►  In today's Seattle Times -- Pentagon reopens tanker bidding process -- The long-running dogfight that pits an Airbus jet against a Boeing jet to be the next Air Force refueling tanker resumes with a Pentagon briefing on the new competition that should produce a winner by next summer. Details provided to members of Congress strongly suggest that Boeing once again will need to offer its 767 tanker, and not the much larger 777 tanker. 

►  At Senate.gov -- Sen. Murray vows to ensure fair competition -- "I will be looking specifically at how this RFP was constructed, how clearly it lays out what the Air Force wants, how requirements will be weighted, and why the consideration of illegal trade subsidies was left out."

►  More coverage of Tanker 2: Electric Boogaloo in today's (Everett) Herald, Seattle P-I and NY Times. 

►  In today's Seattle Times -- Boeing to stop paying for many employees' education -- Employees are about to lose a fabulous perk, and the cost-cutting move could mean a significant financial hit for some local colleges and universities as well. Until now, when an employee enrolled for any class at any accredited college, Boeing picked up the tuition -- with no restrictions. But many of those enjoying free classes will lose that benefit at year-end, when Boeing starts limiting its subsidy to cover only courses that further an employee's career at the company.

►  At Time.com -- No public option debate 'til Tuesday -- Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus just opened today's health reform bill markup by saying amendments related to a public option will not be introduced and debated until Tuesday. An amendment from Sens. Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Charles Schumer (D-NY) would replace the nonprofit health co-ops with a public option. 

►  At Huffington Post -- Poll: Public option favored by 65% of Americans -- A New York Times/CBS poll found that 65% of respondents want a public health care option, while only 26% opposed such a plan.

►  At Huffington Post -- Blue Dog opposition to public option in House fades after whip count -- The Blue Dogs now say their split on the public option, and their priorities for reform are now keeping the cost under $900 billion, not moving at a faster pace than the Senate, getting a 20-year cost estimate from the CBO and addressing Medicare reimbursement rates.

►  In today's NY Times -- Senate panel rejects bid to add drug discount -- Obama scores a victory as Senate Finance rejects requiring drug companies to give bigger discounts to Medicare.

►  In today's Wall St. Journal -- Overhaul divides business and its traditional GOP allies -- Business is parting from its traditional Republican allies on health care as companies and big corporate lobbyists lend tentative support to an overhaul that conservatives staunchly oppose.

►  From AP -- Mass. GOP seek to block Kennedy's interim successor -- The Republicans filed an injunction that will be heard this morning over whether the governor could act immediately.

►  In today's News Tribune -- Cantwell offers healthy Rx for Medicare (editorial) -- Sen. Maria Cantwell succeeded in amending a key reform care bill in a way that would reward quality of care instead of quantity of care. The amendment affects only Medicare, but that’s a very big “only.” Medicare lies at the heart of the heart of the problem. It has always operated on a fee-for-service basis: The doctor or hospital submits the bill, Medicare writes the check. More bills, more checks.

►  In today's Seattle Times -- Coalition launches effort to defeat I-1033 -- A broad coalition of business, labor, education and seniors today launched an effort to defeat Initiative 1033, Tim Eyman's latest ballot measure. "1033 is bad for jobs and it would greatly diminish access to health care," said Doug Shadel, state director of AARP. The initiative would cap the yearly growth of state, county and city general funds at the rate of inflation, plus population growth. Any revenue above the cap would be used to lower property taxes. George Allen, with the Seattle Chamber of Commerce, called the initiative "a truly bad idea.... It puts a straitjacket on revenue during the recession and we can't make investments in our future. It's a destructive and broken path."

►  In today's Seattle Times -- Group Health ending some vacation accrual -- Needing to cut expenses but reluctant to furlough workers with swine flu taking hold, Group Health Cooperative says it will halt vacation accrual for nonunion workers for the rest of the year.

►  In today's NY Times -- Hyatts face protests after layoffs in Boston area -- Hyatt Hotels is facing a wave of anger and protests as a result of its decision to lay off 98 members of its housekeeping staff at three Boston area hotels and replace them with lower paid workers. Upset by the layoffs, Gov. Deval Patrick of Massachusetts has called on state employees to boycott Hyatt hotels unless the company reinstates the workers. In a letter to Hyatt’s chief executive, Patrick called what happened “the worst nightmare of every worker in today’s weak economy.”

►  At AFL-CIO Now -- Air traffic controllers ratify contract after 3-year battle with Bush FAA -- The National Air Traffic Controllers Association says the new contract throws out the Bush-era FAA’s imposed work and pay rules and restores fairness to the collective bargaining process. In 2006, the Bush FAA rejected NATCA’s call for mediation to settle a contract and walked away from the bargaining table. The agency then imposed a set of work rules and wage cuts that have driven more than 2,600 controllers out of the towers, creating a shortage of experienced controllers and threatening aviation safety.

►  From AP -- State labor officials: Extend benefits for jobless -- Labor commissioners from 18 states urge the U.S. Senate to follow the house's lead and act immediately to extend unemployment benefits for 300,000 people who will exhaust theirs in another week. 

►  From AP -- U.S. "pay czar" will not cap compensation, name names -- Kenneth Feinberg says he will not cap compensation for the top employees at bailed-out companies, and will not reveal names, when he releases the first wave of decisions within a few weeks.

►  In today's LA Times -- White Shadow elected SAG president -- Ken Howard defeats main rival Anne-Marie Johnson with 44% of the vote while his coalition consolidates its power on the national board, winning a majority of the 22 seats up for grabs on the 69-member board

►  At Huffington Post -- Michael Moore calls out ABC labor practices on "Good Morning America -- Watch as he chastises ABC for employing "permalancers," permanent freelancers who are effectively full-time employees but hired on a contract basis, and thus not given any benefits.