Links: Remembering Specter

The Associated Press considers the loss of former U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter, who died as Congress is at its most polarized since Reconstruction.  The Inquirer rounds up remembrances from Specter's colleagues.  

A controversial charter school reform measure has been sidelined, for now. Republican legislative leaders say they won't push for consensus this year on legislation to allow charters to form without going exclusively to local school districts for approval, reports the Post-Gazette.

The Citizens' Voicer reports the Corbett Administration is proceeding with caution toward a state-run health care exchange, even as delaying the exchange's implementation could mean it will be federally controlled:

Pennsylvania Insurance Commissioner Michael F. Consedine has laundry list of questions about federal red tape related to health insurance exchanges required by the Affordable Care Act.

More than a month ago, Consedine sent a list of 26 questions to U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius about regulations for the state to create a health insurance exchange. Questions ranged from seeking clarification about vague language in the Affordable Care Act regarding health insurance exchanges to how much it will cost the state under a variety of scenarios.

"As previously communicated to you by Gov. (Tom) Corbett, Pennsylvania is committed to implementing health reform solutions that work for Pennsylvania - not a one-size-fits-all Washington solution," Consedine wrote to Sebelius in a letter on Aug. 23.