AP Political NewsBrief at 12:36 p.m. EST

House leaders push toward health vote by Easter

WASHINGTON (AP) _ House Democratic leaders are pushing to finish far-reaching health legislation and hold a climactic vote in the next three weeks, aiming to overcome reluctance from the rank-and-file lawmakers while answering President Barack Obama's challenge for swift action. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said Thursday that Democrats would like to get a final vote by Congress' Easter break, which begins March 29. But Hoyer also said "the world doesn't fall apart" if that timeline isn't met _ a nod to the many blown deadlines that have characterized the health overhaul effort so far.

Levin is acting chair of Ways and Means panel

WASHINGTON (AP) _ Rep. Sander Levin of Michigan was chosen Thursday as acting chairman of the tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee, a post that plays a major role in health care and billions of dollars in expiring tax cuts. Levin replaces Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., who stepped aside Wednesday as chairman while the House ethics committee investigates his fundraising and finances.

House to vote on tax breaks for new hires

WASHINGTON (AP) _ A measure blending tax breaks for companies that hire unemployed workers with highway funding eagerly sought by states appeared headed for House passage Thursday as Democrats worked to send President Barack Obama the first of several election-year jobs bills. Some Democrats, especially those representing minority districts, feel the $35 billion proposal is too puny. However, the pressure is on to create jobs and deliver a badly needed win for Obama and a Democratic Party struggling in opinion polls and facing losses in upcoming elections.

Sebelius, insurers debate rate increases

WASHINGTON (AP) _ Keeping up the pressure for President Barack Obama's health care overhaul, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius chastised top insurance executives Thursday over proposed double-digit rate hikes she said top the list of reasons that Congress must quickly pass his plan. Obama's chief health care Cabinet member convened a White House meeting with the CEOs of Wellpoint, Aetna, Cigna, UnitedHealth Group and other companies, as well as state insurance commissioners from Kansas, West Virginia and Pennsylvania. On the agenda: proposed premium hikes Sebelius said are making consumers' jaws drop around the country.

More men file workplace sexual harassment claims

WASHINGTON (AP) _ Jonathan Pilkington's boss wouldn't take no for an answer. During more than two years as a food runner at an upscale steakhouse in Scottsdale, Ariz., Pilkington says his male supervisor groped, fondled and otherwise sexually harassed him more than a dozen times.

Senator warns against $1B deal with Blackwater

WASHINGTON (AP) _ A senior Senate Democrat says the Pentagon should consider scrapping a potential $1 billion deal with the company formerly known as Blackwater because of "serious questions" about the contractor's conduct. Sen. Carl Levin, chairman of the Armed Services Committee, also called Thursday for a Justice Department investigation into whether company officials duped the Army in a separate $25 million contract.

Controller complacency could jeopardize air safety

WASHINGTON (AP) _ For the third time in seven months, the judgment of those who operate the nation's air traffic control system has been called into question and concerns raised that complacency may be causing controllers and their supervisors to bend rules. While major air crashes have declined sharply over the last decade, thanks largely to improved technology, aviation safety experts say they are seeing signs that vigilance may have eroded.

NYC black leaders to meet on Gov. Paterson's fate

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) _ Black Democratic leaders who hold sway in Gov. David Paterson's home and political base in New York City plan to converge Thursday in a meeting that could produce influential calls for him to resign amid two misconduct scandals. The Rev. Al Sharpton, a prominent civil rights activist and Harlem political fixture, is expected to say he's rethinking his support for New York's first black governor, according to a black Democratic adviser who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue.

Is a voting machine merger too big to stand?

WASHINGTON (AP) _ The largest voting machine company in the country bought its biggest competitor six months ago without advance fanfare. Now the Justice Department is investigating whether to unwind the merger that put a privately held Nebraska company in control of the voting machines in nearly 70 percent of the nation's precincts. With midterm elections looming and a battle for control of Congress under way, a coalition of election officials from several states and voter advocate groups is pressing the Justice Department to unscramble the combination of two companies. Critics say the merger could cause foul-ups at the polls on Election Day, and some even characterize it as a national security risk.

Clinton urges reform in Latin American nations

SAN JOSE, Costa Rica (AP) _ U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton is promoting democratic and social reforms in Latin America, where many nations have troubled political histories and uneven democratic performance. At a meeting Thursday of top officials from 15 countries in Central and South America plus Canada, Clinton planned to press nations in the Western Hemisphere to restore full relations with Honduras. A democratic election in November ended a political crisis resulting from a coup five months earlier.