsj.com:

FDA to Propose Tougher Rules for Outsourcing Drug Manufacturing- wsj.com: WASHINGTON—The Food and Drug Administration said Monday it will propose stronger regulations for pharmaceutical companies that outsource manufacturing, putting more responsibility on the companies to ensure the purity and safety of products made by contractors.

Federal Trade Commission to help docs avoid anti-trust violations- thehill.com:

Federal Trade Commission to help docs avoid anti-trust violations- thehill.com: The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) will host a workshop later this year to help doctors and hospitals collaborate on patient care without violating anti-trust laws.

Lawmakers set to miss budget deadline again- sacbee.com:

Lawmakers set to miss budget deadline again- sacbee.com: California lawmakers' constitutional deadline to pass a state budget by June 15 will be ignored today – again.

New Rules on Changes to Benefits-nytimes.com

New Rules on Changes to Benefits-nytimes.com: WASHINGTON — The White House on Monday will issue new rules that strongly discourage employers from cutting health insurance benefits or increasing the costs of coverage to employees, administration officials say.

Hospitals' Woes Grow-wsj.com

Hospitals' Woes Grow -wsj.com: Chiefs at some of New York City's largest hospitals say that state cuts in Medicaid and other health-care spending passed by the legislature this week would harm financially weak health-care centers and could force even stronger ones to cut workers or care.

More Disputes Over Handling of Drug Recall-nytimes.com

More Disputes Over Handling of Drug Recall-nytimes.com: The feud between Johnson & Johnson and Congressional investigators over the company’s recent recalls of over-the-counter medicines deepened on Friday as they disputed the meaning of company documents turned over to a House committee.

Healthcare industry fights for White House role in innovation-thehill.com

Healthcare industry fights for White House role in innovation-thehill.com: Healthcare industry leaders are pressing the White House to get more involved with promoting healthcare innovation, saying the U.S. leads the world but faces growing challenges.

Dodd: FDA approach to food safety needs overhaul-thehill.com

Dodd: FDA approach to food safety needs overhaul-thehill.com: Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) says a new Institute of Medicine (IOM) report shows the urgent need for food safety legislation that would boost the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) powers.

Calif. Voting Change Could Signal Big Political Shift-nytimes.com

Calif. Voting Change Could Signal Big Political Shift-nytimes.com: That was the message Californians sent when they voted Tuesday to radically rejigger elections in the nation’s most populous state. Under Proposition 14, a measure that easily passed, traditional party primaries will be replaced in 2011 with wide-open elections. The top two vote-getters — whatever their party, or if they have no party at all — will face off in the general election.

GOP Newcomers Raise Fall Stakes-wsj.com

GOP Newcomers Raise Fall Stakes-wsj.com: Midway through a volatile primary season that has seen the electorate move right and a spate of incumbents knocked out, Republican voters are placing a clear bet that a roster of outspoken, anti-government candidates, many new to the national stage, can ride the country's anti-Washington mood to victory.

FDA Warns Pfizer On Reporting Failures-wsj.com

FDA Warns Pfizer On Reporting Failures-wsj.com: The Food and Drug Administration warned Pfizer Inc. about its failure to properly follow the agency's rules on reporting adverse events involving products.

Primary challenger a first for Rep. Matheson-thehill.com

Primary challenger a first for Rep. Matheson-thehill.com: Rep. Jim Matheson (D-Utah) had never been challenged in a primary before this year, in which he’s fighting off a political newcomer who could make him the latest incumbent casualty.

CEOs vs. politicians in California-politico.com

CEOs vs. politicians in California-politico.com: Republicans on Tuesday chose two women — both former Silicon Valley CEOs who have never run for office before — as their candidates for Senate and governor, making the election in November a litmus test of whom unhappy California voters trust more: wealthy ex- business executives, or long-serving Democratic officeholders.

California women triumph in GOP primary; incumbent Lincoln wins in Arkansas-washingtonpost.com:

California women triumph in GOP primary; incumbent Lincoln wins in Arkansas-washingtonpost.com: Sen. Blanche Lincoln survived a bitter Democratic runoff Tuesday in Arkansas, fending off a strong challenge from labor-backed Lt. Gov. Bill Halter to avoid becoming the third senator this year to lose a bid for reelection.

Report says FDA struggles to keep food safe-washingtonpost.com:

Report says FDA struggles to keep food safe-washingtonpost.com: A new report says the Food and Drug Administration is stretched thin and needs to reorganize to better keep the nation's food safe.

Primaries to Watch From Coast to Coast-wsj.com

Primaries to Watch From Coast to Coast-WSJ.com-Voters in 11 states cast ballots in primary elections Tuesday, giving new signals about the reach of an anti-Washington, anti-incumbent tide that has left its mark on earlier races this year.

Medtronic Eyes New Product Stream, Not Big Acquisitions-WSJ.com

Medtronic Eyes New Product Stream, Not Big Acquisitions-WSJ.com- Medical-device maker Medtronic Inc. expects to release 60 "major" products during the fiscal year that runs through next April and isn't eying large-scale acquisitions, the company's chairman said Monday.

GOP puts health reform on ballot in push to turn out conservatives- TheHill.com

GOP puts health reform on ballot in push to turn out conservatives-TheHill.com- Republicans are banking that anti-health reform ballot initiatives will give them a significant edge in the November midterm elections.

Dems launch $125M health campaign

Dems launch $125M health campaign: politico.com- Former Senate Democratic leader Tom Daschle and Victoria Kennedy, the late senator’s wife, are expected to be named co-chairs this week of a $125 million campaign White House allies are rolling out to defend health reform amid growing signs the party is failing to get political traction on the issue.

Sebelius Defends Medicare Nominee

Sebelius Defends Medicare Nominee: wsj.com- Health secretary Kathleen Sebelius Thursday rejected criticism of the Obama administration's nominee to run Medicare and Medicaid, saying Republicans were being unfair to Donald Berwick and she was confident he would be confirmed.

Field Poll: Majority of Californians back federal health care law

Field Poll: Majority of Californians back federal health care law: Sacbee.com- A majority of Californians say they support the new federal health care law but view it as just the first step toward fixing the country's much-criticized health care system, according to a Field Poll released today.

White House defends healthcare law as reducing budget deficit

White House defends healthcare law as reducing budget deficit: Thehill.com- The White House on Wednesday rushed to defend the healthcare reform law after conservatives seized on Congressional Budget Office comments warning about unsustainable health spending.

Obama faces intra-party resistance

Obama faces intra-party resistance: thehill.com- President Barack Obama is facing increased resistance from Democrats as well as Republicans as healthcare reform fades and the midterm elections approach.

GOP sees a way to revive old debate

GOP sees a way to revive old debate: politico.com- President Barack Obama spent the last year insisting he doesn’t want to turn the American health care system into a carbon copy of the government-run British system.

Medtronic Voluntarily Discloses Doctor Pay

Medtronic Voluntarily Discloses Doctor Pay: wsj.com- Medical-device maker Medtronic Inc. disclosed that it made payments of more than $15.7 million in royalties and consulting fees to U.S. doctors in the first quarter, the first time the big Minneapolis company has provided such details.

House Passes Tax Extenders Bill

House Passes Tax Extenders Bill: JournalofAccountancy.com- On Friday, the House of Representatives passed the American Jobs and Closing Tax Loopholes Act (HR 4213) by a vote of 215–204. The bill now goes to the Senate, which will not take it up for consideration until after it returns from its Memorial Day recess on June 7.