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National Briefs

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WASHINGTON -- House Democrats are scrambling to secure enough support to pass President Barack Obama's historic health overhaul initiative, working to soothe last-minute concerns from rank-and-file Democrats ahead of a make-or-break vote.

Voting is set for Saturday on the 10-year, $1.2 trillion legislation that embraces Obama's goals of extending health coverage to tens of millions of uninsured Americans and putting tough new restrictions on insurance companies.

Obama was set to make a personal appeal to the Democratic rank and file in a visit today to Capitol Hill. That was called off late Thursday after the shootings at Fort Hood, Texas, and rescheduled for Saturday.

Action on health legislation was slowed as senators waited for the Congressional Budget Office to weigh in on a bill written by Majority Leader Harry Reid in consultation with the White House and key committee chairmen. Senate votes could slip until next year, but in the House Democratic leaders pressed forward.

They expressed optimism that when it came time to vote, they'd have the majority needed to prevail in the House.

Thousands rally at Capitol: Chanting "Kill the bill," thousands of conservatives incensed over the Democrats' health care overhaul protested at the Capitol on Thursday, arguing that the legislation amounts to a government takeover of the nation's medical system. The crowd, invited on national television by Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., was staunchly anti-government -- "Politicians lie, people die," read one sign -- but loudly cheered the House Republicans who hosted the event. The protest attracted many of the so-called

Sting turns up millions: A crackdown in 83 countries turned up $3.5 million hidden in carry-on and checked bags as people smuggled illicit money across international borders. The more than 70 cash seizures are likely the proceeds of organized crime, said John Morton, assistant secretary of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The operation that was conducted during the last week of October shows the commitment of these criminal organizations to move money all over the world, Morton said, adding that he's always surprised by the creative ways people try to hide cash.

Obama to sign bill: President Barack Obama is set to sign a $24 billion economic stimulus bill providing tax incentives to prospective homebuyers and extending unemployment benefits to the longtime jobless who have been left behind as the economy veers toward recovery. The White House signing ceremony today comes a day after the House, displaying rare bipartisan agreement over the seriousness of the jobless situation, voted 403-12 for the measure. The Senate approved it unanimously on Wednesday.The White House said the bill, which also includes tax cuts for struggling businesses, builds on provisions in the $787 billion stimulus package enacted last February that aim at spurring job creation.

Ignore Republican boycott: Senate Democrats sidestepped a Republican boycott Thursday, pushing a climate bill out of committee in an early step on a long and contentious road to passage. Other committees still must weigh-in on the measure, but the partisan antics early on threatened to cast a pall over the bill -- one of President Barack Obama's top priorities -- as it makes its way to the Senate floor and as nations prepare to meet in Copenhagen, Denmark, next month to hammer out a new international treaty to slow climate change.

Delegates discuss way forward: UN climate negotiators assured today in Barcelona, Spain, that despite low expectations for setting legally binding emissions targets next month, it is still possible to conclude a strong, 192-nation deal to define future work in fighting global warming. Countries most vulnerable to climate change said they were incensed that rich nations were rethinking the timetable for concluding a legally binding treaty.

Makes Obama decision tougher: President Barack Obama's next move on Afghanistan is growing more difficult by the day. Deadly attacks this week deepened British and UN alarm over their commitments, and fresh worries about Iraq could delay the exit of U.S. troops there, squeezing an already overstretched military. The White House says Obama's answer on whether to expand the U.S. fighting force in Afghanistan by as much as 60 percent will be announced "in the coming weeks," the same vague timetable it has offered for much of the fall.

Stands firm on Afghanistan: British Prime Minister Gordon Brown warned Afghanistan's government today to take action against corruption, saying he would not risk more British lives there unless it reforms. Brown said in a speech that success in Afghanistan is vital to Britain's security -- but declared that if the Afghan government does not mend its ways it will forfeit the world's support. "I am not prepared to put the lives of British men and women in harm's way for a government that does not stand up against corruption," he said.

Banks borrow more: Banks borrowed slightly more from the Federal Reserve's emergency lending program over the past week, while reducing their use of other credit programs designed to ease the financial crisis. The Fed said commercial banks averaged $22.6 billion in daily borrowing over the week that ended Wednesday. That's up $32 million from the week ended Oct. 28, but is far less than the $110 billion they borrowed a year ago at the height of the financial crisis. The increase, while slight, was the first since the week of Sept. 2.

Says U.S. aid can be used: General Motors Co.'s CEO Fritz Henderson said Thursday that the automaker could tap some of its $50 billion in U.S. government aid to help restructure GM's European Opel unit. The statement came as thousands of Opel workers walked off their jobs across Germany in protest of GM's decision to abandon the unit's sale to new owners. Henderson said GM would use U.S. government money for Opel only if necessary, and it would try to finance the $4.5 billion (3 billion euros) restructuring with loans from European countries, money generated by Opel and by reducing royalties that Opel pays GM for use of technology.

Air bags in back seat belts: Air bags have long been mounted in the steering wheel, dashboard and sides of vehicles. Now, they're in the seat belts. Ford Motor Co. plans to introduce seat belt-mounted air bags in the back seat of the 2011 Ford Explorer sport utility vehicle, which will hit the market next fall. Ford says it's the first automaker to mass produce the technology. The belts have a cylindrical air bag that stretches from the buckle to the shoulder and fits inside a pocket sewn into the belt. The car sends a signal that releases the bag, which inflates more gently than a front air bag, so it's safer for children.