Health care news:

►  In today's Olympian -- Smith, Baird undecided on health care vote -- With a climactic vote on health care legislation expected in the House of Representatives late this week, two Democratic members from Washington state – Adam Smith and Brian Baird – remain undecided on how to vote. Smith voted for an earlier version of the bill. Baird, who has announced he will not seek re-election, voted "no."

►  At SeattleTimes.com -- Adam Smith unswayed by Chamber ad blitz -- Rep. Adam Smith said Monday he likely will support the health-care bill that the House may vote on as early as this week -- despite being the subject of an advertising blitz by the U. S. Chamber of Commerce to kill the legislation. The Tacoma Democrat is the only member of Washington's congressional delegation to be singled out for the Chamber's anti-reform ads.

►  From AP -- Wavering Dems in Obama's sights -- Obama is turning up the pressure as only presidents can, wooing freshman Democrats in the Oval Office and holding at least two one-on-one sessions in the past few days that never appeared on his official schedule.

►  At Politico -- SEIU's Stern warns he'll back independents over Democrats who vote "no" -- He says his union is making preparations to support independent candidates in New York, Illinois and Pennsylvania in case various House Democrats in those states vote against health reform.

►  In today's -- Health reform's road map through U.S. House -- It began Monday in the Budget Committee and ends, supporters hope, with a final passage floor-vote by the weekend. 

►  From AP -- A consumer primer on Obama's bill -- IMMEDIATE CHANGES: Insurers would be barred from placing lifetime dollar limits on coverage and from canceling policies except in cases of fraud; children could stay on their parents' coverage until age 26. STARTING IN 2014, self-employed people, small businesses and those whose employers don't offer coverage would be required to get coverage through a health insurance exchange with a range of private plans. Lower income families would get a "discount" through tax rebates. SENIORS: The Medicare prescription doughnut hole would start to shrink immediately, but it wouldn't be fully closed until 2020. Seniors in the gap would get a 50% discount on brand-name drugs. EMPLOYERS: It wouldn't require employers to provide insurance, but it would hit them with a stiff fine if even one of their workers gets a federally subsidized coverage. Companies with 50 or fewer workers would be exempt, and those with 25 workers or fewer could get federal assistance.

►  In today's LA Times -- 1 in 4 Californians lack coverage, new UCLA study finds -- The jump in 2009 to 8.2 million uninsured adults and children from 6.4 million in 2007 stems largely from job cuts and the loss of employer-sponsored coverage amid the recession. 

►  At Huffington Post -- Why 62 million bleeding heart liberals support reform (Ari Melber column) -- Moving beyond vague, "for or against" polling questions, Gallup's latest survey asked people to back up their position with the reasons that they favor or oppose reform. The results are telling.

Legislative news:

►  In today's Spokesman-Review -- Special session begins -- Legislative leaders said they were closer to agreeing on how much to cut and spend, and how much to raise in taxes, but didn’t release figures. Gov. Chris Gregoire said she remains opposed to an increase in the sales tax, which is part of the Senate’s tax increase plan, and is pushing what she calls “targeted revenue,” a series of smaller increases in other taxes, to raise money.

►  From AP -- Budget battle tough to solve in overtime -- In her official proclamation calling for a special session, Gov. Chris Gregoire asked lawmakers to tackle the state’s construction and operating budgets, along with some attempts to stimulate job growth. She wants the whole thing done in a week, and she said Monday that she would veto anything that isn’t related to the state’s construction and operating budgets, or attempts to stimulate job growth.

►  In today's (Everett) Herald -- Lawmakers start haggling budget, again -- We’re getting close,” says House Majority Leader Lynn Kessler (D-Hoquiam). “I don’t know if we can get done in a week but we’ll try.” Sen. Ed Murray (D-Seattle) thought a week to 10 days should be enough.

►  At HeraldNet.com -- New furlough bill aims for 10 days without pay -- Senate Democrats propose a revamped furlough bill with 10 unpaid days off -- down from 13 in an earlier version -- and an effort to help lower paid state employees avoid total loss of earnings. 

►  At Olympia Newswire -- Compromise would save GAU, but cut 1,200 -- After weeks of talks, the House and Senate have crafted a compromise bill to save the $339-a-month cash grant and medical coverage that the temporarily disabled receive through the state’s General Assistance- Unemployable program. But 1,200 people are expected to be cut from its rolls on Sept. 1.

►  In today's Seattle Times -- Washington's GAU saves people from homelessness (guest column by Jon Fine and Kate Joncas) -- Reducing support for GAU represents a cost savings on paper, but in reality it merely transfers costs to hospitals, public safety agencies and social service organizations. It undercuts statewide and local efforts to meaningfully reduce homelessness.

►  In today's NY Times -- With Medicaid cuts, doctors and patients drop out -- As states squeeze payments to providers, patients find it difficult to locate doctors who will accept their coverage.

Boeing news:

►  In today's Seattle Times -- Boeing execs reap stock's gain in 2009 -- Top executives saw modestly smaller bonuses and flat salaries in 2009. But they were also granted blocks of shares and options that make their total pay for 2009 much higher than it was in 2008. In 2009, CEO Jim McNerney's total 2009 compensation is $16.3 million, but his stock options are currently worth an extra $6 million.

►  From AP -- Air Berlin to cut $1.7 billion in Boeing aircraft orders -- The German airline will reduce its order from 25 to 15 Boeing 787s due to lower market demand. It has also reduced its option for additional 787 aircraft to five from 10.

Local news:

►  In today's Seattle Times -- Let's give a little, learn a lot (Nicole Brodeur column) -- President Obama has signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, giving discriminated workers a fair chance to sue their employers. But still, Ledbetter lives paycheck to paycheck. Her 401(k) was spent on medical care for her husband, who died of cancer-related illness in December 2008. "Make Lilly Right" is an e-mail and social-networking campaign started by friends Deb Bluestein and Linda Mitchell. They are asking 1 million women to each send Ledbetter a check for $3. (Go to www.makelillyright.com and to the Make Lilly Right Facebook group).

►  At SeattlePI.com -- Metro considers Plexiglas barriers to protect drivers -- After a bus driver was beaten and knocked unconscious while behind the wheel, officials with King County Metro Transit are exploring whether to enclose drivers behind Plexiglas barriers. As a pilot project, security partitions will be installed in some buses.

►  In today's (Everett) Herald -- Pay cuts must be on the table (editorial) -- Taking raises off the table for Snohomish County executives is a no-brainer, but maybe a cut in their salaries is warranted. We’ll bet county workers, who took 11 furlough days (4% pay cuts) last year, think so.

►  At SeattleTimes.com -- Denny Heck: Aiming for air of invulnerability? -- Heck added Baird's name to a growing list of notable Washington Democrats who have endorsed his candidacy in a crowded field. Baird's blessing could well prove pivotal in the district.

National news:

►  In today's NY Times -- Workers crushed by Toyota (Bob Herbert column) -- California has been very, very good to Toyota. It is one of the largest markets in the world for the popular Prius hybrid. Nearly 18% of all Toyotas sold in the U.S. are sold in California. The state has showered the company with benefits, large-scale infrastructure improvements for its operations and millions for worker training. California is one of the key reasons that Toyota is the wealthiest carmaker on the planet. The company is paying California back by shutting down a plant in Fremont, Calif., and firing its 4,700 employees.

►  In today's Washington Post -- House hearing on federal workplace security -- Recent acts of violence that prompted the hearing are evidence of the "significant and daily risks faced by our dedicated federal employees at federal and postal facilities nationwide," `says the chairman.

►  In today's NY Times -- Charges, countercharges of misdeeds rile IUOE local union -- A dispute between a L.A. local and the IUOE's president erupts after the local reported an audit’s findings.