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U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan's amendments to the health care bill are part of a package offered by a group of Democratic freshman senators.

Hagan, a Greensboro Democrat, spoke on the Senate floor this morning about two of the group’s amendments which she submitted, Barb Barrett reports. Hagan's amendments would implement fraud-prevention software and create a program to help seniors manage their medication.

Among other specific amendments by the group are legislation that would:

— encourage the Federal Trade Commission and U.S Department of Justice to find ways that allow private companies to work together to improve care.

— require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to develop methodology to assign value to private health care plans, which would allow consumers to comparison-shop.

— require Medicare to implement pay-for-performance sooner than otherwise required in the underlying health bill.

The other senators include Sens. Mark Begich of Alaska, Michael Bennet of Colorado, Roland Burris of Illinois, Ted Kaufman of Delaware, Paul Kirk of Massachusetts, Jeff Merkley of Oregon, Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, Mark Udall of New Mexico, Tom Udall of Colorado and Mark Warner of Virginia.

U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan signed onto a letter today from newly elected Democrats urging the Senate Finance Committee to cut costs as part of its work on health care reform.

"We are concerned that too little focus has been given to the area of cost containment," the letter reads. It continues: "We believe that any final bill must include innovation, hard decisions and incentives to bend the cost curve."

The letter does not include specific suggestions, but it makes clear that the senators are hearing from constituents about the cost of health reform, reports Barb Barrett.

The Senate Finance Committee is amending the details of the Senate's health reform bill and will be responsible for figuring out how to pay for it. The bill, approved recently in the Senate health committee, will cost an estimated $615 billion over 10 years.

The letter was written to Finance Committee chairman Sen. Max Baucus and signed by Sens. Mark Warner, Michael Bennet, Mark Begich, Mark Udall, Jeanne Shaheen, Roland Burris, Tom Udall, Jeff Merkley and Hagan.

Sen. Kay Hagan has forwarded three names to the White House as potential judicial nominations for the Fourth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

Hagan would not disclose the names this morning in a conference call with reporters, because she hasn't told the other candidates that they weren't among the recommendations, Barb Barrett reports.

President Barack Obama will make official nominations to the Senate.

Hagan, a freshman Democrat, said she is committed to seeing two of the four open seats on court go to North Carolinians. The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals covers the states of Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Maryland.

Hagan named a statewide board this spring to help vet candidates and guide her on her recommendations. Hagan said she met with several of the candidates.

North Carolina now has just one judge on the court, which is represented by 15 judgeships.

Virginia Sens. Jim Webb and Mark Warner announced Tuesday that they had sent forward the name of Virginia State Supreme Court Justice Barbara Keenan to the White House.

Update: Former Supreme Court Justice Burley Mitchell, who led Hagan's search efforts, said they interviewed more than 40 candidates.

Second Update: Hagan's office said later that she misspoke and there is no list. 

U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan has joined a group of moderate Democrats.

The Greensboro Democrat announced Wednesday that she will joing the Moderate Dems Working Group, a group of 15 moderate Democrats that will meet regularly to talk about major issues.

"Working with the Moderate Dems, I look forward to finding common-sense solutions to the greatest challenges we face and breaking the political gridlock that, for too long, has characterized politics-as-usual in Washington," she said in a statement.

The group met for the second time Tuesday to discuss the upcoming budget negotiations. It's leader is Indiana Sen. Evan Bayh, who was on the shortlist for President Obama's vice presidential slot.

Other members of the group include Sens. Claire McCaskill, Joe Lieberman, Jeanne Shaheen, Mark Warner and Mary Landrieu, among others.

Sen. Kay Hagan and Rep. Larry Kissell have more than a few things in common — they're both Democrats, both from North Carolina, both freshmen in Congress.

But they're tilting the opposite scales when it comes to personal financial wealth, Lisa Zagaroli reports.

A new analysis by the Center for Responsive Politics shows that Hagan is the seventh-richest freshman in Congress. Kissell is dead last, or 53rd, among the congressional newcomers.

Hagan's net worth is between $4.3 million and $38 million, which puts her average net worth as 33rd among all members of Congress. A former banker, Hagan earned $20,000 in 2007 as a member of the state Senate.

Kissell's combined personal finances fall somewhere between $20,000 and debt of $284,000, according to the reports lawmakers have to fill out which require assets and debts to be reported in wide ranges instead of specific amounts. The former Montgomery County schoolteacher earned $49,000 in 2007.

The richest freshman was Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., who built his fortune (between $61 million and $451 million) in the telecommunications business.

The party hopes to emerge from this week's convention united after a long, hard-fought primary. And they hope to better introduce Obama to the American voters.

North Carolina will not play nearly as important a role as it did at the 2004 convention in Boston, when John Edwards, then a North Carolina senator, was nominated as the party's vice presidential running mate. Edwards is not expected at this year's convention.

Scheduled primetime speakers include Michelle Obama (tonight), Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton and former Virginia Gov. Mark Warner (Tuesday), Bill Clinton and vice president pick Sen. Joe Biden (Wednesday) and Obama (Thursday). (N&O)

Chris Cillizza says Kay Hagan has run the second-best U.S. Senate campaign.

In a chat on the Washington Post's Web site, the political reporter responded to a reader from Iowa who asked about Senate races, saying he thought Mark Warner of Virginia had run the best campaign this season.

Runner up: Kay Hagan in North Carolina. In short order she has put Sen. Elizabeth Dole (R) on the national target list with a combination of strong fundraising, a solid primary win, and rave reviews from national strategists about her candidate skills. 

Previously: Hagan race "on the margins."

Dave "Mudcat" Saunders will speak at Vance-Aycock.

The political consultant and professional good ol' boy will be the keynote speaker at the annual event, held by the N.C. Democratic Party at the Grove Park Inn in Asheville.

Saunders, co-author of "Foxes in the Henhouse," has long worked on the so-called "Bubba Vote" of rural, NASCAR-loving bluegrass fans.

A native of Roanoke, he currently works as an advisor to John Edwards. He's previously advised Mark Warner's gubernatorial campaign and Jim Webb's Senate campaign, both in Virginia.

First Lady Mary Easley and several candidates for statewide office will also speak at the Democratic Women's Breakfast that morning.

The event will be held on Saturday, Oct. 6.

Would Sen. Hillary Clinton pick Gov. Mike Easley as her running mate?

That's one scenario laid out recently by Stanley Fish on a New York Times blog ($), Rob Christensen reports.

He reasons that the New York senator will be looking for some geographical balance if she captures the Democratic nomination.

Among the possibilities: Former Virginia Gov. Mark Warner, Indiana Sen. Evan Bayh, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle — and Easley.

Easley, Fish writes, "is a Democrat who has run ahead of his party in two elections. However, he is not well known outside the region, and it is a question as to whether he could deliver his own state."