NPR 2009-02-13

Republican Senator Judd Gregg of New Hampshire is the latest Obama administration appointee to abruptly 1 pull his name out of contention 2. In a statement issued late today, Gregg cited what he termed "irresolvable conflicts" with the President's handling of the economic stimulus 3 measure and the 2010 Census 4. In the statement, Gregg said we are functioning from a different set of views on many critical items of policy. The 61-year-old senator was the administration's second choice after New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson withdrew his name from contention several weeks ago amid a grand jury probe into alleged 5 wrongdoing involving state contracts.

Congressional negotiators said they had been able to iron out the dispute of the final details of the administration's 789-billion-dollar economic stimulus package. They issued a parley 6 with how school modernization 7 funds contained in the stimulus bill will be allocated 8. That would now appear to clear the way for votes tomorrow. Meanwhile, President Barack Obama is in Peoria, Illinois today. While speaking to workers at heavy-equipment maker 9 Caterpillar 10, he continued to push the stimulus plan. "It’s a plan that will save or create more than 3. 5 million jobs over the next two years, that will ignite spending by businesses and consumers and make the investments necessary for lasting 11 economic growth and prosperity. " President will continue to push this stimulus package with trips next week to Denver and Phoenix 12.

Before his trip to Illinois, President Obama was at the US Capitol today as part of the 200th anniversary commemoration of the date President Abraham Lincoln was born. NPR's David Welna reports the 44th president focused on the efforts of the 16th president to unite the divided nation.

With lawmakers gathered in the rotunda 13 below the Capitol's soaring dome 14, President Obama spoke 15 of Lincoln's determination to keep building that dome during the Civil War so that it could stand when the guns fell silent with the Statue of Freedom at its peak as a symbol of unity 16. "It is this sense of unity, this ability to plan for a shared future even at a moment while our nation was torn apart, that I reflect on today." House Minority Leader John Boehner hit a similar note quoting from Lincoln's second inaugural 17. "He meant when he said with malice 18 toward none and with charity for all." Only an hour later Boehner issued a statement attacking the economic stimulus plan backed by Democrats 19. He accused them of piling up pork and committing generational theft. David Welna, NPR News, the Capitol.

New claims for unemployment eased last week. NPR's Giles Snyder reports.

The government says the number of initial jobless benefit claims dropped to a seasonally 20 adjusted 623, 000 last week. That's about 8, 000 fewer claims than the previous week. But Nigel Gault of IHS Global Insight says that slight dip doesn't really matter much. "The fact of the claim has been quite as high as last week. It isn't a lot of comfort when they are running over 600, 000. These are levels we haven't seen since the early 1980s." The report from the Labor 21 Department also points to laid-off workers having a tough time finding new jobs in the weak economy.

On Wall Street, the Dow was down 60 points.

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According to the head of the union representing American Airlines Pilots, the airline CEO Gerard Arpey is refusing to meet with them to discuss stalled contract talks, instead  suggesting the respective sides let federal mediators have more time to broker 22 a deal. Employees of the Fort Worth-based airline wanna recover wage cuts they took in 2003. However, the company has been pointing to its more than 2 billion dollars in losses last year. Allied 23 Pilots Association President Lloyd Hill has written to Arpey suggesting it's time for the CEO to intervene after 28 months of bargaining.

A federal court has issued a ruling that means most children with autism will not be eligible 24 for a program to compensate 25 people injured by vaccines 27. NPR's John Hamilton has more.

A special court set up by the US Court of Federal Claims ruled that neither a preservative 28 used in vaccines nor the vaccines themselves could be linked to autism. The ruling which involved three test cases affects thousands of children whose parents have filed claims with the National Vaccine 26 Injury Compensation Program. Lawyers representing the parents had argued that the preservative thimerosal which contains mercury could damage the brains of some children. They also said that the MMR vaccine which contains no thimerosal could cause autism by provoking a dangerous immune response. But government experts countered that more than a dozen large studies have found no connection between vaccines and autism. John Hamilton, NPR News.

Mortgage rates came down slightly this week, giving some home owners an additional opportunity to refinance. Mortgage finance company Freddie Mac says the average rate for a 30-year fixed 29 rate loan fell to 5.16% this week. That's down from a 5.25% last week.