Obama Agrees With GOP on Buy America

The stimulus bill is being raked over in the Senate. Buy America appears to be out. Good move. 

NYT: Buy America In television interviews tonight, President Obama agreed with Republicans that provisions should be stripped from the House and Senate stimulus bills requiring the use of made-in-the U.S.A. steel, iron or other goods in these financed projects. The Chamber of Commerce and other business groups called the measures protectionist.

Incentives on new car purchases is in:

Automobile Help If you buy a car, a mini-van or a light truck, an amendment passed 71-26 by the Senate today may help if the full stimulus package is ultimately approved. Senator Barbara Mikulski touted the proposal as consumer-friendly, saying interest payments on car loans as well as sales tax would be tax-deductible on new cars through 2009. There are income limits for eligibility, but she said it would offer a savings of $1,553 on a $25,000 car. Read more at NYT

Mikulski Praises Obama After His Resignation Read in Senate

By way of Think Progress, Barbara Mikulski, a Maryland senator praises the Obama mission after Obama's letter of resignation was officially read on the senate floor.

Hillary to Work on Healthcare Legislation

Nov. 18 (Bloomberg) -- Senator Edward Kennedy named fellow Democrat Hillary Clinton to lead a working group on insurance coverage in the effort to write health-care legislation.

Kennedy, chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, said in an e-mailed statement today that Clinton will head one of three groups developing ideas for health system changes. Senator Tom Harkin of Iowa will lead a group on prevention and public health, and Senator Barbara Mikulski of Maryland will work on improvements in medical quality.

President-elect Barack Obama has proposed expanding government health programs, giving subsidies to low-income families and requiring insurers to cover everyone, regardless of medical condition. Kennedy, who is being treated for brain cancer, has been overseeing meetings among his staff and interest groups to develop legislation that Congress could act on next year.