President Barack Obama issued a withering critique Thursday of Wall Street corporate behavior, calling it "the height of irresponsibility" for employees to be paid more than $18 billion in bonuses last year while their crumbling financial sector received a bailout from taxpayers. "It is shameful," Obama said from the Oval Office. "And part of what we're going to need is for the folks on Wall Street who are asking for help to show some restraint, and show some discipline, and show some sense of responsibility."

President Barack Obama plans to overturn four Bush-era executive orders that organized labor opposed.

A labor official tells The Associated Press that Obama will reverse one order that allowed unionized companies to post signs informing workers that they were allowed to decertify the union. Critics said the order was unfair because nonunion businesses were not required to post signs letting workers know they were legally allowed to vote for a union.

The official says the other three orders address similar administrative rules for labor groups. The official disclosed the plans on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to pre-empt the White House's plans.

Barack Obama today signed the first bill of his presidency, a piece of legislation known as the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Restoration Act that makes it easier for workers to sue after discovering what they believe to be pay discrimination.
In signing the bill, Mr. Obama said that it sends the message "that there are no second class citizens in our workplaces, and that it's not just unfair and illegal -- but bad for business -- to pay someone less because of their gender, age, race, ethnicity, religion or disability."

The Senate passed legislation Thursday that would provide federal health benefits to millions of children, setting the stage for President Obama to notch an early victory on a major priority.

The chamber voted 66-32 to expand the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP).

Republicans who crossed the aisle to support the Democratic-written bill were Lamar Alexander (Tenn.), Susan Collins (Maine), Bob Corker (Tenn.), Kay Bailey Hutchison (Texas), Richard Lugar (Ind.), Mel Martinez (Fla.), Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), Olympia Snowe (Maine) and Arlen Specter (Pa.).

The latest Senate SCHIP bill failed to attract the same level of Republican support as those earlier measures.