Senator Sanders

Vote Switch "C-Span video shows Washington politics at its most cynical. Colorado's Democratic senators, Michael Bennet and Mark Udall, linger in the well of the Senate for a vote on a consumer-friendly 15 percent cap on credit card interest, proposed by Sen. Bernie Sanders...Both Colorado senators at first vote "no"... [but then] switched," The Denver Post reported. LINK

Agent Orange A House panel is set to hear from the first Vietnamese Agent Orange victim to ever speak on Capitol Hill. Dr. Nguyen Thi Ngoc Phuong, who will testify, said the "meager assistance" of $3 million a year is eroded by non-government organizations that distribute the funds. Thanh Nien, an English-language Vietnamese weekly, said Sens. Tom Harkin, Al Franken and Sanders visited Vietnam last week and toured Agent Orange treatment centers in Da Nang. LINK

National

Obama Slams GOP for Obstructing Progress President Obama is taking aim at Senate Republicans, accusing them of playing politics with measures that would extend benefits to the unemployed and increase lending to small businesses. Striking a deeply partisan tone in his weekly Saturday radio and online address, President Obama said the GOP leadership has chosen to "filibuster our recovery and obstruct our progress," The Associated Press reported. LINK

Medicaid Fraud Arrests were made this week in Miami, New York City, Detroit, Houston and Baton Rouge, La., in the largest Medicare fraud takedown in history -- part of a massive overhaul in the way federal officials are preventing and prosecuting the crimes. In all, 94 people -- including several doctors and nurses -- were charged Friday in scams totaling $251 million, The Associated Press reported. LINK  

Wall Street Reform The Obama administration faces a crucial choice over who will lead a powerful new consumer guardian created by the legislation. A three-person short list includes Elizabeth Warren, the Harvard law professor, The New York Times reported. LINK

Gulf Spill BP says it has placed a new containment cap on its crippled well in the Gulf of Mexico that's been gushing oil since an explosion and fire April 20. The company hopes the new cap will be able to completely contain the leaking oil, but tests are still needed to determine its effectiveness, CNN reported. LINK

Vermont

Funeral for Vt. Soldier Family and friends will pay tribute to a Vermont National Guard soldier killed in Afghanistan. The funeral for Specialist Ryan Grady will take place in his hometown of St. Johnsbury on Saturday. The 25-year-old was killed in a July 2 roadside bombing that wounded four others.

Solar Power Green Mountain Power plans to build a 770-panel "solar orchard" at Shelburne Farms in the coming months, the company announced Friday. The Burlington Free Press said the project will occupy three-quarters of an acre in a field on the 1,400-acre Shelburne Farms property. LINK