download

From NPR news in Washington, I'm Carl Kasell.

A war-spending bill calling for US troop withdrawals from Iraq to begin by October would be sent to the White House today. For congressional republicans joined nearly all the ruling democrats in passing the legislation, despite President Bush's threat to exercise the second veto of his presidency. Here is more from NPR's David Welna.
The billing funding the Iraq war is the 7th Congress has sent President Bush and the 1st he's promised to veto. The senate's No. 2 democrat Dick Durbin yesterday implored the President to reconsider rejecting the bill and its proposed withdrawal timetable. "I hope that when the President has a chance to veto this bill, or sign it, then he would stop and think for a moment. If he fails to sign this bill, he will unfortunately endanger the lives of American soldiers who are whined to his failed policy in Iraq." The final passage of the legislation occurred last Thursday. Democrats waited until today to send Mr. Bush the bill. It's the 4th anniversary of the day he landed on an aircraft carrier and spoke to the nation under a banner that proclaimed "Mission Accomplished". David Welna, NPR news the Capitol.


Immigration reform marches and rallies are planned in dozens of cities across the nation today. However organizers do not believe a repeat of last year's huge turnout is likely, but they say that demonstrations reflect a robust movement determined to win a path to citizenship for the estimated 12 million illegal immigrants in the US. Marches, meetings and voter registration drives are planned from Oregon to Florida. In Miami Democratic Party Chairman Howard Dean plans to speak to immigrant groups. In Washington about 400 members of Asian groups from across the country plan to lobby lawmakers. Two large demonstrations are planned in Los Angeles County.


The senate had begun a debate on the bill to overhaul the way that the Food and Drug Administration insures the safety of prescription drugs. NPR's Julie Rovner reports.
The bill's main purpose is to renew a series of fees that brand-name drug markers pay to help the FDA hire additional drug reviewers, having more staff help self speed drug approval since the program was launched in 1992. But since then there's been an increasing concern that some drugs have gotten to market too fast resulting in patients being hurt by adverse reactions. Wyoming republican senator Michael Enzi says the safety provision to the bipartisan bill will help address that problem. "The changes that are being made are so critical to restoring the peace of mind to Americans who want to be assured that the drugs they purchased to address illness and chronic medical conditions can be relied on and trusted." Still key aspects of the bill remain controversial. The debate is expected to take most of the week. Julie Rovner, NPR news Washington.


Prices on the Tokyo stock exchange closed lower today. The Nikkei Average fell by 124 points.

This is NPR news.

Virginia governor Tim Kaine has issued an executive order to close a loophole in state policy that allowed Virginia Tech gunman Seung-Hui Cho to purchase weapons. The order clarifies a state law that currently prohibits gun ownership or purchases for anyone who has involuntarily admitted for mental health treatment. Anne Marie Morgan with member station WVTF has more form Richmond.
The FBI says Virginia leads the nation in sharing mental health judications with the background check database to buy guns. Virginia mandates reporting the names of involuntarily admitted patients. In Cho's case court ordered outpatient care did not trigger the mandate, but similar cases have in other parts of Virginia. Kaine said that would be standardized. "The key criteria that should trigger the report is the finding of danger. If somebody has been determined mentally ill and they're determined to be a danger to themselves or others to such a significant degree that they are ordered to receive involuntary treatment. Whether that treatment is to be provided either inpatient or outpatient facility is of no moment. His order requires state agencies to report all such judications. For NPR news, I'm Anne Marie Morgan in Richmond.


According to a new report from American scientists the Arctic sea ice is melting three times faster than projected. It was melting at a rate of about 7.8% per decade between 1953 and 2006. The scientists say the retreat of summertime Arctic sea ice is about 30 years ahead of the pace projected by computer models and they say it could mean green house gases are having greater impact than expected.

I'm Carl Kasell, NPR news in Washington.