Editor's Note: Welcome to American Morning's LIVE Blog where you can discuss the "most news in the morning" with us each and every day. Join the live chat during the program by adding your comments below. It's your chance to share your thoughts on the day's headlines. Keep in mind, you have a better chance of having your comment get past our moderators if you follow our rules: 1) Keep it brief 2) No writing in ALL CAPS 3) Use your real name (first name only is fine) 4) No links 5) Watch your language (that includes $#&*).

[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/images/04/29/gulf.oil.slick.gi.art.jpg caption="The amount of oil leaking from a sunken rig in the Gulf of Mexico has increased to as much as 5,000 barrels a day, a Coast Guard official said late Wednesday."]

Oil rig leak may be 5 times bigger than first believed

(CNN) – The estimated amount of oil leaking from a sunken rig in the Gulf of Mexico has increased to as much as 5,000 barrels a day - five times more than what was originally believed, a Coast Guard official said late Wednesday.

Rear Adm. Mary Landry told reporters that the increased estimate is based on analysis from the federal National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. She noted that there are "a lot of variables" in calculating the rate of the spill.

"This is not an exact science when you estimate the amount of oil," she added. "However, NOAA is telling me now that they prefer we use the 5,000 barrels (210,000 gallons) a day as an estimate of what has actually leaked from this well and will continue to leak until BP secures the source."

Some 250,000 gallons of oily water has been collected from the scene, she said. Read more

Senate to begin debating Wall Street reform bill

Let the debate begin. The Senate agrees to take up the Wall Street reform bill after Republicans back down and drop their opposition. But now comes the hard part. Both parties still need to work out their differences. So how close are we to changing the way Wall Street does business? We're live in Washington this morning with new information.

Happy doctors, satisfied patients

Picture this: A medical facility where doctors are not over-worked, waiting rooms are not jammed to capacity, and patients are thrilled with the quality of care they receive. It's an experiment that's leaving some health care critics speechless in Seattle. Our Elizabeth Cohen reports for the final installment of our special series, "Prescription for Waste."

Sound off: We want to hear from you this morning. Add your comments to the LIVE blog below and we'll read some of them on the show.

Editor's Note: Welcome to American Morning's LIVE Blog where you can discuss the "most news in the morning" with us each and every day. Join the live chat during the program by adding your comments below. It's your chance to share your thoughts on the day's headlines. Keep in mind, you have a better chance of having your comment get past our moderators if you follow our rules: 1) Keep it brief 2) No writing in ALL CAPS 3) Use your real name (first name only is fine) 4) No links 5) Watch your language (that includes $#&*).

[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/images/04/28/smlvid_four_swearing_gi.jpg caption="Top Goldman Sachs representatives attempted to deflect criticism Tuesday from lawmakers about the firm's role in the financial crisis."]

Wall Street under fire: Senate vs. Goldman

(CNNMoney) -Top Goldman Sachs representatives - including CEO Lloyd Blankfein - attempted to deflect criticism Tuesday as they faced a blistering cross-examination from lawmakers about the firm's role in the financial crisis.

For more than ten hours, members of a Senate panel skewered current and former executives at Wall Street's top firm with pointed questions and criticisms in an effort to understand how Goldman had positioned itself just as the nation's housing market started to come unraveled in 2007.

"[Goldman Sachs'] conduct brings into question the whole function of Wall Street," said Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., who chairs the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, the same committee hosting Tuesday's eagerly anticipated hearing. Read more

Should states regulate hospital rates?

Would you shop in a store where they charge three times more than their cost for everything they sell? Not likely. But that's what thousands of Americans are doing every day when they check into a hospital. Hospitals in this country, on average, charge 180% above cost for every procedure performed. Except in Maryland, where state regulation means patients pay a lot less, and often get more. Our senior medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen reports for part three of our original series, "Prescription for Waste."

Sound off: We want to hear from you this morning. Add your comments to the LIVE blog below and we'll read some of them on the show.

Editor's Note: Welcome to American Morning's LIVE Blog where you can discuss the "most news in the morning" with us each and every day. Join the live chat during the program by adding your comments below. It's your chance to share your thoughts on the day's headlines. Keep in mind, you have a better chance of having your comment get past our moderators if you follow our rules: 1) Keep it brief 2) No writing in ALL CAPS 3) Use your real name (first name only is fine) 4) No links 5) Watch your language (that includes $#&*).

[cnn-photo-caption image= http://cnnlarrykinglive.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/goldmansachs.jpg caption="Top reps from Wall Street's most powerful firm will likely endure a harsh line of questioning Tuesday about their role in the financial crisis. CNNMoney.com reports."]

Goldman Sachs to face tough questions over financial crisis

(CNN) – Goldman Sachs' moment of public flogging is here.

On Tuesday, top representatives from Wall Street's most powerful firm will appear on Capitol Hill, where they are expected to endure a harsh line of questioning from lawmakers about their role in helping bring about the financial crisis.

Much of the focus however will likely center on the complicated mortgage investment Goldman (GS, Fortune 500) sold that is now the subject of a civil fraud suit brought against the firm earlier this month by the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Seven current and former Goldman Sachs executives are slated to appear at Tuesday's hearing. Among them will be the company's current CEO Lloyd Blankfein, its chief financial officer David Viniar, as well as Fabrice Tourre, the 31-year-old Goldman employee who helped broker the now infamous deal that is at the center of the SEC's claim.

Lawmakers will probably show little mercy towards that trio. Here's a glimpse of what types of tough questions they could face. Read more

Prescription for Waste: $863 disposable forceps

When Dr. Linda Galloway learned she needed surgery to save her vision, she scheduled the procedure immediately with her opthamologist. And what an eye-opener it was – when the hospital bill arrived. This morning, our senior medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen reports for part two of our series "Prescription for Waste."

Sound off: We want to hear from you this morning. Add your comments to the LIVE blog below and we'll read some of them on the show.

Editor's Note: Welcome to American Morning's LIVE Blog where you can discuss the "most news in the morning" with us each and every day. Join the live chat during the program by adding your comments below. It's your chance to share your thoughts on the day's headlines. Keep in mind, you have a better chance of having your comment get past our moderators if you follow our rules: 1) Keep it brief 2) No writing in ALL CAPS 3) Use your real name (first name only is fine) 4) No links 5) Watch your language (that includes $#&*).

[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/POLITICS/04/25/arizona.immigration.protest/story.arizona.protests.one.gi.jpg caption="Opponents of Arizona's new immigration enforcement law protest Sunday in Phoenix."]

Hundreds protest immigration law

(CNN) – Hundreds of people gathered outside Arizona's Capitol building on Sunday in a largely peaceful protest against the state's tough new immigration law.

Chanting "Yes we can," waving American flags and holding signs reading "We have rights" and "We are human," demonstrators kept up a festive spirit as they denounced the bill signed Friday by Gov. Jan Brewer.

The new law requires police to determine whether a person is in the United States legally. It also requires immigrants to carry their alien registration documents at all times and requires police to question people if there is reason to suspect they're in the United States illegally.

Protesters worry that the law will foster racial profiling. Read more

Are corporations people too? Lawmakers target SCOTUS campaign finance ruling

Democrats on Capitol Hill are getting ready to introduce a new bill targeting a Supreme Court decision on campaign finance rules. The court's 5-4 decision says blocking campaign cash from corporations violates our right to freedom of speech, but a Quinnipiac poll found 79% of Americans disagreed with the court's decision. Our Carol Costello has the report this morning.

Shopping for cheap surgery

Everybody loves a bargain, but is it really a good idea to shop for rock-bottom prices when it comes to medical care? With so much waste in our health care system and costs continuing to sky-rocket, some Americans are actually sniffing out cheap surgery deals overseas. Today, our senior medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen introduces us to one of them.

Sound off: We want to hear from you this morning. Add your comments to the LIVE blog below and we'll read some of them on the show.

Editor's Note: Welcome to American Morning's LIVE Blog where you can discuss the "most news in the morning" with us each and every day. Join the live chat during the program by adding your comments below. It's your chance to share your thoughts on the day's headlines. Keep in mind, you have a better chance of having your comment get past our moderators if you follow our rules: 1) Keep it brief 2) No writing in ALL CAPS 3) Use your real name (first name only is fine) 4) No links 5) Watch your language (that includes $#&*).

[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/images/04/23/rig.fire.cg.art.jpg caption="The U.S. Coast Guard launched a major search effort Wednesday, April 21, 2010, for 11 people missing after an explosion aboard an oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico. "]

Oil slick spreads from sunken rig

(CNN) – A 1-by-5-mile sheen of crude oil mix has spread across the Gulf of Mexico's surface around the area where an oil rig exploded and sank, a Coast Guard lieutenant said Thursday.

"This is a rainbow sheen with a dark center," Coast Guard Rear Adm. Mary Landry told reporters.

Officials do not know whether oil or fuel are leaking from the sunken Deepwater Horizon rig and the well below, but BP Vice President David Rainey said "it certainly has the potential to be a major spill."

A remotely-operated vehicle is surveying the area and cleanup efforts are under way, Landry said. The sheen "probably is residual from the fire and the activity that was going on on this rig before it sank below the surface," she said. Read more

Are we living in a 'dirty girl' culture?

It's a bad girls' world these days. From out-of-control teens, to "real" housewives. To picture after picture, of stumbling, fumbling celebrities. So how do you tell your daughter that reality TV isn't really...real? Our Carol Costello has the Friday gut check for us.

Sound off: What do you think? Are we living in a 'dirty girl' culture?

'South Park' vs. free speech

The creators of "South Park" are speaking out about the controversy around their show and the Muslim prophet Mohammed. Trey Parker and Matt Stone told the New York Times that Comedy Central substantially edited the dialogue in their show this week, bleeping out the prophet's name and a speech from the character, Kyle, about "intimidation and fear." This comes after the show was threatened by a radical Islamic group, "Revolution Muslim," for last week's episode that also dealt with Mohammed. We'll be talking more about this free speech battle with CNN independent analyst John Avlon.

Air Force launches mystery space plane

A mystery unmanned space plane operated by the Air Force is circling the globe. Its mission in space is top-secret. The spacecraft, dubbed the X-37B, lifted off last night from Cape Canaveral in Florida. Military officials say the launch was a success, but they won't say much else. Our Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr is following the story for us this morning.

Sound off: We want to hear from you this morning. Add your comments to the LIVE blog below and we'll read some of them on the show.

Editor's Note: Welcome to American Morning's LIVE Blog where you can discuss the "most news in the morning" with us each and every day. Join the live chat during the program by adding your comments below. It's your chance to share your thoughts on the day's headlines. Keep in mind, you have a better chance of having your comment get past our moderators if you follow our rules: 1) Keep it brief 2) No writing in ALL CAPS 3) Use your real name (first name only is fine) 4) No links 5) Watch your language (that includes $#&*).

[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/images/04/22/wall.st.art.jpg caption="President Obama is expected to call on Wall Street to join him in his efforts to reform the financial sector in a visit to Manhattan on Thursday."]

Obama to push for tougher financial rules for Wall Street

(CNN) – President Obama is expected to call on Wall Street to join him in his efforts to reform the financial sector in a visit to Manhattan Thursday.

The address at Cooper Union For The Advancement Of Science & Art will take place just blocks from the heart of Wall Street.

Likely provisions of any reform legislation would include making banks and financial firms strengthen their capital cushions, as well as creating a new process for taking down giant failing companies and preventing future Wall Street bailouts.

Other topics for reform would include creating a new consumer financial protection regulator and keeping an eye on the kind of complex financial dealings that led to the crisis. Read more

Sound off: What do you think? Will Obama's new financial reform change anything?

Congressmen vs. SCOTUS on political contributions

Two lawmakers on Capitol Hill, a Democrat and a Republican, want to make sure you know when a company is giving cash to a political race. Sources say they're introducing a new bill today, but that could pit Congress against the Supreme Court.

Sound off: Should corporations be treated as people? We want to hear from you this morning. Add your comments to the LIVE blog below and we'll read some of them on the show.