PROGRAMS FACE CUTS IN REVISED SPENDING BILL

Programs face cutsin revised spending bill
WASHINGTON -- House and Senate negotiators made modest changes to a major spending bill that would freeze or cut back a wide variety of education and social programs in hopes of successfully capping a GOP drive to halt the growth of most domestic agencies' budgets. An earlier version of the measure, which would provide $602 billion for a broad spectrum of health, education and labor programs, was defeated on the House floor last month amid opposition from GOP moderates and rural lawmakers, among others. The rural lawmakers were unhappy with cuts to a variety of programs aimed at improving rural health care. The bill contains $142.5 billion at lawmakers' discretion for the departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, with the bulk of the rest of the funds being automatic payments to the Medicare and Medicaid programs. To revive the measure, senior House Appropriations Committee Republicans such as Reps. Ralph Regula of Ohio and Jerry Lewis of California, the committee's chairman, shifted $90 million into rural health programs such as grants for community health centers and funding for training and support programs designed to encourage more physicians to practice in rural areas.
Officials renew warningof potential terror threat
WASHINGTON -- The State Department renewed Monday a warning it issued in August that Americans and U.S. interests overseas face a continuing threat of terrorist action. The department "remains concerned about the continued threat of terrorist attacks," a statement said. The Al-Qaida network continues to plan terrorist attacks in Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East, it said.
Drinking tea reduces riskof getting ovarian cancer?
CHICAGO -- Swedish researchers have found tantalizing but far-from-conclusive evidence that drinking a couple of cups of tea every day might help reduce the risk of developing ovarian cancer. The study involved 61,057 Swedish women who answered a questionnaire about their diets and then were tracked for an average of 15 years through 2004. During that time, 301 women developed ovarian cancer. Those who reported drinking two or more cups of tea a day were 46 percent less likely to develop the disease than women who drank no tea. Drinking less than two cups also appeared to help, but not as much. The researchers did not break out the results by tea types, but most of the tea drinkers consumed black tea. Both black and green tea contain polyphenols -- substances thought to block cell damage that can lead to cancer.
Lawmakers examine saleof drugs on the Internet
WASHINGTON -- Most Web sites selling controlled drugs to Americans are powered by computers in the United States and have been in operation for more than a year, according to a report prepared for House lawmakers. The report suggests to lawmakers that it is possible to crack down on illicit Web sites because they are not the fly-by-night operations that some envision. "A concerted, programmatic effort to take down these Web sites ... could have a significant impact on illicit product availability," said the report compiled for a subcommittee that conducts investigations for the House Energy and Commerce Committee. IntegriChain, Inc., a New Jersey company that works for pharmaceutical manufacturers, looked at a sample of 180 Web sites that claimed to sell certain types of drugs, such as painkillers, anabolic steroids and sleeping pills.
Officials unveil planto clean up Great Lakes
CHICAGO -- A partnership of federal, state and local officials proposed a 15-year, $20 billion plan Monday for cleaning up the Great Lakes, the source of drinking water for 30 million people and a vital link in the nation's shipping network. The plan makes numerous recommendations on how to fix the lakes' most pressing problems, including the proliferation of invasive species, the deterioration of animal habitats, toxic hot spots attributed to pollution and tainted wetlands and tributaries. "We think it's an excellent blueprint or guide for directing our collaborative efforts," said Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Stephen Johnson. He was joined at Chicago's Shedd Aquarium by federal, state, local and tribal officials to unveil the Great Lakes Regional Collaboration Strategy. Last year President Bush ordered the EPA to assemble the partnership to coordinate Great Lakes cleanup efforts. The move followed a Government Accountability Office report describing programs devoted to restoring the lakes as disjointed. Eight states and two Canadian provinces border the lakes, which contain 20 percent of the world's fresh surface water.
Associated Press