Archives: Morning Breakouts

A selection of opinions and editorials from around the country.

Bloomberg reports that, for the National Institutes of Health budget, the past may not be prologue. In 1995, Newt Gingrich, then the speaker of the House, persuaded GOP lawmakers to spare this agency's funding and to protect research investments.

The actual repeal, according to the former House speaker and possible GOP presidential hopeful, will not take place until after the 2012 election is over. However, he adds that efforts to defund it will continue - and are likely to be successful - before that.

Today's early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including continuing coverage of the health law's first anniversary.

Increasing rates of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) "are hampering world health programs aimed at tackling TB and threaten to wipe out progress made against the disease, scientists said on Friday," Reuters reports (Kelland, 3/18).

The Senate passed a continuing resolution on Thursday, which will now be sent to President Barack Obama for his signature, Roll Call reports. "The spending measure, which passed 87-13, would keep the government funded through April 8 and would cut $6 billion in spending" (Dennis, 3/17).

Delegates from 15 African countries this week concluded a three-day workshop held in Nairobi, Kenya, examining how countries can improve their efforts to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV, VOA News reports.

The Obama administration hopes the one-year anniversary of the health overhaul will offer a fresh opportunity to increase public support for the measure.

Republicans on the panel took issue with the 2012 start-up funding sought by the Department of Health and Human Services, though the long-term care program is one part of the health law Democrats have made clear they are open to refining. Meanwhile, Rep. Phil Gingrey, R-Ga., said he planned to introduce legislation that day - Thursday - to repeal the program.