Political Scene

HOUSE

Lawmaker to retire, citing health

BUFFALO, N.Y. | Rep. Eric Massa, a freshman Democrat from New York, says he will retire because of health reasons.

Mr. Massa told reporters of his decision on a conference call Wednesday.

He was elected in 2008, defeating Republican Rep. Randy Kuhl in a district long dominated by Republicans.

Mr. Massa was stricken with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 1996. He underwent aggressive treatment and stayed on as an aide to retired Gen. Wesley K. Clark, a presidential candidate in 2004.

FDA

Stricter standards applied to labels

The Food and Drug Administration is cracking down on baby-food manufacturers and other companies for misleading nutrition labeling on their products, the beginning of a larger effort to set stricter standards for the labels.

The FDA sent warning letters to 17 food companies - including Nestle, which produces Gerber’s baby food - for violations it says include unauthorized claims about health, nutrient contents and terms such as “healthy.”

The agency rapped Nestle for making health claims on Gerber carrots for babies and Gerber Graduates puffs because “appropriate dietary levels have not been established for children in this age range,” according to the warning letters. The puffs containers claim that the product is a “good source of iron, zinc and Vitamin E.”

Several other companies that produce baby food, such as Beech-Nut, First Juice Inc., Want Want Foods and PBM Products, received similar letters.

The agency said in October that nutritional labels from food manufacturers may be misleading consumers about the actual health benefits of cereal, crackers and other processed foods and sent a letter to companies saying it would begin cracking down on inaccurate food labeling. On Wednesday, the agency said it will soon propose new guidelines for calorie and nutrient labeling on the front of food packages.

TRANSPORTATION

Feds still hearing Toyota complaints

The Transportation Department is hearing from some Toyota owners who say they’re still having trouble with unintended acceleration after their recalled cars were repaired.

David Strickland, the administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, says the agency is contacting these consumers to find out what’s happening and make sure Toyota is doing everything possible to make its vehicles safe.

Mr. Strickland says in a statement that if owners are still experiencing sudden acceleration after taking their cars to the dealership, “we want to know about it.”

So far, the government has received a limited number of acceleration complaints from the Toyota owners whose floor mats or gas pedals already have been fixed. Toyota recalled more than 8 million vehicles.

FED

Economy plods ahead; snowstorms blamed

The economy is growing even though harsh snowstorms crimped activity in some parts of the country.

A new Beige Book survey by the Federal Reserve, released Wednesday, also showed that the recovery is managing to plod ahead but not at a strong enough pace to persuade companies to ramp up hiring.

The Fed said that “economic conditions continued to expand … although severe snowstorms in early February held back activity” in some places.

Of the Fed’s 12 regions surveyed, the Richmond district - which includes Maryland, Virginia and the Carolinas - was hurt the most by the bad winter. That region reported economic activity had “slackened or remained soft across most sectors” because of the weather.

Although economic setbacks from the weather are temporary, it comes at a fragile time: the economy is struggling to recover from the worst and longest recession since the 1930s.

SENATE

Dems seek to stall green project funds

Several Democratic senators said they had introduced legislation that would deny U.S. stimulus money to wind farms and other green-energy programs that created most of their jobs overseas.

Sen. Charles E. Schumer, a member of the Democratic leadership, and three other senators also said they had asked the Obama administration to suspend payments from a fund designed to encourage green-energy projects until Congress had a chance to resolve the issue.

The measure, if approved, may affect a giant wind farm in West Texas that could receive $450 million in stimulus money even though it purchased Chinese-made wind turbines.

Mr. Schumer said the project had employed 3,000 Chinese workers to build the turbines, but only 300 Americans to install them.

“It just makes your blood boil,” said Mr. Schumer, who represents New York.

The bill could conflict with the administration’s plans to boost international trade in environmental goods and services.

NEW YORK

Mayor: More senator choices beneficial

NEW YORK | New York Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg says he thinks Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand could have been defeated by either one of the people who are no longer considering running this year.

Mr. Bloomberg also said New Yorkers would have been “better off” with more choices.

Both Harold E. Ford Jr. and Mortimer Zuckerman said this week they had decided not to run. Mr. Ford was considering challenging Mrs. Gillibrand in the Democratic primary, and Mr. Zuckerman was looking at running on the Republican line.

From wire dispatches and staff reports