NPR 2009-11-08

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From NPR News in Washington, I'm Lakshmi Singh.

Debate on sweeping¹ health care legislation continues on the House floor today. NPR's Andrea Seabrook reports.

It is a critical day in President Obama's push for a major overhaul² of the country's health care system. As debate continued on the House floor, Mr. Obama spoke³ in the White House Rose Garden. "They brought us closer than we have ever been to passing health insurance reform on behalf of the American people. Now is the time to finish this job." Republican leaders led by John Boehner say their members are unanimously opposed to the legislation. “The American people do not want this, and we are going to do everything we can to make sure this does not happen.” Perhaps the biggest test of the bill will be an amendment⁴ sponsored by conservative Democrats⁵ that would bar abortion⁶ from being covered in any plan purchased with federal dollars. That issue threatens to split Democrats' support for the entire bill. Andrea Seabrook, NPR News, the Capitol.

Republican Governor Rick Perry of Texas has visited wounded victims from the shooting at Fort Hood⁷ Thursday. He says the response to calls for blood donations has been overwhelming. Thirteen people were killed, 30 others were wounded when a gunman opened fire at the military post. Meanwhile, Roy Smythe, Chairman of Surgery at Scott and White Memorial Hospital in Temple says doctors are trying to remain optimistic. "Some of these patients are young and sometimes young patients will surprise you in regards to their rehabilitation⁸. But there is a possibility that some of these patients will be physically⁹ impaired¹⁰ for the rest of their lives. And there's certainly no doubt that many of them will be psychologically impaired for the rest of their lives. There is no doubt about that." The alleged¹¹ gunman, Major Nidal Hasan has reportedly been transferred to an army hospital in San Antonio. He is said to be in a coma¹².

President Obama's address this week was a tribute to the victims of the Fort Hood shootings. He praised those who helped bring down the gunman who, again, killed 13 people and wounded 30 others.

Regulators closed five banks yesterday, bringing the nationwide total to 119 shut down since the beginning of this year. So far, 21 Georgia banks have been closed, including one this week. Georgia Public Broadcasting's Emily Green reports.

United Security Bank of Sparta was closed down by the Georgia Department of Banking¹³ and Finance. It will reopen as a branch of Ameris Bank. The four other banks shut down were in California, Missouri, Minnesota and Michigan. For Georgia, United Security is the latest in a string of bank failures for the state. Almost all of the banks closed were start-ups that specialized¹⁴ in real estate and construction loans. Georgia lawmakers are trying to figure out how to keep community banks like United Security open, while the state's banking industry is working to reassure¹⁵ the public that the vast majority of Georgia's financial institutions are solvent¹⁶. Friday's closures are expected to cost the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation around 1.5 billion dollars. The FDIC estimates failed banks could cost as much as 100 billion dollars over the next three years. For NPR News, I'm Emily Green in Atlanta.

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At a meeting of G20 Finance Ministers in Scotland this weekend, finance ministers have agreed that emergency stimulus¹⁷ measures put in place at the height of the global economic crisis will continue. Larry Miller¹⁸ has details from London.

The post-meeting communiqué said global economic and financial conditions have improved, but the recovery is uneven¹⁹ and unemployment remains²⁰ a major concern. Treasury²¹ Secretary Timothy Geithner warned against ending stimulus measures too quickly that it would undermine recovery. His British counterpart, Alistair Darling agreed. "We are not out of the woods yet and we may need to maintain the measures that we have taken and we will commit to doing so." British Prime Minister Gordon Brown made an unexpected appearance, encouraging the finance ministers to adopt an international tax on each banking transaction to fund future bailouts. But Geithner said the U. S. would not support such a levy²². For NPR News, I'm Larry Miller in London.

Yesterday, the US reported the unemployment rate had hit a 26-year high at 10. 2%. Employers had slashed²³ 190, 000 jobs last month.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev says Russia may back sanctions against Iran. The Islamic Republic fails to take a constructive²⁴ stance in international talks over its nuclear program. His comments released by the Kremlin contrast sharply with those of Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, who has warned the threat of sanctions could derail progress.

NATO and Afghan authorities are investigating a case of alleged friendly fire that claimed the lives of at least seven Afghan soldiers and policemen this week.

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