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From NPR news in Washington, I'm Paul Brown.

The House has approved the measure funding the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan while setting a timeline for American troops to be withdrawn from Iraq. The vote was 218 to 208 with 2 lawmakers voting present. President Bush has promised to veto the bill. NPR's Brian Naylor reports.
The measure says next spring is a non-binding goal for troops to be out of Iraq, but says that withdrawal could start as soon as this July. Democrats including Rahm Emanuel of Illinois argued it's time to end the mismanaged war. "This administration has offered no real plan for success and our troops had been asked to back the Iraqi government that has yet to stand up for itself." Republican such as Jerry Lewis of California says the measure sends a bad signal. "Al-Qaeda will view this legislation as the first sign of the United States' backing down from its commitment to the war on terror." The bill now moves on to the Senate where quick approval is expected. Brian Naylor, NPR news the Capitol.


Iraq's Foreign Minister is criticizing attempts on Capitol Hill to impose a time table for withdrawing US troops. Hoshyar Zebari spoke with the BBC in Iran. "The Iraqi government believed that setting any premature timetable would not be realistic, would not be in the best interests of the US forces or the Iraqi government interests at this stage. I think that should depend on conditions on the ground." That is Iraq's Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari speaking with the BBC.


California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is threatening to sue the Environmental Protection Agency over a state effort to fight climate change. NPR's Elizabeth Shogren has more.
16 months ago, California asked the EPA to approve the state's plan to cut greenhouse gas emissions from cars. The EPA delayed. It said it first wanted to hear what the Supreme Court had to say about whether the EPA has the power to regulate greenhouse gas emissions. Earlier this month, the Court told the EPA it has that power. Now the EPA says it's taking public comment on California's request, but the agency refuses to say how long it will take to come to a decision. That is not good enough for California. In a letter to the EPA, governor Schwarzenegger warns that the state will sue if the agency hasn't acted within 6 months. The EPA's decision will have implications around the country. Already 11 other states have adopted California's rules for cutting greenhouse gas emissions from cars. Elizabeth Shogren NPR news Washington.


More details are coming out about the shootings at Virginia Tech last week that killed 33 people, including the shooter. Police now say Seung-hui Cho fired 170 rounds in 9 minutes. Investigators don't have an exact motive. They say they're continuing to follow hundreds of leads.

From Washington this is NPR news.


Catholic and Protestant churches are already seeing change in their congregations, because of the booming Hispanic population. A new survey of 46,00 Latinos in the US found that they also see religious and political life has intertwined. NPR's Barbara Bradley Hagerty reports.
About a third of all Catholics are now Latinos according to the study by Pew Research Center, and as Sir share grows, so does Sir style of worship. While only 12% of non-Hispanic Catholics say they are Pentecostal, 54% of Latino-Catholics do, and so their services are punctuated with speaking in tongues, prophecy and prayer for healings. Politically religion tramps ethnicity. Catholic Latinos are far more likely to favor the democrats, while evangelical Latinos are twice likely to be Republicans. Whatever the denomination, Latinos say their religion provides a moral compass in politics, and most Latinos surveyed say that the pulpit isn't an appropriate place to speak about social and political issues. Barbara Bradley Hagerty NPR news.


Racing to be the court imposed deadline, California's legislative leaders say they've agreed to a deal to spend 6.1 billion dollars to ease overcrowding in the state's prison system. California is the largest state prison system in the country and the plan would add 53,000 beds in improved rehabilitation programs. It also would allow governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to continue his strategy of moving thousands of California inmates out of the state. The California Assembly and Senate are expected to approve the plan today and send it to the governor for his signature.

I'm Paul Brown, NPR news in Washington.