NPR 2009-12-09

The Senate has defeated an effort to add a stronger abortion 1 ban to its health care overhaul 2. NPR's Julie Rovner has more.

By a 54-45 vote, Senators who support abortion rights turned back the efforts of those who oppose abortion to include in the bill the same language added during House consideration of the health measure. Nebraska Democrat 3 Ben Nelson said the amendment 4 simply tracks current policy, which prevents federal funding of abortion. "Taxpayers 5 shouldn’t be required to pay for people’s abortions 6. It’s just that simple.” But opponents said the bill already banned federal abortion funding and that Nelson’s amendment would also restrict the types of policies women can buy using their own money. The vote doesn’t end the controversy 7, however. The abortion language could be revisited in a package of amendments 8 needed to win the 60 votes necessary to get the bill to a final Senate vote. Julie Rovner, NPR News, Washington.

President Obama today outlined broad brush strokes of his administration's plan to get people back to work. Speaking at the Brookings Institution in Washington, the president laid out a series of initiatives ranging from new road, highway and bridge projects to deeper tax cuts for small businesses to tax incentives 9 to encourage people to make their homes more energy-efficient. Mr. Obama said while there have been signs of progress, he noted 10 that there are 7 million fewer Americans with jobs than there were at the start of the current recession. The unemployment rate in November did come down, but only slightly falling from 10. 2% to 10%.

The top general in Afghanistan says he believes the US will absolutely be successful in the war effort there. General Stanley McChrystal testified today on Capitol Hill. More from NPR’s Mary Louise Kelly.

General McChrystal offered several reasons why he believes the troops he commands will succeed in Afghanistan. He argued that most Afghans do not support the insurgency 11 and that the US has already begun to show progress in helping 12 Afghans themselves establish a more effective security. McChrystal says the president’s new strategy reflects "a realistic and effective approach." "The mission is not only important, it is also achievable. We can and will accomplish this mission.” Still, McChrystal cautioned the enemy is "complex and resilient" and he said the next 18 months will be decisive. Mary Louise Kelly, NPR News, Washington.

Some disappointing earnings 13 numbers from a number of large companies weighed on Wall Street today. Giant 3M, a Dow industrial company announced that it expects its 2009 earnings to come in well below Wall Street expectations. The maker 14 of everything from Post-It notes to Scotch 15 tape aslo issued a cautious outlook for next year. Also announcing lower November sales numbers was fast-food giant McDonald’s.

On Wall Street today, the Dow fell 104 points to close at 10,285. That was a decline of 1%. The NASDAQ lost 16 points. The S&P 500 fell 11 points today.

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The head of the United Nations climate panel speaking at the global summit in Copenhagen said today a 20% reduction in greenhouse gases by rich nations would be a pretty good result. Rajendra Pachauri, Chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, said US reduction offer of 3% below 1999 levels makes it hard, however, to reach more ambitious cuts by 2020 for industrialized nations. President Obama is expected to arrive at Copenhagen for the close of the summit. China has led calls by developing countries for deeper emissions 16 cuts.

Vatican is denying rumors 17 that Pope Benedict's health is poor following the announcement that on Christmas Eve he will celebrate the evening Mass two hours earlier than usual. NPR’s Sylvia Poggioli reports from Rome.

This year, the Pope is breaking with tradition and will celebrate Christmas Eve Mass in St. Peter's Basilica at 10 p. m. instead of midnight. Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi said there is no cause to worry about the Pope’s health. The decision was taken to ensure that the 82-year-old Benedict will not be too tired to deliver the traditional papal message to the city and the world on Christmas Day. Benedict's predecessor 18 John Paul II never altered the midnight schedule even when he was very frail 19. Vatican officials say the decision was made two months in advance to allow TV networks worldwide to change their schedules. Benedict’s health has been generally good since he was elected to the papacy in 2005. This past summer, however, while on vacation in northern Italy, he slipped and broke his wrist. Sylvia Poggioli, NPR News, Rome.

Crude oil futures 20 fell $1. 31 a barrel to close at $72.62 a barrel in New York.

I’m Jack 21 Speer, NPR News in Washington.