From this morning's Earlybird:

• "A coalition of business groups, led by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, filed for an emergency court order" Wednesday "to prevent a rule from going into effect that would require federal contractors to verify the legal status of their workers," CongressDaily (subscription) reports. The group "asked the U.S. District Court for Maryland for an emergency injunction to stop the Homeland Security Department from requiring contractors to use the so-called E-Verify system."

• "The incoming president of the AFL-CIO signaled Wednesday his union could accept a card-check bill that preserves an employer's right to demand a secret-ballot election," The Hill reports. "Secretary-Treasurer Richard Trumka hedged on whether a card-check bill must include the provision that gives it its name."

• "Thousands gathered Wednesday night at events held across the nation, including at least four in the Washington area, to urge Congress and the Obama Administration to approve a bill soon," the Washington Post reports. "'These vigils are to remind decision makers that the debate around health-care is not about politics but about people who are being crushed under the current health-care system,' said Nita Chaudhary, the national campaigns and organizing director of MoveOn.org, a liberal group that helped organize the 'We Can't Afford to Wait' vigils."