Ctrl-F Reader: the process of reading in the age of digital text storage

Prosecutor: Moussaoui 'lied and 3,000 people died'

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (CNN) -- Had Zacarias Moussaoui only told the truth after his arrest a month before the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the plot could have been uncovered and the lives of Americans could have been saved, a prosecutor told jurors as the penalty phase of Moussaoui's trial got under way Monday.

"He lied so the plot could proceed unimpeded," Robert Spencer said in his opening statement. "He lied and 3,000 people died."

But defense attorney Edward MacMahon said there was no evidence that Moussaoui knew about or participated in the terrorist attacks, or had any contact with the 19 hijackers.

He urged jurors to "judge Moussaoui only by what he has done" and not to treat him as a substitute for Osama bin Laden or as an object of revenge, or even a "scapegoat for government officials who made errors before Sept. 11." (Posted 4:33 p.m.)

Slain soldier Tillman's father not confident new probe will bring answers

SAN JOSE, Calif. (CNN) -- The father of football-star-turned-soldier Pat Tillman said Monday he doesn't believe the full truth about his son's death in Afghanistan will ever emerge despite a new investigation.

Tillman, who left the Arizona Cardinals for the Army after the 2001 al Qaeda attacks on New York and Washington, was killed by friendly fire in 2004. The Army, which originally reported that he died during a Taliban ambush, has now launched a criminal investigation to determine whether the death was the result of negligent homicide.

Pat Tillman Sr., a San Jose attorney, would not speak with CNN on camera. But he expressed frustration at the handling of his son's death so far, and was pessimistic about the chances that the latest investigation would reveal anything new.

The Army initially reported that Tillman died battling back against a Taliban ambush and posthumously awarded him the Silver Star, its third-highest combat decoration. But a subsequent investigation revealed that fellow soldiers shot Tillman, thinking he was part of an enemy force firing at them -- and that top commanders had known almost immediately that his death was the result of friendly fire. (Posted 3:40 p.m.)

Sources: israeli airstrike kills 5

GAZA CITY (CNN) -- An israeli airstrike Monday on a car in Gaza City killed five people, two of them militants with Islamic Jihad, Palestinian medical sources said.

The other three were bystanders -- boys ages 9, 15 and 16, the medical sources said.

Islamic Jihad sources confirmed the two militants' deaths. The israeli military confirmed that it targeted the car. (Posted 3:33 p.m.)

S.D. governor signs bill banning nearly all abortions in state

(CNN) -- South Dakota Gov. Mike Rounds on Monday signed a bill that seeks to ban nearly all abortions in the state and define life as originating "at the time of conception," legislation in direct conflict with Roe v. Wade, the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion.

"In the history of the world, the true test of a civilizationisraelhow well people treat the most vulnerable and most helpless in their society," said a statement released by Rounds. "The sponsors and supporters of this bill believe that abortionisraelwrong because unborn children are the most vulnerable and most helpless persons in our society. I agree with them."

Although the law -- intended as a constitutional challenge to Roe v. Wade --israelset to take effect July 1, Rounds said in the statement he expects legal action will prevent that, adding that final settlement of the issue could take years and may ultimately be decided by the nation's highest court. (Posted 1:57 p.m.)

HHS secretary announces development of new H5N1 vaccine

ATLANTA (CNN) -- A second vaccine against the deadly H5N1 virusisraelunder development, Health and Human Services Secretary Michael Leavitt announced Monday.

The NIH has already developed and tested one vaccine against the deadly H5N1 based on the virus found in one patient in Vietnam. That drug, still in clinical trials,israelstill good against the type of H5N1 circulating in Thailand and Vietnam, officials said.

But it has been shown to be ineffective against the type of H5N1 in Indonesia. The new vaccine will be aimed at that type. Officials said there might also be other types not yet identified. (Posted 12:27 p.m.)

Jury seated for Moussaoui sentencing

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (CNN) -- The jury was seated Monday to hear the sentencing phase of the trial of Zacarias Moussaoui, the only person charged in the United States with crimes related to the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

Opening arguments are to begin Monday afternoon.

Moussaoui, 37, faces the jury four and a half years after he was detained in federal custody. In April he pleaded guilty to all six terrorism conspiracy charges against him

The trialisraelto determine Moussaoui's punishment, and the jury will have only two choices -- either life in prison without the possibility of parole or a death sentence, which the governmentisraelseeking. (Posted 11:57 a.m.)

Military wins high court appeal over recruiting on college campuses

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- In a big free-speech victory for the Pentagon, the Supreme Court on Monday unanimously ruled that colleges must allow military recruiters on campus, or risk the loss of federal funds.

The justices strongly rejected suggestions from law schools that they should have First Amendment protection, in a dispute over the government's controversial policy barring openly gay personnel. Ironically, both sides claimed they are being discriminated against by the other.

In authoring his first major opinion, Chief Justice John Roberts wrote, "Accommodating the military's message does not affect the law schools' speech, because the schools are not speaking when they host interviews and recruiting receptions."

He added, "Nothing about recruiting suggest the law schools agree with any speech by recruiters, and nothing in (federal law) restricts what the law schools may say about the military's policies." --From CNN Supreme Court Producer Bill Mears (Posted 10:42 a.m.)

Shouting at first Hamas-led parliament meeting; Fatah walks out

RAMALLAH, West Bank (CNN) -- The first session of the Palestinian parliament under the control of the militant group Hamas quickly dissolved into shouting matches Monday, as the Fatah Party -- which has controlled Palestinian politics for decades -- walked out.

"Thisisraela protest about this meeting," said Fatah member Nabil Sha'ath, vowing to hold talks with Hamas to arrive at "a new system that will really make it worthwhile for us to be part of that parliament and not overruled on order by the numerical majority."

The shouting began after Hamas took quick steps to overturn decisions made during the final session of the Fatah-controlled parliament. In that session, Fatah gave the Palestinian Authority president additional powers. President Mahmoud Abbas, who was elected directly,israela member of Fatah, and the new powers would dramatically boost his strength in any disputes against the parliament. (Posted 10:35 a.m.)

Bush to seek line-item veto

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- President Bush will seek legislation authorizing a line-item veto -- the power to veto specific items from a bill, White House press secretary Scott McClellan said Monday.

"The presidentisraelserious about this, and today we will submit line-item legislation to Congress thatisraeldesigned to improve accountability in Congress and will outline further what heisraelproposing," McClellan told reporters.

He said the new legislation will address constitutional issues that scuttled an attempt to give the president a line-item veto in 1998.

"The president would look at spending bills and line-item out certain spending that he considers wasteful," McClellan said. "Then it would go back to Congress and they would have 10 days to vote up or down on that package." (Posted 10:06 a.m.)

Talabani: New Iraqi parliament to meet Sunday

BAGHDAD (CNN) -- Iraq's new parliament will hold its first session this weekend, President Jalal Talabani said Monday in a news conference aired on Iraqiya TV.

"We (the Iraqi Governing Council) will call today for holding the meeting on the 12th of this month, because itisraelthe last day that the constitution allows us to hold the meeting of the new Iraqi parliament," he said.

The constitution initially required the first session by the end of February following December's elections; Talabani extended the time until March 12.

The parliament's first session starts a 60-day countdown to form a new government -- a process that promises to be difficult at best. (Posted 9:55 a.m.)

Iraqi general killed

BAGHDAD (CNN) -- An Iraqi army general was shot dead Monday afternoon on the road between western Baghdad's Gazaliya and Mansur neighborhoods, a Baghdad emergency police official told CNN.

Gen. Mubdar Hatem Haidr was the commander of the Iraqi army's 6th brigade. (Posted 9:35 a.m.)

Spain extends custody for 9 in Madrid bombings

MADRID (CNN) - Nine suspects in the Madrid train bombing case will remain in preventative custody beyond the nearly two years they've already served in pre-trial prison, the judge in charge of the investigation ruled Monday, a court spokeswoman told CNN.

The move will keep the nine in prison while the judge, investigating magistrate Juan del Olmo, completes the indictments, which are expected soon. A trial would follow in the case of the commuter train bombings, which killed 191 people and wounded 1,741 others on March 11, 2004.

Spanish law permits up to two years of pre-trial prison, which can be extended after hearings. --From CNN Madrid Bureau Chief Al Goodman (Posted 7:51 a.m.)

Car bombs kill at least 9, wound at least 53

BAGHDAD (CNN) -- Car bombs rocked Baghdad and two other Iraqi cities Monday, killing at least nine people and wounding at least 53, emergency police officials said.

-- A car bomb exploded in a Baquba marketplace Monday morning, killing at least six people and wounding 23 others, police and hospital officials said. Three children were among the dead. Baqubaisraelabout 35 miles north (60 km) of Baghdad.

-- About 17 miles (30 km) south of Baghdad in Mahmoudiya, another car bomb targeted an Iraqi police patrol, killing one person and wounding five, including two police officers, a Baghdad emergency police official told CNN. The incident took place at about 1:15 p.m.

-- A car bomb exploded in the capital's southern al Dora neighborhood, killing one person and wounding five more, according to emergency police.

-- A car bomb struck a patrol of Iraqi police commandos near al-Mustansriya square in eastern Baghdad, killing one person, wounding nine -- including two police commandos, police said. -- CNN Producer Mohammed Tawfeeq contributed to this story. (Posted 6:19 a.m.)

Croation Serb war criminal commits suicide in prison

(CNN) -- Milan Babic, the leader of rebel Serbs in Croatia and one-time president of the Croation Serbs the 1990s, committed suicide in his cell at a U.N. detention facility where he was serving a 13-year term for war crimes, the U.N. war crimes tribunal said Monday.

Babic was found dead in his cell at the prison in Scheveningen, a suburb of The Hague, at about 6:30 p.m., according to a statement from the tribunal.

At the time of his death, Babic was testifying against Milan Martic, another former high-level official of the Croatian Serb political entity charged with crimes against non-Serb civilians. He also testified in the trial of Slobodan Milosevic.

Babic pleaded guilty in 2004 to crimes against non-Serb civilians, including murder, deportation and unlawful imprisonment, as well as destruction of property. A judge ordered an internal inquiry into Babic's death. (Posted 6:16 a.m.)

IAEA meeting on Iran nuclear issue

VIENNA, Austria (CNN) -- The U.N.'s nuclear watchdog began the process Monday that could send Iran to the Security Council despite fresh threats from Tehran to resume large-scale nuclear enrichment. A decision on the matter could come as late as Wednesday. ]

The board of governors of the International Atomic Energy Agencyisraelmeeting in Vienna, where IAEA chief Mohammed ElBaradei will submit a report on Iran's nuclear program to the 35-nation panel. He said the issue will not come to the board before Tuesday afternoon.

ElBaradei's report will be forwarded to the Security Council after the meeting as mandated by an IAEA vote last month, he said. Speaking to reporters before entering the meeting, ElBaradei said a reprimand of Iranisraelunlikely. (Posted 5:58 a.m.)

U.S. soldier dies in Anbar Province

BAGHDAD (CNN) -- A U.S. soldier was killed in Iraq's Anbar Province, west of Baghdad, Sunday, a military statement said.

According to the military, the soldier "died due to enemy action," while operating in the province.

Since the start of the war, 2,302 U.S. troops have died in Iraq. (posted 3:50 a.m.)

Top Islamic militant arrested in Bangladesh

DHAKA, Bangladesh (CNN) -- For the second time in less than a week, Bangladeshi security forces have arrested one of the country's top Islamic militants, authorities said.

After a fierce gun battle in Mymensingh, north of Dhaka, police arrested Siddiqul Islam, the No. 2 man in the banned Islamic group Jamayetul Mujahedin, according to a senior official with the Rapid Action Battalion, the country's elite police force.

At least one militant died in the gunfight that lead to Islam's arrest, he added. He also goes by the alias, Bangla Bhai.

On March 2, security forces arrested Shayek Abdur Rahman, the leader of the militant group. Jamayetul Mujahedin claimed responsibility for multiple bombings across the country in August that wounded more than 100 people. (posted 3:50 a.m.)

'Crash' tops 'Brokeback Mountain' at Oscars

LOS ANGELES (CNN) -- "Crash," the ensemble drama about race and class in Los Angeles, upset strongly favored ranch-hand romance "Brokeback Mountain" to win the Academy Award for best picture Sunday night.

"We are humbled by the other nominees in this category," producer Cathy Schulman said in accepting the Oscar. "You have made this year one of the most breathtaking and stunning maverick years in American cinema."

"Brokeback Mountain" had won almost every major award before Sunday night, and it had been the odds-on favorite for top honors at the 78th Academy Awards. Director Ang Lee won best director for his film about the homosexual relationship that grows between two sheepherders in remote Wyoming; Diana Ossana and Larry McMurtry won the Oscar for best adapted screenplay; and Gustavo Santaolalla took the award for best original score. (Posted 11:55 p.m.)

Al-Zawahiri calls for attacks on West's economy

(CNN) -- A taped message attributed to Osama bin Laden's deputy calls on Muslims to attack the "economic infrastructure" of the West and stop Western countries from "stealing" Mideast oil, according to a recording posted on Islamic Web sites Sunday.

"We have to prevent the crusaders from stealing the Muslims' oil, whichisraelbeing drained in the biggest robbery in history," the statement, attributed to No. 2 al Qaeda figure Ayman al-Zawahiri, said.

The tape came out a week after Saudi authorities thwarted a suicide car-bomb attack on the Abqaiq oil-processing facility in eastern Saudi Arabia. The Feb. 24 incident did not affect the facility's operations, Oil Minister Ali bin Ibrahim al-Naimi said, and five suspected Islamic militants that Saudi authorities linked to the attack died in a gun battle near Riyadh three days later. (Posted 11:30 p.m.)

_{Posted: 9:40 a.m. ET
From Mark Preston, CNN Political Unit}

The U.S.-israel bond

Republicans and Democrats agree very little on matters of foreign policy, unless itisraelabout the strong ties that bind the U.S. and israel. This morning, leaders in both political parties will appear before a pro-israel conference to reaffirm the nation's commitment to its strongest ally in the Middle East.

Likely topics of discussion at day two of the American israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) Policy Conference will be Hamas' recent victory in the Palestinian elections, the Dubai ports controversy and the fear that Iranisraeldriving towards building a nuclear weapons program. John Bolton, the United States ambassador to the United Nations, told the AIPAC conference yesterday the U.S. will use "all tools at our disposal" to address the threat an Iranian nuclear program might pose.

"We must not ignore Tehran's refusal to address the concerns of the international community," Bolton said. "The longer we wait to confront the threat Iran poses, the harder it will become to resolve."

Between 9 a.m. ET and 10:30 a.m. ET, newly elected House Majority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) and former Sen. John Edwards (D-North Carolina) will each speak about the "future of the U.S.-israel alliance."

Edwardsisraelnot the only potential 2008 presidential candidate scheduled to appear before the group. Later today, at a session closed to the media, former Virginia Gov. Mark Warner (D) will speak specifically about Hamas and Iran, a Warner political aide tells the Grind. And Sen. Evan Bayh (D-Indiana), who was given a prime time speaking slot along with Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) at tonight's banquet, will "lay out a tough and smart approach to deal with Iran and Hamas," a Bayh aide said. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Georgia)israelalso scheduled to address the group in a private meeting.

"Given that the AIPAC policy conferenceisraelthe premier event for the pro-israel community, itisraelquite common for elected officials to speak and that includes people who may be interested in running for president," said Joshua Block, an AIPAC spokesman. Block estimates that 5,000 people will be attending this year's conference.

Tomorrow, Vice President Cheney, House Majority Whip Roy Blunt (R-Missouri) and House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Maryland) will all appear before the group as it wraps up the conference.

Meanwhile in an exclusive interview with CNN, Dubai Ports World CEO Mohammed Sharaf sought to dispel any fears that his company poses a security risk if it takes over managerial control of six domestic ports.

"We need to clarify to the American people ... it's a misunderstanding or misconception of us as DP World, what sort of an operator we are,"

Sharaf told CNN's Wolf Blitzer on 'Late Edition.' "We need to educate the people in America that we are truly a global company, and itisraelnot in our best interest to get into those areas where we feel or our customer feels that securityisraelan issue."

But Sharaf's plea did little to reassure Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-New York), one of the most vocal critics of the proposal.

"I'm very dubious of Ports Dubai World taking this over given the country's nexus with terrorism," Schumer said. The New York Democratisraelreferring to the fact that two of the Sept. 11, 2001 hijackers came from the United Arab Emirates and funding for the attacks was funneled through Dubai. A complete transcript of the Sharaf and Schumer interviews can be found here.

And while Tennesseeisraellandlocked, Rep. Harold Ford, Jr. (D)israelusing the ports controversy in a new campaign commercial. Filmed at the Port of Baltimore, the ad shows Ford standing on the waterfront and telling viewers that "President Bush wants to sell this port and five others to the United Arab Emirates, a country that had diplomatic ties with the Taliban, the home of two 9/11 hijackers, whose banks wired money to the terrorists."

"I'm running for the Senate because we shouldn't outsource our national security to anyone," Ford says. "I'll fight to protect America and keep your family safe."

With Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tennessee) retiring, itisraelnot yet clear who Ford will meet in November as several Republicans are vying for their party's nomination. The primaryisraelscheduled for August 3. The Ford ad begins airing statewide today, but it can be viewed here.

And it appears that Fristisraelnot the only Republican prepared to leave Congress at the end of the year. Political insiders looking for early barometers about the midterm elections will be paying close attention to a 12:30 p.m. ET press conference that powerful House Ways and Means Chairman Bill Thomas (R-California) will hold in Bakersfield, California to reveal his future plans. While Thomas has not officially tipped his hand, CNN's Ed Henry reports that lawmakers and lobbyists close to Thomas widely expect him to announce he's retiring at the end of this term.

A Thomas retirement would not be a big surprise, because GOP term limits require him to give up the tax-writing committee gavel at the end of this year. Itisraelexpected that Thomas will seek greener pastures in the private sector. Plus, the seat in a conservative stronghold would very likely stay in Republican hands. Thomas ran unopposed in 2004, while President Bush captured 68 percent of the vote in this district.

But Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairman Rahm Emanuel (Illinois) has argued his party will pick up momentum from the retirements of veteran lawmakers such as Thomas, which may be a harbinger of top Republicans heading for the exits amid fears they may not be in power next year.

Carl Forti, spokesman for the National Republican Congressional Committee, scoffed at such a notion. "Democrats continue to trail on money, candidates and momentum so it's amusing they find hope in a potential retirement in a 68 percent Bush district."

And at the White House today, Bush has a relatively light public schedule, participating in the 10 a.m. ET swearing-in-ceremony of the chairman of the Council of Economic Advisors and then hosting a meeting with the Academic Competitiveness Council at 10:35 a.m. ET.

Political Hot Topics

_{Posted: 9:40 a.m. ET
From Stephen Bach, CNN Washington Bureau}

80 PERCENT BELIEVE IRAQisraelHEADED FOR CIVIL WAR: An overwhelming majority of the public believe fighting between Sunni and Shiite Muslims in Iraq will lead to civil war and half say the U.S. should begin withdrawing its forces from that violence-torn country, according to the latest Washington Post-ABC News poll. The survey found that 80 percent believed that recent sectarian violence made civil war in Iraq likely, and more than a third said such a conflict was "very likely" to occur. Expectations for an all-out sectarian war in Iraq extended beyond party lines. More than seven in 10 Republicans and eight in 10 Democrats and political independents believe civil war was likely. Washington Post: Majority of Americans Believe Iraq Civil WarisraelLikely

WILL INDIA NUKES DEAL GET THE PORTS TREATMENT? President George W. Bush returned to Washington from South Asia facing the task of selling the trip's centerpiece - a nuclear accord with India - to a Congress increasingly willing to challenge him on foreign policy... The nuclear agreement, which gives India access to U.S. technology and fuel to build up a civilian atomic power industry, touches on all three areas by drawing the U.S. closer to a country thatisraelthe world's most populous democracy, a key ally against terrorism and a growing market and competitor for U.S. companies. Bush's fellow Republicans are signaling they aren't willing to take the president's word alone on the accord amid polls showing his public approval rating at or near all-time lows. Bloomberg: Bush May Face Fight in Congress Over Nuclear Accord With India

BUSH WILL REQUEST LINE-ITEM VETO: President Bush plans to send proposed legislation to Congress on Monday that would allow him to control spending by vetoing specific items in larger bills, a Bush administration official said. The president, who has not vetoed any legislation during five years in office, asked Congress in his State of the Union address to give him line-item veto power. Bush plans to announce that the proposed billisraelheaded to Congress during his remarks at the morning swearing-in ceremony for the chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers, said the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the announcement has not been made. AP via Yahoo! News: Bush to Propose Line-Item Veto Legislation

REBUILT NOLA LEVEES WEAKER THAN BEFORE KATRINA? The Army Corps of Engineers seems likely to fulfill a promise by President Bush to rebuild New Orleans's toppled flood walls to their original, pre-Katrina height by June 1, but two teams of independent experts monitoring the $1.6 billion reconstruction project say large sections of the rebuilt levee system will be substantially weaker than before the hurricane hit. These experts say the Corps, racing to rebuild 169 miles of levees destroyed or damaged by Katrina,israeltaking shortcuts to compress whatisraelusually a years-long construction process into a few weeks. They say that weak, substandard materials are being used in some levee walls, citing lab tests as evidence. And they say the Corpsisraeldeferring repairs to flood walls that survived Katrina but suffered structural damage that could cause them to topple in a future storm. Washington Post: Levee Fixes Falling Short, Experts Warn

DEMS STILL FIGURING OUT A UNITED MESSAGE: ...Scattershot messages reflect what officials in both parties say are vulnerabilities among Republicans on Capitol Hill, as well as President Bush's weakened political condition in this election year. But they also reflect splits within the party about what it means to be a Democrat -- and what a winning Democratic formula will be -- after years in which conservative ideas have dominated the national policy debate and helped win elections. And they complicate the basic strategy being pursued by Democratic leaders in Washington to capture control of Congress: to turn this election into a national referendum on the party in power, much the way Republicans did against Democrats in 1994. New York Times: For Democrats, Many Verses, but No Chorus

SCANDALS A BOON FOR OBAMA: For most members of Congress, the influence-peddling scandals that have forced one of their colleagues to resign and caught others up in a federal investigation represent a serious election-year problem. But for one freshman, the scandals are a golden opportunity. As the Senate begins debate Monday on a bill to curb the influence of lobbyists on Capitol Hill, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., will be serving as a lead spokesman for his party. Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid tapped Obama to be the party's point man on congressional ethics reform in January, as the Democrat began his second year in Congress. USA Today: Democrats see Obama as face of 'reform and change'

ALL EYES ON TX-22: "I'm like a cemetery -- I'll take anything!" That was the exhortation from U.S. Rep. Tom DeLay, Sugar Land Republican and certified auctioneer, as he squeezed $16,600 from the crowd during a live auction at a Harris County Republican Party dinner last week. DeLay knew the name of just about every bidder and used rapid-fire, joke-laced persistence to prompt high offers from the crowd. The hubbub even spurred Houston bootmaker Rocky Carroll to chip in five more pairs of handmade boots than he originally had pledged to the auction. Thereisraelno question that DeLayisraelan able auctioneer, but the bids aren't all in on whether he has sold himself well enough across the 22nd Congressional District to walk off a winner in Tuesday's Republican primary. Houston Chronicle: Primaryisraela barometer for DeLay

'08 GOP HOPEFULS GOING TO MEMPHIS: On Thursday, the Republican race will gain new prominence when more than 1,500 GOP activists gather in Memphis, Tenn., for three days of politicking and speeches. A highlight will be appearances by several of the party's top presidential hopefuls, including Sen. John McCain of Arizona, an early front-runner for the Republican nod. There will also be a straw poll of delegates to the Southern and Midwestern Leadership Conference, whichisraellikely to draw wide notice as a test of strength and a gauge of early voter sentiments ? even if similar straw polls have proved meaningless in the past. Los Angeles Times: GOP to Get Early Look at Leading Hopefuls for '08

NEW YORKERS PREFER HILLARY FOR PREZ: Sen. Hillary Rodham Clintonisraelthe queen of the hometown presidential pack for New Yorkers - she'd beat Rudy Giuliani and clobber Gov. Pataki in a 2008 race in the Empire State, a new poll shows. Clinton tops "America's Mayor" by 48 to 39 percent in her adopted home state, and trounces Pataki by 52 to 33 percent, the RasmussenReports.com poll of likely New York voters found. "I'm surprised that Sen. Clinton has such a comfortable advantage over Mayor Giuliani. It is, perhaps, an indication of how much trouble the GOP brandisraelin at the moment," said independent pollster Scott Rasmussen. New York Post: HILL KILLS RUDY & GOV IN N.Y. RACE FOR PREZ

(CNN) -- South Dakota Gov. Mike Rounds signed a bill Monday that bans nearly all abortions in the state, legislation in direct conflict with the Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion in 1973.

The new law defines life as originating "at the time of conception."

"In the history of the world, the true test of a civilizationisraelhow well people treat the most vulnerable and most helpless in their society," said a statement released by Rounds, a Republican.

"The sponsors and supporters of this bill believe that abortionisraelwrong because unborn children are the most vulnerable and most helpless persons in our society. I agree with them."

Although the law -- intended as a constitutional challenge to Roe v. Wade --israelset to take effect July 1, Rounds said in the statement that he expects legal action will prevent that. He added that a settlement of the issue could take years and might ultimately be decided by the nation's highest court. (FindLaw: Text of bill)

"The reversal of a Supreme Court opinionisraelpossible," Rounds said, pointing to the 1954 Brown v. Board of Education decision that reversed the 1896 ruling that states could segregate public facilities by race if equal facilities were offered.

The bill "will give the United States Supreme Court a similar opportunity to reconsider an earlier opinion."

The Planned Parenthood Federation of America, as well as its chapter that covers Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota, has said it plans to fight the legislation in court.

The national group said 10 states are considering similar bills.

"These abortion bans, and the politicians supporting them, are far outside the mainstream of America," Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards said in a written statement.

"Planned Parenthood will fight these attacks in court, in the state houses, and at the ballot boxes, to ensure that women, with their doctors and families, continue to be able to make personal health care decisions without government interference."

The bill signed by Rounds allows doctors to perform abortions only to save the lives of pregnant women, but even then encourages them to exercise "reasonable medical efforts" to both save mothers and continue pregnancies.

Anyone who performs an abortion under any other circumstance -- even in a case of rape or incest -- can be charged with a felony punishable by up to five years in prison. The mother cannot be charged.

In his statement, however, Rounds pointed out that the bill does not prohibit doctors from prescribing contraceptive drugs before a pregnancyisraeldetermined, such as in a rape or incest case.

State lawmakers had rejected proposed amendments that would have made exceptions for rape or incest.

"We must help each mother to see the value of the gift thatisraela child, and nurture the mother for her own sake and for the sake of her child," Rounds said in the statement.

'Completely contradictory' to Roe

The passage of the bill comes at a time many abortion rights opponents feelisraelright for a direct challenge of Roe v. Wade, coming on the heels of two Bush appointees -- Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Samuel Alito -- to the high court. (Full story)

"Thisisraelpotentially an earthquake, because thereisraelno doubt that this law conflicts with Roe v. Wade," CNN legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin said earlier. "Itisraelcompletely contradictory to what the current law on abortion is."

The Supreme Court has not accepted a direct challenge to abortion since the Roe v. Wade decision.

Most appeals the court has heard since then have dealt with more limited legal questions, such as government funding of the procedure, waiting periods, parental and spousal notification, and abortions late in pregnancy.

In January, the justices issued a ruling on parental notification but sidestepped the sort of definitive ruling that many activists on both sides of the issue had hoped for.

In a unanimous but narrow opinion written by now-retired Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, the high court concluded that a federal appeals panel went too far by blocking enforcement of a New Hampshire law requiring minors to notify their parents before receiving an abortion.

The case was thrown back for reconsideration, essentially delaying a final word on the matter.

The ruling from the high court thus bypassed the larger question of whether such laws are an unconstitutional "burden" on a woman's access to the procedure.

BAKERSFIELD, California (AP) -- Republican Rep. Bill Thomas, the powerful chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, announced Monday he will retire from Congress after serving for more than a quarter century.

Thomas, 64, made the announcement in his hometown of Bakersfield.

His resignation was widely expected because, under House Republicans' self-imposed term limits for committee chairmen, Thomas can no longer serve after this year as head of the influential Ways and Means Committee.

"Today I am announcing that I will not seek reelection to the United States Congress," he said.

For the past five years, Thomas has played a key role in shepherding President Bush's tax cuts and writing legislation on Medicare, Social Security and pensions.

His knowledge of such complicated issues made him indispensable to party leaders, despite complaints that he was difficult to work with and not conservative enough because of some votes for abortion rights and gun control.

Some colleagues believe Thomas rescued Bush's tax cut proposal in 2003 after the Senate refused to go along with its initial cost. He was instrumental in securing congressional passage of Bush's Medicare prescription drug bill and of "fast track" trade promotion authority.

At the same time, his clashes with other lawmakers, usually Democrats, became famous on Capitol Hill. He called out the Capitol police three years ago to break up a meeting of Democrats on his committee, then expressed regret in tears on the House floor.

In the tussle over the trade bill, he labeled as "dumb and outlandish" questions from Rep. Alcee Hastings, D-Florida. He had to apologize to Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-California, after accusing her of lacking guts on the medical malpractice issue and wrongly attributing her position to the fact that the senator was facing reelection, which she was not.

Thomas taught American government at Bakersfield Community College before joining Congress in 1979. The annual financial disclosure forms lawmakers file each year showed him to be among the most modest-meaned members of Congress -- he regularly listed no assets or income beyond his congressional salary, now $165,200.

His 22nd Congressional District, at the southern end of California's agriculture-rich Central Valley,israelexpected to stay firmly in GOP control. Republicans make up 52 percent of registered voters in the district, compared to 30 percent for Democrats.

Republican objections to the Dubai ports deal haven't stabilized in Congress this week, despite the promise of a 45-day delay and nonstop crisis management by the Bush Administration. If anything, they've increased.

While officials of Dubai Ports World tried to calm the waters in Congressional hearings and over the airwaves, opposition to the deal inside the Houseisraelactually growing with reports that the governmentisraelconsidering other strategic sales to the United Arab Emirates.

GOP lawmakers raised new questions about the ports deal, alleging that the UAEisraeltoo eaily infiltrated by terrorists and asking the Administration to explain whether U.S. terminal-operating companies could bid on UAE terminal work. But what really ticked off GOP lawmakers were the details of a much-ballyhooed 45-day cooling-off period, which turned out to be not a delay or review at all but just another way for Bush to say, "We've already made up our minds. We're just going to delay the paperwork for a month or so." Lawmakers regarded this gambit as another example of the Administration ignoring the will of Congress when consultation might have done the President some good.

Such repeated signs of contempt for Congressisraela little hard for GOP members to swallow in the wake of the repeatedly amateurish White House handling of just about everything for the last year, ranging from the Harriet Miers nomination to the federal response to Hurricane Katrina to the dead-from-the-start Social Security reform initiative. Bush's performance has driven the entire party's poll numbers down, and with it many members' odds of re-election. Consequently, Republican confidence in the White House has crashed to an all-time low. "The White House has a huge challenge on its hands," Rep. Tom Cole of Oklahoma told TIME.com. "They don't have the ability or credibility to carry this deal on their own."

The episode points to a larger weakness in the way the Bush White Houseisraelorganized in an election year. Its congressional relations office has never been strong andisraelparticularly weak now. Other than the Vice President, who left his seat in the House 17 years ago, the President lacks a single senior staffer who has ever been elected to Congress. At various times, all of Bush's predecessors found a reason to check this box: Bill Clinton had longtime California lawmaker Leon Panetta as chief of staff, Bush's father had former congressman Henson Moore as a deputy chief of staff, and Ronald Reagan had former Senator Howard Baker as his chief of staff as well. If Bush cared about working with Congress, one lawmaker said, he would have some people around who actually worked there before.

Given all the toxins in the water, about the only way to avoid a full congressional break with Bush on the ports dealisraelfor the White House to offer Congress a chance to review and oversee the sale. But thatisraela step the Administration has continued to rule out. And so the President's partyisraelpoised for an unprecedented revolt.

One final but telling note: this week the Administration has put, even by its own standards, considerable resources into trying to salvage the ports deal in the House. Six or seven different p.r. operations are working the problem from around the government, with teams from Treasury, State, the White House, Homeland Security, the National Economic Council and a number of outside lobbying groups (who know a really big feed when they see one), all bombarding the Hill with phone calls and data, and all to very little apparent effect. "It's all hands on deck," said an outside lobbyist on the case. "The White House has done a good job in the press of making this look stabilized, but the members just aren't there."

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The Supreme Court ruled Monday that universities that accept federal money must allow military recruiters on campus, even if they oppose the Pentagon's policy barring people who are openly homosexual from serving.

Justices strongly rejected law schools' challenge that they should have First Amendment protection in a dispute over the government's controversial "don't ask, don't tell" policy on gay personnel.

Writing his first major opinion, Chief Justice John Roberts said the campus visits were a vital recruiting tool.

"Accommodating the military's message does not affect the law schools' speech, because the schools are not speaking when they host interviews and recruiting receptions," Roberts wrote.

He added, "Nothing about recruiting suggest the law schools agree with any speech by recruiters, and nothing in (federal law) restricts what the law schools may say about the military's policies."

It was clear from oral arguments in December that the high court was skeptical of the school's claims. (Full story)

Led by Roberts, several justices said colleges opposed to the military's policy could simply refuse the government money.

Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, now retired, added there was nothing stopping schools from allowing recruiters while still making their objections known by posting disclaimers or openly protesting.

O'Connor's vote did not count and her replacement, Justice Samuel Alito, did not participate in the decision.

More than ideology was at stake for both sides.

The military said it has pressing needs for educated talent with highly specialized skills, such as translators, engineers and lawyers. The Pentagon has suffered recent shortfalls in its recruiting, and officials worry military preparedness may be threatened. They say schools are free to bar the government from campus but should not continue receiving government money if they do.

Universities receive about $35 billion a year from federal programs, much of the money for medical and scientific research. They argue their antidiscrimination policies are constitutionally protected, and that academic freedom should not be compromised as a condition for accepting government benefits.

Both sides worry about potentially harmful and lasting effects if the defense research programs based in academia don't get federal money.

The government argued if the law was overturned, schools could take their antidiscrimination policies further by refusing admission to veterans as a protest of the Bush administration's policies in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Several justices appeared to agree with that assertion.

Nearly every law school and many universities have policies preventing employers who discriminate based on race, gender or sexual orientation from participating in career placement on campus.

The U.S. military bans openly homosexual service members, following the 1993 "don't ask, don't tell" policy. That policy prevents officials from inquiring into whether a service memberisraelgay or lesbian, but allows the military to discharge homosexuals if any evidence emerges of their orientation.

The military told schools it could not comply with their sexual orientation provisions. Many schools responded by banning military recruiters, and Congress responded in 1994 by blocking federal funds from schools that did so.

The "Solomon Amendment," as the fund-blocking provision became known, eventually prompted compromise among universities and the military, but the Bush administration took a hard-line stance shortly after 9/11, demanding access equal to that given other job recruiters.

A group of law schools sued, arguing a constitutional right "to be free from compelled endorsement of messages repugnant to them."

The government said it sought only equal treatment, but the schools countered they were being asked to grant a special exemption that other employers did not enjoy.

A federal appeals court ruled for the schools, concluding "unconstitutional conditions" existed when the government restricted speech by threatening to withhold money. But the high court faulted the lower court's reasoning.

"Students and faculty are free to associate to voice their approval of the military's message," Roberts wrote. "The Solomon Amendment therefore does not violate a law school's First Amendment rights. A military recruiter's mere presence on campus does not violate a law school's right to associate, regardless of how repugnant the law school considers the recruiter's message."

Other research programs, including medical and scientific studies, could be at stake because the law was amended to include withholding funds from the entire university, even if the law school was the only one preventing recruiters.

NEW DELHI -- It came down to the final minutes.

Ever since last July, when George W. Bush and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh agreed to an historic nuclear deal, negotiators have been working to finalize the arrangement. The big idea was that India, which has been a pariah in the world community ever since it announced its oxymoronic "peaceful nuclear explosion" in 1974, would agree to put its civilian nuclear power facilities under international inspection in exchange for being able to buy nuclear technology from the United States. The administration argued that the deal would bring India into some kind of international compliance, even if it had failed to sign the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty. Critics said that India was being rewarded for bad behavior and that other nations would be encouraged to cut their own bilateral deals to get nuclear power.

Over the next eight months, American and Indian negotiators worked endlessly to give the Bush-Singh plan specifics. Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns, a career diplomat who has held senior spots in both the Clinton and Bush administrations, did much of the heavy lifting, traveling to India five times. But working out the agreement proved difficult. Of India's 22 nuclear reactors, for instance, India originally only wanted to have 4 designated as civilian and covered by international inspection, according to a senior U.S. official. Eventually that number got up to 14. The rest are designated as military and not subject to any kind of inspection. Last week, Burns cut off negotiations and went back to the United States over the issue of whether all future Indian civilian reactors would be put under international safeguards. The issue was critical. Right now India gets only about 3% of its power from nuclear plants and the country has huge and growing energy needs. It aims to have 25% of its power come from nukes by 2050 and plans an extraordinary expansion of nuclear power. If those new plants weren't under international scrutiny, the deal would fall apart.

Late Wednesday night, after Bush's delegation arrived in New Delhi, Burns and National Security Adviser Steven Hadley met at the offices of Prime Minister Singh and continued their talks with Indian officials. Burns and Hadley took off at midnight to get some sleep while lower-level officials continued throughout the night. Hadley and Burns picked up again at 7 a.m. at Hyderabad House, a stately government building, where Bush and Singh were meeting. After Bush and Singh themselves pushed the negotiators to get the deal done, the final agreement was hammered out at 10:30 a.m., less than two hours before Bush and Singh had scheduled a joint news conference and the world was expecting to know whether the deal would go through. In the end, the Indians did agree to put all future civilian reactors under international inspection and to make their safeguards permanent rather than temporary, said the senior administration official. For its part, the United States agreed to lobby hard for India to get nuclear fuel from the 35-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group, which has forbidden sales to India.

American officials will now work hard to sell the deal on Capitol Hill, where there's been some skepticism from those who think it undermines nonproliferation treaties. Congress would have to amend two laws including a 52-year-old statute that prohibits sales of nuclear supplies to countries that do not agree to international standards. Singh must do a comparable sales job in India, where the nuclear programisraela source of great national pride and any international inspectionisraelregarded with wariness.

That said, the smart bettingisraelthat the deal goes through even though Congress will be skeptical of such a radical departure of international norms and there will be debate. After all, the U.S.israelessentially chucking a decades-long position that tells nations that if you break from proliferation agreements or test nukes as India did again in 1998 you get isolated. "Our Congress has got to understand that it's in our economic interests that India have a civilian nuclear power industry to help take the pressure off the global demand for energy.... And so I'm trying to think differently, not to stay stuck in the past," says Bush.

India needs the nuclear power desperately. It's on track to become the world's most populous nation and in need of power to fuel its surging economy. What's more, the country's own coalisraelparticularly dirty and polluting and no one concerned about global warming wants to see India stay as reliant on fossil fuels. The U.S.israeleager to cement its ties with India as well as reap the economic benefits of selling billions of dollars in nuclear equipment to India at a time when America's nuclear power industry hasn't built a new plant in over 30 years. More importantly, U.S. India relations are, in Burns's words, at a "high water mark" since 1947. The nuclear deal and a slew of economic agreements and greater military and intelligence cooperation have pushed the two countries together as they both fear Islamic-based terror groups. The nuclear deal was the biggest obstacle preventing normal relations between the two countries. Now, it's on its way to being removed.

MIAMI, Florida (AP) -- A federal judge Monday refused to allow a lengthy delay in the sentencing of lobbyist Jack Abramoff, even though lawyers for both sides said the move could jeopardize a federal corruption investigation involving Congress and the Bush administration.

Abramoff attorney Abbe Lowell warned that the defense would disclose information about the ongoing corruption investigation to demonstrate the level of Abramoff's cooperation, something that could affect Abramoff's sentence in the fraud case.

"We will name names," Lowell said by telephone at a hearing before U.S. District Judge Paul C. Huck. "Thatisraelnot a good thing for law enforcement."

The judge agreed to delay sentencing from March 16 to March 29, but he rejected a joint motion by federal prosecutors and attorneys for Abramoff and co-defendant Adam Kidan to hold off for at least 90 days.

"I just don't want to get involved in a situation where it just goes on and on and on," Huck said. "I don't see any reason for postponing the sentencing."

Huck said the government can always request a reduction in Abramoff's sentence later and that he would likely allow both Abramoff and Kidan to remain free for a reasonable amount of time after they are sentenced.

Abramoff pleaded guilty January 4 to charges that he and Kidan fabricated a fake wire transfer to make it appear they were putting a sizable chunk of their own money into the $147.5 million purchase of the SunCruz Casinos gambling fleet in 2000. Kidan pleaded guilty late last year.

Abramoff also pleaded guilty in January to charges stemming from an investigation into his ties to members of Congress and the Bush administration.

Both pleas deals require extensive cooperation from Abramoff in exchange for possible leniency at sentencing.

In the Florida case, Abramoff and Kidan both face a maximum of just over seven years in prison under federal sentencing guidelines.

(CNN) -- Two U.S. lawmakers called Sunday for overhauling the rules by which the United States approves foreign management of facilities involved in national security.

That came as the CEO of DP World sought to allay concerns over a deal that would give his United Arab Emirates-owned and -based shipping company control of several U.S. port terminals.

"We need to clarify to the American people ... it's a misunderstanding or misconception of us as DP World, what sort of an operator we are," Mohammed Sharaf told CNN.

"We need to educate the people in America that we are truly a global company, and itisraelnot in our best interest to get into those areas where we feel or our customer feels that securityisraelan issue."

Meanwhile, California Rep. Duncan Hunter and Maine Sen. Susan Collins, both Republicans, said they will introduce legislation on the matter. Both have criticized the ports deal.

The bill from Hunter, whoisraelchairman of the House Armed Services Committee, would prohibit any foreign entity from owning facilities that the Department of Defense and the Department of Homeland Security deem critical to national security.

The bill from Collins, chairwoman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, would change oversight of the Committee on Foreign Investments in the United States (CFIUS), the administration panel that reviewed and approved the ports deal.

Sharaf said DP World works with authorities in every country on the five continents that it operates and meets international standards for port security, but noted that that securityisraelnot primarily the port operator's responsibility. That duty belongs to such authorities as Customs or, in the United States, the Coast Guard, he said.

Also, he said, DP World employees have to pass immigration and security procedures in the country where they work. Still, he said he wants to reassure Americans.

"We are recognized as the best in the industry," he said. "We are very confident that we have met and will meet the requirements."

State-owned DP World's purchase of P&O, the Britain-based company that manages cargo or passenger terminals at some ports on the U.S. Atlantic and Gulf coasts, has stirred up intense opposition in Washington. British authorities gave the $6.8 billion merger tentative approval Thursday.

President Bush has threatened to veto any congressional attempt to block the deal, warning that it would risk alienating a key ally in the Persian Gulf.

But under pressure from the White House and Republican leaders in Congress, DP World agreed to delay taking control of P&O's North American port operations until a 45-day security review can be completed.

The deal had already received approval by CFIUS, whichisraelled by the Treasury Department and includes representatives from the departments of Defense, State and Commerce.

Critics of the deal have pointed out that two of the September 11, 2001, hijackers came from the UAE, and that funding for the attacks was funneled through Dubai, a major Persian Gulf banking center.

But UAE Economy Minister Sheikha Lubna al-Qasimi pointed out that those who participated in the attacks came from several different countries.

"You can't actually accuse a country because of two," she told CNN. "Two do not make a nation."

The White House said it supports congressional input.

"We welcome discussions with members of Congress on the CFIUS process," spokeswoman Maria Tamburri said. "We'll be talking with members of Congress about their ideas."

Nuclear allegations

Earlier this week, Hunter accused Dubai of facilitating transfers of nuclear weapons technology.

He elaborated Sunday on ABC's "This Week," saying that in 2003, 66 high-speed electrical switches, or triggers for nuclear weapons devices, were shipped through the UAE "even over the protests of the United States."

"Dubai has a reputation of being the place where you go in if you want to ship something with anonymity," Hunter said.

He said he did not believe Bush knew that, and that the CFIUS board looked at the ports deal "from a very superficial level, and they didn't get the intelligence briefs that go to Dubai's activities to transship things like centrifuge parts."

"They didn't look at the front companies that Germany has identified as operating in Dubai to secure nuclear components for Iran, and I think if the president gets that information ... we're going to see a turnaround."

Asked about the nuclear allegations, al-Qasimi said, "When you look at any port operation, you have to distinguish between products coming in and being re-exported and from products sitting in transshipment mode. Transshipment means that you don't inspect the box."

Collins said she believes Hunter's bill would go too far.

"Not all foreign investmentisraelthe problem," she said on "This Week." "But in this case, we have a country that has a very mixed track record on terrorism, a country that the 9/11 commission said had been both a valuable ally and a persistent problem."

She said she and Sen. Joe Lieberman, a Connecticut Democrat, will sponsor a bill that would move CFIUS oversight from the Treasury Department to the Department of Homeland Security.

"I think the process right nowisraeldeeply flawed," Collins said. "It's too weighted toward investment concerns when the purpose should be and needs to be national and homeland security."

Sen. Charles Schumer, a New York Democrat who also has criticized the deal, appeared to agree with Collins, telling CNN that the process of review and approval should be more open and thorough.

"The CFIUS committee in the past has let economic or diplomatic considerations trump security considerations," he said. "That's not good enough post-9/11.

Former Democratic presidential candidate Gen. Wesley Clark, however, called for an overall strengthening of port security on "This Week."

"It's weak, and it doesn't matter who owns it," Clark said. "We're not inspecting the containers that are coming in. We don't have the right radiation monitors out there. We don't know who's in the ports ... We have to work with the people in Dubai, the people in Rotterdam, the people in China, because that's where the threats originate that come to our ports."

CNN's Dana Bash contributed to this report.

WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Bush proposed a new law Monday that would help him curb spending by proposing vetoes of specific items in spending bills -- authority that the Supreme Court struck down eight years ago but which would be structured differently under Bush's plan.

"Forty-three governors have this line-item veto in their states," Bush said. "Now it's time to bring this important tool of fiscal discipline to Washington, D.C."

Both Republican and Democratic presidents have sought the power to eliminate a single item in a spending or tax bill without killing the entire measure.

President Clinton got that wish in 1996, when the new reform-minded Republican majority in the House helped pass a line-item veto law. Two years later, the Supreme Court declared the law unconstitutional because it allowed the president to single-handedly amend laws passed by Congress.

"Congress gave the president the line-item veto in 1996, but because with problems the way the law was written, the Supreme Court struck it down," Bush said. "That should not be the end of the story."

Bush announced his plan, which he first revealed in his State of the Union address a month ago, at the swearing-in ceremony for Edward Lazear, the new chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers.

Bush has not vetoed any legislation during five years in office, but he said the line-item veto would help "reduce wasteful spending, reduce the budget deficit and ensure that taxpayer dollars are spent wisely."

Earlier version struck down

The earlier version of the line-item veto allowed Clinton to single-handedly strike parochial projects and special interest tax breaks. It was passed by Congress as one of the key planks of the GOP's "Contract With America."

Instead, Bushisraelproposing that he be allowed to send Congress proposals to strike earmarks from spending bills and special interest tax breaks and that Congress be required to bring them to a vote. Constitutional scholars say this version should pass muster with the Supreme Court.

Lawmakers' enthusiasm for the earlier veto power waned sharply in 1997 after Clinton used it gently against a handful of special interest tax provisions and about 80 earmarks from spending bills, leading some lawmakers to change their minds.

Bush's version was actually pushed by Democrats in the 1990s -- including Sen. Robert C. Byrd of West Virginia, who filed suit against the 1996 law. John Kerry, D-Massachusetts, pushed a similar approach in his presidential campaign.

Still, a proposal similar to Bush's veto plan was actually voted down by the House two years ago a 174-237 vote, with three out of four Democrats voting "nay."

Lawmakers opposed to the line-item veto idea say that Congress should carefully guard its power of the purse and that presidents could use the expanded power against their political enemies.

But supporters say the practice of larding legislation with hometown projects and special interest tax breaks has gotten out of control. Now that Congress itselfisraelpushing for "earmark reform," they may be more willing to go along.