GREENSBORO, N.C. – North Carolina Sen. Kay Hagan has withdrawn her support for a possible lifetime federal appointment for a state judge who ruled in favor of a company that includes Hagan’s husband.

The News & Record of Greensboro reported Thursday that Hagan three weeks ago recommended Superior Court Judge Calvin Murphy to fill a vacant seat on the U.S. District Court for Western North Carolina.

Nine days later, Murphy signed a ruling favoring the owners of five small hydroelectric plants on the Deep River, one of them belonging to Hydrodyne Industries. That company lists Hagan’s husband as a managing member.

The first-term Democratic senator said she didn’t know Murphy had ruled in a case in which her husband had a stake until the newspaper asked her to comment.

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Kay R. Hagan (D-NC) will join the other Democratic women Senators on Larry King Live tonight to discuss how health care reform will have a positive impact on women.

This morning, Hagan joined eight of her colleagues for a series of back-to-back floor speeches to discuss inefficiencies and disparities in the health care system that negatively affect women.  In the majority of states, insurance companies currently charge women more than men for the same coverage.

In eight states and the District of Columbia, insurance companies also deny coverage to victims of domestic violence. Very few insurance companies cover comprehensive maternity care.

Hagan discussed this issue in a floor speech last Thursday and at a press conference in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 30.

RALEIGH, N.C.  – North Carolina Sen. Richard Burr says a new health care proposal offered in Congress “fails several crucial tests.”

The Republican lawmaker rejected the bill Wednesday despite Democratic concessions on a public insurance option. He said he opposed the measure because of increased spending, taxes and cuts to Medicare.

Burr had long opposed President Barack Obama’s plan to create a government insurance option to compete with private carriers. The latest Democratic plan released by Sen. Max Baucus does not include such a plan but instead a system of nonprofit member-owned cooperatives – something Burr had previously said he would consider.

North Carolina’s other senator, Democrat Kay Hagan, supports the bill. She released the following statement:

“Last week, I joined a group of other moderate Democrats who discussed with the President the importance of ensuring the health care reform package is fiscally responsible. I am pleased the Finance Committee produced a bill that does not increase our deficit.  The Congressional Budget Office estimates the bill will reduce our federal deficit by $49 billion over the next ten years. I also commend Chairman Max Baucus for working hard with our colleagues across the aisle to include Republican input in the bill.

“I am very supportive of the insurance market reforms in the Finance bill, which are similar to those that we passed in the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.  It prevents insurance companies from turning you away due to a preexisting condition, removes annual and lifetime caps on coverage, and removes co-pays for preventative services.

“The Finance Committee bill also includes a CO-OP model, one backstop option for providing insurance to those without employer-sponsored care. I would like to see a backstop option included in the final bill.

“While there are many details that still need to be worked out, we ultimately need health insurance reform that ensures people who like their insurance and doctors keep them, expands access to health insurance for those without it, and slows down the skyrocketing cost of health care.  I am committed to working with my Senate colleagues to ensure these critical components are included in the final bill.”

RALEIGH, N.C.  – North Carolina ministers are holding a religious service outside the office of Sen. Kay Hagan to promote health care reform.

Congregants participating in the interdenominational service will bring petitions for the Democrat. Rev. Tom Rhodes of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship said the “religious community must do its part to make sure that Sen. Hagan and other elected officials understand that health reform is an urgent moral imperative.”

Rhodes said people of faith must speak out whenever people are suffering or dying due to problems with insurance.

RALEIGH, N.C.  – North Carolina ministers are holding a religious service outside the office of Sen. Kay Hagan to promote health care reform.

Congregants participating in the interdenominational service will bring petitions for the Democrat. Rev. Tom Rhodes of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship said the “religious community must do its part to make sure that Sen. Hagan and other elected officials understand that health reform is an urgent moral imperative.”

Rhodes said people of faith must speak out whenever people are suffering or dying due to problems with insurance.

CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. – North Carolina’s two senators plan to meet with military leaders to discuss past water contamination at Camp Lejeune. Republican Sen. Richard Burr and Democratic Sen. Kay Hagan will meet with leaders this afternoon.

WASHINGTON, D.C. –

Today, Senator Richard Burr (R-North Carolina) issued the following statement on the passing of Senator Edward Kennedy:

“I was deeply saddened to hear the news of Senator Ted Kennedy’s passing.  While we did not always see eye to eye on the issues of the day, he was a devoted and ardent champion of the causes he believed in.  I enjoyed the opportunities I had to work with him on issues that we shared a passion for, particularly our ongoing efforts to strengthen our nation’s public health system.  Brooke and I extend our thoughts and prayers to Vicki and the Kennedy family.”

U.S. Senator Kay R. Hagan (D-NC) today commented on the passing of Senator Edward M. Kennedy, who died late Tuesday.

“Ted Kennedy went out of his way to make me feel welcome, giving me incredible advice about how to work in a bipartisan and congenial manner with all of our colleagues in the Senate,” Hagan said. “He truly cared about fostering a sense of community and connecting with his fellow Senators, regardless of any political disagreements they might have.

“Ted Kennedy devoted his entire life – nearly 47 years of it in the Senate – to helping America’s working families. Last night, our country lost a true public servant.

“My family and I want to extend our thoughts and prayers to his wife Vicki, his children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews during this extremely difficult time.”

Among Democrats her numbers are down, but among Republicans and independents she’s up, the PPP reports.

RALEIGH, N.C.  – North Carolina’s newest senator has visited Pakistan on her first overseas trip, meeting with key leaders there just as she did in Afghanistan earlier in the holiday weekend.

The office of Sen. Kay Hagan said Tuesday that she visited the region over the Memorial Day weekend along with four other Democratic senators.

Hagan called reporters Monday from an undisclosed location to talk about her two-day trip to Afghanistan, where she met with U.S. troops, talked with senior officials and viewed the rugged terrain in the country’s volatile southern region. She said the trip gave her better perspective of the conditions there.