Datasets:

glnmario

/

news-qa-summarization

like 19

Warsaw, Poland (CNN) -- The body of Poland's first lady, Maria Kaczynska, killed with her husband in an airplane crash in Russia, returned to Warsaw on Tuesday. Crowds turned out to watch her body being driven to the presidential palace, where the couple will lie in state. The funeral for the couple will be Saturday in Warsaw, followed by their burial on Sunday in Krakow's Wawel Castle. President Barack Obama will attend the state funeral, the White House announced Tuesday in a statement. "The president will travel to Krakow to express the depth of our condolences to an important and trusted ally, and our support for the Polish people, on behalf of the American people," the statement said. The archbishop of Krakow said burying the late president in the historic crypt was the country's way of honoring him. "I think in this way the Polish nation wants to include him among the greatest and most revered men in Polish history," Stanislaw Dziwisk said on Polish state television. Men in uniform unloaded the flag-draped casket of Kaczynska from a military plane as a band played Poland's national anthem. Family, friends and Polish officials paid their respects during a brief ceremony. Kaczynska and her husband were among 96 people killed in the crash. Under leaden skies broken by sporadic sunshine, mourners took turns bowing their heads in silence before the casket. They included Kaczynska's daughter, Marta, and Jaroslaw Kaczynski, the twin brother of her husband, Lech Kaczynski. Two minutes of silence in Warsaw Echoing a similar scene that greeted the repatriation of her husband's body on Sunday, crowds lined the streets and threw flowers onto the hearse bearing the former first lady's casket as it made its way through Warsaw. Among the mourners, student Kamil Denielewski told CNN the outpouring of public emotion was unprecendented. "I can't remember anything like that and in fact I have not felt anything like that since now," he said. "It made us united, it made us patriots." iReport: Mourners' candles a 'spot of light' The couple had been traveling with a Polish delegation to Russia for a commemorative service marking the 70th anniversary of the Russian massacre of Polish prisoners of war in the village of Katyn when the plane went down. iReport: Share your photos, video and stories with CNN Among other Polish officials killed in the crash were Aleksander Szczyglo, the head of the National Security Office; Jerzy Szmajdzinski, the deputy parliament speaker; Andrzej Kremer, the deputy foreign minister; and Gen. Franciszek Gagor, the army chief of staff, according to Kaczynski's Law and Justice Party. The cause of the crash is being investigated. There have been questions raised over why so many of Poland's military, economic and civic leaders were aboard the same flight. Aviation officials in Russia, which has emphasized that there is no evidence it was responsible, have said the plane ignored Smolensk air traffic control commands to divert to another airport because of bad weather. Deputy Prime Minister Sergey Ivanov said Monday that flight recorders were in shape to "conduct a detailed transcript and analysis of all flight information and the work of the plane's equipment systems up till the moment of the crash." There is also evidence that the crew knew about the poor weather conditions and was advised to land at an alternate airfield, he said. Poland's ambassador to Moscow, Jerzy Bahr, warned against jumping to conclusions ahead of official inquiries. "Many people think that this is something which the pilot did wrong, but it must be investigated," he told CNN. As Poland began a week of mourning, tributes continued to be paid to 60-year-old Lech Kaczynski. A sea of candles continued to grow outside the Presidential Palace in Warsaw Monday as people lined up to sign books of condolence. Biography: Lech Kaczynski Parliament Speaker Bronislaw Komorowski, who is now acting president, has declared "a time for national mourning." CNN's Geoff Hill contributed to this report.

Thousands pay tribute as body of Poland's first lady arrives home . Polish president and wife died with 95 others in plane crash in Russia on Saturday . Couple's funeral will be held Saturday in Warsaw, followed by their burial on Sunday . Investigators examining cause of Saturday's crash near Smolensk airport .

Warsaw, Poland (CNN) -- The body of Polish President Lech Kaczynski, who was killed in a plane crash in Russia over the weekend, returned to tributes in his homeland Sunday afternoon. Soldiers in perfect step carried the casket from the plane that transported onto the tarmac, where mourners were waiting. Catholic priests recited prayers at the military airport before Kaczynski's daughter and twin brother, followed by others, took turns kneeling before the flag-draped casket. People lined up along the streets along where Kaczynski's body would pass on its way to the presidential palace. Tens of thousands of Poles across the country observed a two-minute-long moment of silence to remember their president and 95 others killed in the plane crash. iReport: Mourners' candles a 'spot of light' Meanwhile, investigators said they found the aircraft's flight data recorders in good condition and began deciphering them Sunday, the independent Russian Interfax news agency reported. Residents flocked to central Warsaw, the site of the presidential palace, to mourn Kaczynski. They left wreaths and lit candles. By Sunday, the numbers grew to about 100,000 by some estimates. Many cried openly. Others stared blankly at the sky. On Monday, the country begins a week-long period of mourning. The plane carrying Kaczynski crashed Saturday morning while trying to land at an airport near Smolensk in Russia. Biography: Lech Kaczynski Kaczynski's wife and several top military officials were also killed in the crash. Parliament Speaker Bronislaw Komorowski took over as acting president and declared it "a time for national mourning." Kaczynski, 60, had been traveling with a Polish delegation to Russia for the 70th anniversary of the Russian massacre of Polish prisoners of war in the village of Katyn. About 20,000 Poles, including soldiers and civilians, were executed there during World War II. The Polish military plane carrying Kaczynski originated in Warsaw, the Polish Defense Ministry said. It was just a few miles east of Katyn when it crashed around 10:50 a.m. (2:50 a.m. ET) on the outskirts of the town of Pechorsk, close to Smolensk, the Investigation Committee of the Russian prosecutor's office said. World leaders pay tribute to Kaczynski Late Saturday night, Kaczynski's twin brother, Jaroslaw, visited the site of the crash. As others around him prayed, he silently knelt down on pile of rubble where mourners had propped up flowers. Authorities do not yet know what caused the crash. Russia has emphasized that there is no evidence it was responsible. The Investigation Committee said the plane, a Tupolev-154, was trying to land in heavy fog. A Russian military official said that air traffic control in Smolensk had tried to divert the plane to another airport because of inclement weather. "The air traffic control officer gave several orders to divert but the plane continued with its descent," said Alexander Aleshin, a top Russian air force official. "Unfortunately, this ended in tragedy." Russian President Dmitry Medvedev appointed Putin to head an inquiry commission. On Sunday, the Russian state-run RIA Novosti news agency reported that the crash was not caused by technical problems, citing investigation officials. The plane carrying Kaczynski was refurbished and repaired last year, according to Alexei Gusev, general director of Aviakor Factory, the company that performed the service. "Speaking openly, we believe that this tragedy could not have been caused by equipment failure," he said. Kaczynski had been president since December 2005, after he defeated rival Donald Tusk in the second round of voting. Elections must now be held within 60 days. Other Polish officials killed in the crash include Aleksander Szczyglo, the head of the National Security Office; Jerzy Szmajdzinski, the deputy parliament speaker; Andrzej Kremer, the deputy foreign minister; and Gen. Franciszek Gagor, the army chief of staff, according to Kaczynski's Law and Justice Party. What does crash mean for Polish politics? The party also said that Slawomir Skrzypek, head of the National Bank of Poland, was killed. Putin spoke Saturday at the crash site,

Polish president's body arrives in Warsaw as country mourns his death . Tens of thousands flood onto streets to pay respects to Lech Kaczynski . Kaczynski died with 95 others in a plane crash in Russia on Saturday . Investigators say aircraft's flight data recorders in good condition .

Washington (CNN) -- An American lawyer has been holding secret negotiations with Iran for the release of an Iranian-American being detained for two years. Reza Taghavi, a retired businessman from Orange County, California, has been held in Iran's notorious Evin prison since his arrest in May 2008 without ever being charged, his lawyer said. Los Angeles-based attorney Pierre Prosper told CNN he has been talking to the Iranian government since September 2009 and traveled to Tehran in December to seek the release of Taghavi, a retired businessman accused of supporting an anti-regime group. Taghavi, 71, traveled frequently to Iran to visit family and friends without incident, according to Prosper. In April 2008, he went to Tehran with his wife. Before he left, he was asked by an acquaintance in Los Angeles to take $200 for a friend in Tehran "who was down on his luck." Los Angeles has a large Persian community. Taghavi did not know the individual to whom he was asked to deliver the money, Prosper said. He handed over the money and two weeks later was detained by Iranian authorities, after the recipient of the money was arrested on charges of association with an anti-regime group called Tondar. The group, which seeks to restore the monarchy in Iran, claimed responsibility for the April 12, 2008, bombing of the Hosseynieh Seyed al-Shohada mosque in the city of Shiraz. Prosper declined to name the man, who he said has since been tried and convicted. Taghavi has a rag-to-riches story, his 36-year old daughter, Leila Taghavi, told CNN. He brought his family to the United States in 1979, before the revolution, and stayed on in California to keep his family safe. Leila Taghavi said her father taught himself English, started a video game company in his garage and grew it into a successful corporation, which he handed over to his son when he retired 10 years ago. "His life was the American dream," Leila said. "He learned everything the hard way, sacrificed for his children and taught us to be grateful for the good things. He is wonderful, honest and generous, the kind of father every daughter would want." Taghavi's family was silent for more than a year about his arrest, fearful his arrest would be politicized in Tehran and Washington by getting the American government involved. "It was blind faith, really," Leila said, explaining the silence. "Not knowing it would take this long, and fear of the system. There was never a doubt of his innocence." In September 2009, with no movement on the case and losing hope he would be released, they hired Prosper to contact the State Department and initiate a dialogue with the Iranian government. Prosper said he contacted the State Department about seeking a consular visit by Swiss diplomats, which was denied because Iran does not recognize the dual citizenship of Iranian-Americans. The United States and Iran do not have formal relations, and Switzerland serves as the "protecting power" for the U.S. in Tehran. A U.S. State Department spokesman urged Iran to allow Swiss diplomats to be granted consular access to Taghavi. "We are adamant that we believe he should be released on humanitarian grounds along with all the Americans who are unjustly held there," Mark Toner, a State Department spokesman, told CNN Wednesday. A senior government official who met with Prosper said the lack of information makes it difficult to help Taghavi. "As far as we are concerned, there are no facts in the case," the official said. "Our concern is that he should get due process." Taghavi is one of several Americans in prison in Iran. American hikers Josh Fattal, Shane Bauer and Sarah Shourd were detained on July 31, 2009. According to their families, they accidentally strayed across an unmarked border into Iran while on a hiking trip in Iraq's Kurdistan region. They are being held on espionage charges. Kian Tajbakhsh, an Iranian-American scholar who spent four months in jail in

Businessman Reza Taghavi of California has been held in Iran since May 2008 arrest . Attorney Pierre Prosper says he's been talking to Iranian officials since September 2009 . Family initially kept the detention a secret, fearing publicity would inflame situation . Taghavi came to the United States in 1979 before the Islamic Revolution .

Washington (CNN) -- Five men missing from the Washington area are in Pakistani police custody, the FBI said Thursday, a day after Pakistani authorities arrested several men whom they described as Americans and accused them of plotting terrorist attacks. In a statement, the FBI said Pakistani authorities detained the men -- four of whom it said were found to have American passports -- on Wednesday, "after they came to the attention of police." The statement did not give further details and did not identify the men. "Although positive identification is still pending, the FBI believes they are the missing individuals," the bureau said. An FBI special agent and two other U.S. government officials from the U.S. Embassy have spoken with some of the men, the FBI said. Pakistani police said they are confident the men were planning terrorist acts, according to Tahir Gujjar, deputy superintendent of police in Sargodha, where the men were arrested. Gujjar told CNN that a preliminary investigation suggests that the men came to Pakistan to wage jihad and had sought to link up with the Jaish-e-Mohammed and Jamaat ud Dawa militant organizations, neither of which showed interest, he said. The men wanted to martyr themselves, he said. Pakistani officials arrested five of the men Wednesday, and a sixth man -- the father of one of the five -- was arrested afterward, Gujjar said. Usman Anwar, head of the district police of Sargodha, said the men initially made contact with Pakistani militants through YouTube in August while they were still in the United States. The men were watching videos of Americans being killed in Afghanistan and had posted comments, which caught the attention of the militants, Anwar said. After contact was made, a Yahoo e-mail account was set up so the men and militants could communicate, Anwar said. "They were using a typical method that has been used by very notorious organizations," he said, explaining that e-mails were never sent from the account; rather, each side left messages as drafts, which were deleted after they were read. After the arrests, authorities discovered that the men had received their final orders, including their "exact task, going to a particular spot ... and the exact method of how to get there," Anwar said. He did not disclose further details. State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley said that a team made up of U.S. Embassy security officials and FBI officials met with the men Thursday, and that consular officials will probably meet them Friday. "It's important to emphasize at this point, we are in an information-gathering phase, but we have met with them," he said in a briefing Thursday with reporters. "We're going to find out how they made their way from Washington, D.C., to Pakistan, why they were there, what their intentions were," he said. "At this point, we've reached no judgments." A U.S. law enforcement official who was not authorized to speak on the record said FBI agents based in Pakistan were interviewing the men, and added that some based in the United States would probably travel there as well. The official said he had seen reports of a sixth man arrested, but did not comment. The official, who would not provide a list of those arrested, said authorities are looking at computers the men were using in the United States, as well as cell phones and anything else they may have carried with them. Pakistani officials said Thursday that the six men are three Pakistani-Americans, an Ethiopian-American, an Egyptian-American and an Eritrean-American. President Obama said that he envisioned "a series of investigations" into the arrests, but he said he preferred not to comment on them. The arrests followed a Wednesday raid on a home in Sargodha, about 120 miles south of Islamabad, Pakistani police said. In the raid, investigators found laptops and maps of Pakistan containing highlighted areas that correspond to regions where terrorists have been active, police said. A Pakistani official told CNN the men arrived in

NEW: FBI says special agent, U.S. Embassy officials have spoken with some of the men . State Department says it's determining how men made it to Pakistan, why they're there . Pakistani officials: 5 arrested Wednesday, sixth man -- father of one of the 5 -- arrested later . Pakistani police confident men were planning terrorist acts, official says .

Washington (CNN) -- Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin hit the campaign trail Friday, delivering the keynote address at a Washington fundraiser for an anti-abortion group supporting socially conservative women running for office in the upcoming midterm elections. "All across this country, women are standing up and speaking out for common sense solutions," Palin said at the Susan B. Anthony List Celebration of Life breakfast. They are forming a "new conservative feminist movement" that will help make "government work again for us," she said. The Susan B. Anthony List describes itself on its website as part of the "nerve center of the pro-life movement and political process." In 2008, the group founded "Team Sarah," a coalition of women supporting Palin's vice presidential bid. During her speech, Palin ripped abortion rights opponents in the Democratic Party who "promised to hold firm" during the health care debate, but ultimately backed "the most pro-abortion president who ever occupied the White House." "We won't forget," she promised. "Elections have consequences." Palin mentioned, among other things, her daughter Bristol's decision not to have an abortion after becoming pregnant at age 17. "It was an embarrassing time for her," Palin told the audience. But "choosing life was the right road." Palin said national media coverage of the pregnancy "kind of made it rough" on Bristol and sent a not-too-subtle message to other young women that it's easier to choose to have an abortion. Turning to other policy disputes, Palin also slammed the Obama administration's fiscal program, declaring that "these policies coming out of D.C. right now" are putting the country on the road to "national insolvency." She praised the conservative Tea Party movement, calling it a "movement of the people" that the media has unfairly characterized as a group of violent racists. "This awakening is very, very healthy," she said. Palin's speech was part of a midterm campaign swing that is scheduled to take her to North Carolina on Friday to address a National Rifle Association meeting. In addition, she will travel South Carolina to endorse GOP state Rep. Nikki Haley for governor. The state's scandal-tarred Republican governor, Mark Sanford, is term-limited and will leave office in January. "It is a tremendous honor to receive Gov. Palin's endorsement," Haley said in a statement released Thursday. "Sarah Palin has energized the conservative movement like few others in our generation." Palin has also endorsed, among others, former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina in California's GOP Senate primary. Palin is set to release a new book in November -- "America By Heart: Reflections on Family, Faith, and Flag." Her first book, "Going Rogue," was a national bestseller. Palin has become one of the GOP's biggest stars since being tapped as Sen. John McCain's running mate during the 2008 presidential race. In addition to being an author, Palin has become a sought-after speaker and a contributor on Fox News. CNN's Alan Silverleib, Peter Hamby and Martina Stewart contributed to this report

Sarah Palin speaks at fundraiser for group supporting conservative women candidates . Palin attacks anti-abortion Democrats for backing President Obama's health care plan . Palin's appearance was part of a campaign swing that will take her to Carolinas .

Washington (CNN) -- Four of the 10 American rescue teams mobilized in the hours following the earthquake in Haiti are returning home Tuesday -- having never traveled farther than their local airports. Federal government officials said the four -- including teams in Texas, Ohio and two in California -- were not flown there because Haiti could not "absorb" them and because they were being held as relief for crews that made it into the country. Disaster experts said a bottleneck at the main airport in Port-au-Prince could have prevented the crews from entering Haiti quickly, but they scoffed at the suggestion that the teams, skilled in locating and freeing people entombed in collapsed buildings, should be held in reserve. "That 72-hour window [in which most rescues are attempted] is not some casual number," said Irwin Redlener, director of the National Center for Disaster Preparedness at Columbia University. "It's actually a very serious [calculation of when most lives can be saved]." iReport: Search the list of the missing and found Redlener said it made no sense to withhold Urban Search and Rescue team resources until the latter days of a disaster. A second expert said the United States has an additional 18 US&R teams it could have drawn upon if reserves were needed. In the event of earthquakes, moving US&R teams should be the "highest possible priority," and the only limitation should be insurmountable logistical ones, Redlener said. The Federal Emergency Management Agency trains and funds the nation's 28 US&R teams, but in Haiti they have been working under contract with the U.S. Agency for International Development, the State Department organization heading the relief effort. See how rescuers race against time USAID spokesman Evan Casson Coutts said the agency made the decision to withhold the four U.S. teams "in consultation with the Haitian government." The relief effort is at this point "prioritizing the shipments of life-sustaining commodities, including food, water and medicine." The US&R teams specialize in rescuing people in collapsed structures. The teams typically have about 80 members and travel with food, bedding and generators so they will be self-sustaining and will not be a drain on the communities they are trying to help. Full coverage | Twitter updates Asked Monday on CNN "American Morning" why the four U.S. teams and some teams in Canada had not been brought to Haiti, Kenneth Merten, the U.S. ambassador to the country, said, "I'll be honest with you. I haven't heard those stories about the search-and-rescue teams not being mobilized down here." Merten said he would look into the issue, adding the teams may have been held back because of capacity issues. He also said there are "limitations on where these people can go, where they can set up, where they can bed down." A USAID spokesman suggested Monday that the 43 teams that traveled from around the world to help Haiti were sufficient. They include 1,739 first responders and 161 canines. Coutts said USAID directed FEMA to prepare four more teams for possible deployment to "ensure that any additional search-and-rescue needs could be met immediately upon request." Based on postings on their Web sites, the teams thought they were going to Haiti, until being told to stand down Monday.

Officials say Haiti could not "absorb" the additional four U.S. teams mobilized to help Haiti . Columbia University expert says teams should have been sent within first 72 hours . U.S. ambassador to Haiti says he's unaware that search teams mobilized but stayed in the U.S. There are more than 1,700 rescuers, 161 canines already in Haiti, USAID official says .

Washington (CNN) -- Investigators are reviewing the flight data recorder from American Airlines Flight 331, the plane that overran a runway this week near Kingston, Jamaica, and crashed into a fence. A National Transportation Safety Board spokesman said Thursday that the recorder arrived in the agency's Washington laboratory overnight. Crews continue to look for the cockpit voice recorder. The flight originated from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Virginia, and landed in Miami, Florida, before heading to Jamaica, the airline said. It had been raining Tuesday when the plane failed to stop and ran into a fence past the end of the runway, Radio Jamaica reporter Kirk Abraham said. Ninety-one people were taken to three area hospitals, where most were evaluated and released, an American Airlines spokesman said. Ten were admitted, he said, and five remain hospitalized Thursday afternoon. The flight was carrying 148 passengers and six crew members when it landed in Kingston, the airline said. CNN's Jim Barnett contributed to this report.

American Airlines plane overran runway, crashed into fence near Kingston, Jamaica . National Transportation Safety Board investigators are reviewing flight data recorder . Five people remain hospitalized after accident .

Washington (CNN) -- It feels like it went by in the blink of an eye. Tai Shan, the giant panda cub so many people have come to know and love, is about to board a flight to China. "It's very bittersweet. We love him. We love having him here," said Erika Bauer, curator at the National Zoo in Washington. Tai Shan was born in the nation's capital, so you can confidently call him a Washingtonian. But he is to be sent to China, under an agreement between the two nations, to help replenish the endangered species' numbers in the wild. At 4½ years old, Tai Shan is more of a panda adolescent than a cub, but to Tai Shan fans, he will always be their baby. "We watched him as he grew up and it's kind of sad to see him go," said Kathleen Ryland of Highland, Maryland. Ryland brought her two children to say their goodbyes to Tai Shan at a farewell party at the National Zoo Saturday. Despite the snow falling on the panda exhibit, there were plenty of warm and fuzzy feelings about Tai Shan. "He's so cute. I'll miss him," said Claire Ryland, 7. It's often said that a visit to Washington is not complete without a stop at the zoo to see Tai Shan. Over the years, some have even gone as far to say that Tai Shan was Washington's No. 1 resident -- even getting top billing over the president. Tai Shan will leave for China on Thursday via the "FedEx Panda Express." He'll be joined by Mei Lan - a 3-year-old panda born at Zoo Atlanta in Georgia. Eventually, they will take part in a breeding program aimed at increasing the panda population. Giant pandas are currently on the endangered list. The National Zoo estimates that about 1,600 giant pandas are currently in the wild. Bauer says that's all the more reason to say goodbye to Tai Shan. "It's very important to get Tai Shan into the breeding population to help conserve the species in general. This is a very good day for him," she said.

Tai Shan, a 4-year-old giant panda, is to be delivered to China next week . A farewell party was held at the National Zoo in Washington on Saturday . He'll be joined in China by Mei Lan -- a 3-year-old panda born at Zoo Atlanta in Georgia . They will take part in a breeding program aimed at increasing China's panda population .

Washington (CNN) -- President Obama said he wouldn't pat himself on the back for his first year in office, but said Wednesday he showed he can make tough decisions that were unpopular. In a year-end interview with PBS, Obama said he was "entirely dissatisfied" with the high unemployment rate still facing Americans as the economic recession ends. "I don't pat myself on the back," Obama said. But his administration deserved credit for making good decisions on major problems it inherited, including the recession, wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and other issues, he said. Without specifying any issue, Obama said he demonstrated that his administration was willing to face tough decisions. "I think I've shown this year that I can make hard decisions, even when they're not popular," the president said. Last month, Obama decided to send an additional 30,000 U.S. troops to Afghanistan to bolster the counterinsurgency strategy favored by military commanders on the ground. The move was criticized by some fellow Democrats and favored by most Republicans. Obama also moved forward on plans to shut the Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, detention facility and bring some suspected terrorists held there to a U.S. prison in Illinois. The plan has been heavily criticized by Republicans. In addition, the president made health care reform his domestic priority for 2009 and endorsed sweeping provisions contained in a bill passed by the House and on the verge of final passage by the Senate. Republican opposition to the health care legislation has been almost unanimous, and concessions made during the Senate debate have caused some Democrats to question the value of the measure scheduled for a final vote on Thursday. Obama rejected criticism from some liberals that a final bill would be too watered down, saying in the PBS interview that the bill delivered most of the benefits he listed when the debate began back in January. "This notion that somehow this health care bill that's emerging should be grudgingly accepted by Democrats as half a loaf" is wrong, Obama said. "This is 95 percent of the loaf."

President Obama looks back on first year in office . He says he's not satisfied with high unemployment . "I don't pat myself on the back," Obama says . But, he says, "I can make hard decisions, even when they're not popular"

Washington (CNN) -- Ten million Americans a year are victims of identity theft. It's a growing problem in the United States, but fighting it doesn't appear to be a priority, a new report says. A report by the Justice Department Inspector General released Tuesday cites the wide-ranging costs and dangers of ID theft. Although the report has no new numbers, the financial losses are believed to be substantially higher than the $15.6 billion documented in 2005. Inspector General Glenn Fine found the effort to combat the problem, however, has lagged since the President's Task Force on ID Theft was established in 2007. "We found that to some degree identity theft initiatives have faded as priorities," said Fine. He said the Justice Department has not developed a coordinated plan to combat ID theft and that some recommendations of the President's Task Force have not been addressed. No one has been appointed to oversee the efforts, the report says. The report says "the specific crime of identity theft is not a top FBI priority." However, the report adds that the FBI often addresses the issue through the Cyber Division's criminal intrusion program, which is a priority of the agency. Similarly, ID theft investigations are often part of larger federal criminal investigations into health care fraud, mortgage fraud and credit card fraud. "Identity theft can also be a significant element of violent crimes, such as domestic abuse, and even terrorism, and a significant number of ID theft-related crimes originate overseas," the report said.

Justice Department Inspector General cites wide-ranging costs and dangers of ID theft . Effort to fight problem has lagged since task force formed in 2007, report says . Costs thought to be substantially higher than the $15.6 billion documented in 2005 .

Washington (CNN) -- The Federal Aviation Administration revoked the licenses of two Northwest Airlines pilots Tuesday in an extraordinary letter in which the agency chastised the pair, saying they endangered the public by flying an hour and half without contacting controllers "while you were on a frolic of your own." The letter to Northwest Captain Timothy B. Cheney and First Officer Richard I. Cole puts the total time the pilots maintained radio silence at 91 minutes -- 13 minutes longer than originally defined by federal investigators. The letter said the pilots were "extremely reckless." "Not only did you not comply with ... [air traffic controller] instructions, you did not even monitor the aircraft's air-ground radios," the letter said. "You were disengaged and impervious to the serious threat to your own safety, as well as the safety of people for whom you are responsible. This is a total dereliction and disregard for your duties." The letter provides new details about the flight. Cheney, 53, and Cole, 54, were piloting Flight 188 from San Diego, California, to the Minneapolis-St. Paul airport in Minnesota on Wednesday when air traffic controllers lost radio contact with the Airbus A320 over the Denver, Colorado, area. Instead of beginning to descend as planned about 22 minutes before its scheduled arrival, the plane continued flying at its cruise altitude of 35,000 feet and passed over the Minnesota airport. At 8:14 p.m. CT -- 36 minutes after the plane was to begin its descent and 14 minutes after its scheduled arrival -- the pilots contacted controllers, the FAA said. One of the pilots radioed: "We got distracted and we've overflown MSP [Minneapolis-St. Paul airport]. We are overhead EAU [Eau Claire, Wisconsin] and would like to make a 180 and to [make] an arrival from over EAU." Cheney and Cole told federal investigators that they "lost track of time" while working on personal laptop computers, the National Transportation Safety Board said. They became aware of their plane's position only after a flight attendant asked about the landing time, according to the NTSB. The FAA said the revocations cite several violations of regulations, including failure to comply with air traffic control and clearances and operating carelessly and recklessly. The pilots have 10 days to appeal the revocations, which are effective immediately, to the NTSB, the FAA said. Flight 188 carried 144 passengers, the two pilots and three flight attendants. Cheney was hired in 1985 and has more than 20,000 hours of flight time, while Cole was hired in 1997 and has about 11,000 hours of flight time, according to an NTSB report released Monday. Neither pilot reported having had an accident, incident or violation, neither had any ongoing medical conditions, and neither said he was tired, the report said. They each had had a 19-hour layover in San Diego; neither said he had slept or argued during the flight, but both said "there was a distraction" in the cockpit, according to the report. The pilots said there was "a concentrated period of discussion where they did not monitor the airplane or calls" from air traffic control, though both said they heard conversation on the radio, the report said. Neither pilot said he noticed messages sent by company dispatchers, the report added. It said the men were talking about a new monthly crew flight scheduling system that was put into place in the wake of Northwest's merger with Delta Air Lines. "Each pilot accessed and used his personal laptop computer while they discussed the airline crew flight scheduling procedure," the report said. "The first officer, who was more familiar with the procedure, was providing instruction to the captain." After landing at the Minneapolis-St. Paul airport, both voluntarily underwent alcohol breath tests, which proved negative, the report said.

NEW: Pilots were "extremely reckless," "on a frolic," FAA says . NEW: Radio silence lasted 91 minutes, longer than initially believed, FAA says . Pair involved in overflight of Minneapolis-St. Paul airport in Minnesota last week . NTSB: Pilots were on laptops, discussing scheduling system, lost track of time .

Washington (CNN) -- The man charged in the failed Times Square bombing was working with the Taliban movement in Pakistan, the U.S. attorney general said Sunday. "The evidence that we have now developed shows the Pakistani Taliban directed this plot," Attorney General Eric Holder said, describing the investigation into suspect Faisal Shahzad during an appearance on NBC's "Meet the Press." "We know that they helped facilitate it, we know they helped direct it, and I suspect we're going to come up with evidence that shows they helped to finance it," Holder said. John Brennan, the assistant to the president for counterterrorism and homeland security, told CNN's "State of the Union" that the Pakistani Taliban -- also known as Tehrik-e-Taliban, or TTP -- is closely allied with al Qaeda. The group has pledged to carry out attacks outside of central Asia, including the United States, Brennan said Sunday. Shahzad has been charged in the May 1 attempted bombing in Times Square. He was arrested while trying to fly out of New York on Monday night, two days after he allegedly attempted to set off a car bomb in Times Square. The bomb failed to detonate. It was the second case in the past six months of a bungled terrorist attack in the United States, following the failed bombing of a U.S. airliner on Christmas Day. Brennan said U.S. counterterrorism efforts had degraded the ability of groups such as al Qaeda and the Taliban to launch successful attacks. "They're trying to find vulnerabilities in our defenses," Brennan said, noting the attempts have been "unsophisticated." Shahzad, a Pakistani-American, had traveled to Pakistan several times in recent years, Brennan said. "He was captured by the murderous rhetoric of al Qaeda and TTP," Brennan said of the suspect. Preventing attacks by individuals, especially American citizens such as Shahzad, is a "very difficult challenge," Brennan said. The case raised new questions about whether terrorism suspects should be read the Miranda warning that advises them of their rights to remain silent and obtain legal representation. Critics have accused the Obama administration of losing interrogation opportunities by giving Miranda warnings to terrorism suspects, including the alleged Christmas Day airplane bomber and Shahzad. Brennan said Shahzad was interrogated for four hours under an exclusion to the Miranda warning involving public safety. Authorities then advised Shahzad of his rights, as required by law, Brennan told the "Fox News Sunday" program. "It did not impede our ability to continue to acquire very important intelligence from him," Brennan said. "It was, I think, a very good example that law enforcement, operating within ... the existing system, were able to leverage the opportunities that they had to get this information." Also on the Fox program, Republican Rep. Peter King of New York argued a change in the Miranda warning was necessary. "If there's another 10, 15, 20 plots out there, that to me is more important to get all the intelligence we can on that," King said. "So I think we may have to work on revisions." One idea, King said, would set up "separate system of justice dealing with American citizens who are allied with a foreign army or a foreign enemy." Holder also said Sunday that he was considering possible changes to the Miranda warning. Asked whether international terrorism made the current Miranda warnings too limited, Holder told the ABC program "This Week" that some adjustment may be necessary. The system is working so far, Holder said, but "we also want to ... make determinations as to whether or not we have the necessary flexibility, whether we have a system that can deal with the situation that agents now confront." "We're now dealing with international terrorism," Holder said, adding that his department would work with Congress "to come up with a proposal that is both constitutional, but that is also relevant to our time and the threat that we now face."

NEW: Faisal Shahzad linked to Pakistani Taliban, U.S. attorney general says . Shahzad is charged in foiled Times Square car bombing . Terrorists "trying to find vulnerabilities in our defenses," Obama terrorism adviser says . Debate on Miranda warning heats up in wake of bombing attempt .

Washington (CNN) -- When Robert Byrd came to Congress from West Virginia, a postage stamp cost 3 cents and kids were clamoring for a new toy called Mr. Potato Head. On Wednesday, almost 57 years later, Byrd became the longest-serving member of Congress in history. Two days before he turns 92, the eloquent legislator known for his encyclopedic knowledge of Senate rules and history surpasses Carl T. Hayden, the Arizona Democrat who served a total of 20,773 days in the U.S. House and Senate. With his 20,774th day representing West Virginia -- six years in House and then nearly 51 years and counting in the Senate -- Byrd sets a record for longevity unlikely to be broken as the political climate turns toward term limits and growing public dissatisfaction with Congress. In a statement issued by his office, Byrd expressed his gratitude to "the people of the great State of West Virginia" for their long-standing confidence in him. His only regret, he said, was that his wife, Erma, who died in 2006, would not be with him. "I know that she is looking down from the heavens smiling at me and saying congratulations my dear Robert -- but don't let it go to your head," Byrd's statement said. In a career representing the West Virginia coal-mining country from which he emerged, Byrd has cast more Senate votes (18,000-plus) and held more leadership positions (including two stints as majority leader) than any other senator. He has never lost an election. He was raised by an aunt and uncle after his mother died when he was a year old, and he did not graduate college until he received a degree in 1994 from Marshall University. In a sign of his Appalachian roots, Byrd was an avid fiddle player and appeared twice on the television program "Hee Haw." He gave up playing in the 1980s because of a tremor in his hands. His early political years displayed some of the deeply rooted racism of the American South. Byrd was a member of the white supremacist Ku Klux Klan in the early 1940s, and later called it "the most egregious mistake I've ever made." In 1964, he voted against the Civil Rights Act pushed by Democratic President Lyndon Johnson. But Byrd later followed a more traditional Democratic path. An ardent foe of President George W. Bush's policies in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, Byrd opposed creating the Department of Homeland Security in 2002 and called Bush "dangerous, reckless and arrogant" in February 2003, six weeks before the Iraq war started. Three months later, he criticized Bush's landing a jet on the USS Abraham Lincoln to signal the end of the Iraq war as "flamboyant showmanship." On June 12, 2006, Byrd became the longest serving senator in history, and was re-elected to his ninth consecutive Senate term five months later. Things have changed since he arrived in Washington as a new congressman in 1953, along with the first Eisenhower administration. Gas cost 20 cents a gallon then, and the average annual salary was less than $4,000. Ten presidents later, Byrd is known for his devotion to his state and constituents. "His number one priority has always been the people of West Virginia," Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada, says in a statement on Byrd's Senate Web site. "It has been a great example for all of us to never lose sight of the fact that you are elected by the people from your state and the people in your state should have first priority." Byrd's statement marking Wednesday's achievement reflected that thinking. "Although we are marking a longevity milestone, it has been the quality and dedication of service that has guided me over the years," Byrd said in his statement. "I have strived to provide the people of West Virginia the best representation possible each of the 20,774 days which I have served in the Congress of the United States." He thanked his constituents for their support and for "putting their trust and

Sen. Robert Byrd logs his 20,774th day -- almost 57 years -- in Congress . Byrd is known for his encyclopedic knowledge of Senate rules and history . West Virginian says joining Ku Klux Klan in 1940s was his "most egregious mistake" When he arrived in D.C. in 1953, gasoline costs 20 cents a gallon, a stamp was 3 cents .

Washington (CNN) -- The Wall Street Journal reported Friday that office rents in Washington are poised to overtake rents in New York City. Washington now boasts the lowest office vacancy rate in the nation. New York City is bleeding jobs, unemployment is over 10 percent. Washington is booming as government agencies like TARP and the General Services Administration expand. New York's crisis and Washington's growth is more than a business page story. Over two centuries, American culture has been shaped by the physical separation of politics and finance. The British might centralize everything in London, the French in Paris, the other countries of Europe in their great capitals, but the United States divided these functions. The Constitution of the new republic provided for an autonomous federal district. It did not specify where that district should be. Mexico and Argentina both have federal districts that coincide with their greatest cities, and that option was at least theoretically available to the United States as well. Instead, the capital was sited on the swampy banks of the Potomac, far from the great commercial centers of the founding era: Boston, New York, Philadelphia and Charleston. This decision had profound effects for the first 150 years of the new country's life. If a business leader wanted to talk to a member of Congress or the Cabinet, he had to take a long train ride, often a very long train ride. Simpler and easier to leave the job to a lobbyist. Sheer physical distance interposed itself much of the time between the country's financial, business, and political leaders. It was an event when the great J. Pierpont Morgan made his way here, and most of the titans of 19th century industry never appeared at all. In our own era, however, the distance has shrunk, decade by decade, faster and faster all the time. It's not a coincidence that the impressive new premises of the Securities and Exchange Commission are located across the street from Washington's Union Station. The power brokers don't even have to hail a cab on disembarking from the Acela. And now the distance has vanished to nothing, and the one-time junior partner has gained the upper hand. The crisis of 2008 -- and the Great Recession of 2009 -- has interpenetrated government and finance in a way never before seen in the history of the United States. The kind of proximity to power once required only by defense contractors is suddenly required by all kinds of firms. Hilton Hotels will move from Beverly Hills to Washington. The accounting firm Deloitte will consolidate operations here, as will the legal firm McGuire Woods as it develops a new focus upon lobbying. The Federal government is now the majority owner of the lending arm of General Motors, GMAC. It owns the nation's largest insurance company, AIG. It is banker, automaker, and lender of last, second and first resort. President Obama joked at his first White House correspondents' dinner that he had just been named Auto Executive of the Year. Who wouldn't want to lease the office next door? The Federal Reserve has acquired a portfolio of $1 trillion in mortgage securities. The government regulates salaries in the companies in which it holds interests -- and pay czar Kenneth Feinberg has lamented in a television interview that his power does not extend even further. "The biggest disappointment, I think, is that under the statute my jurisdiction is so narrow, and so circumscribed, that I have no real direct mandatory power over other Wall Street or other national companies," he said. But as Washington gains, the country loses. It loses something more than its ideals of free enterprise and private ownership. It loses the very American idea of a capital as a specialized locale to which specific tasks are delegated -- not an American Versailles where favors are distributed and attendance is mandatory. Not so long ago, Microsoft didn't even have a Washington office. Today Microsoft and Google are deadlocked in fiercer struggles than those that divide the oil lobby and the eco lobby. For those of us who reside in Washington, the change is mostly positive. Certainly the restaurants are vastly

Rents for offices in Washington could soon be more expensive than in New York . David Frum says it's a sign of Washington's dominance as the new financial capital of U.S. He says long tradition of separating business, government centers has ended .

Washington (CNN) -- A "top kill" method intended to stop the runaway flow of oil in the Gulf of Mexico will likely be tried early next week, BP Chief Operating Officer Doug Suttles said Friday. In the procedure, thick, viscous fluid twice the density of water will be pumped at a high rate into the site of the leak to stop the flow so that it can then be sealed with cement, Suttles said. "Our best estimate is probably Tuesday," he said, noting that the operation has never been tried in such deep water. The timing for the "top kill" effort appears to be slipping: BP Managing Director Bo Dudley said Thursday night that the company would try the procedure this weekend. Suttles offered no explanation for the discrepancy. "We're working very, very hard with BP on the timeline for the 'top kill,' " said U.S. Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen, national incident commander. "That's the ultimate near-term solution." Obama announces oil spill commission BP is working to assemble "a massive amount of equipment" at the site, Suttles said, including three deep-water rigs, drilling rigs, sub-sea support vessels and up to 16 robotic submarines. "These operations are quite complex, and we won't start the job until all the equipment has been staged and all the equipment is in place," he said. But no one expects the effort to solve all the problems associated with the spill. "We will not rest, even if they secure the flow, even if this 'top kill' is completed successfully next week," Coast Guard Rear Adm. Mary Landry said. "We have a long row to hoe" to ensure that the damage that has already occurred is mitigated. Landry expressed disappointment Friday over BP's efforts to clean up oil on the shores of Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana. Though boom and skimmers had been staged there, "the folks were hesitating in deploying that," she said. Asked to what degree it will be possible to clean oil from the marshes, Allen said that oil in the marshes is "the worst-case scenario for us to deal with in terms of recovery." That's because mechanical cleanup can do more harm than good, he said. "In some cases, burning may be an acceptable solution," he said. Any such decision would be made on the scene in consultation with representatives of the state and the parishes involved, he said. But officials had unqualified praise for the weather, which has been cooperating fully in recent days, leaving the seas dead calm. "These are ideal conditions for skimming," Landry said, noting that the percentage skimmed has risen to at least 50 percent from the typical 10 percent. Sub-sea dispersants are also being used, she said, "so we're not seeing a lot of oil coming to the surface." On Thursday, the Environmental Protection Agency ordered BP to find a less toxic chemical to break up the oil than the one it has been using, Corexit 9500. The chemical has been rated more toxic and less effective than many others on the list of 18 EPA-approved dispersants, according to testimony at a congressional hearing Wednesday. BP has found no immediate replacement candidate, Suttles said. "Our analysis that we submitted to EPA last night said there were no other dispersants we could identify that were available and less toxic," he said. BP was to meet later Friday with the EPA to discuss alternatives, he said. As the continuing spill enters its second month, debate and concern have focused on just how much oil is spewing from the broken riser a mile below the surface. A federal technical team comprising scientists from the federal government and academia has been charged with estimating the flow rate based on video and other data. The estimate will be peer-reviewed and "given rigorous oversight by the federal government and academia," Landry said. That estimate is likely to be complete "sometime next week,"

BP to try pumping fluid into well to stop Gulf oil leak . Burning marshes hit by oil may be an option, Coast Guard says . Congressman calls for temporary centers on Gulf Coast to address health worries . Estimate of amount of oil pumping into Gulf grows .

Washington (CNN) -- A 90-year-old Michigan man who officials say rounded up and shot Jews in Nazi death camps during World War II is a step closer to being deported, the Justice Department announced Tuesday. In January, a judge found John Kalymon of Troy, Michigan, to have been an armed member of the Nazi-sponsored Ukrainian Auxiliary Police from 1941 to 1944. Tuesday, an appeals board dismissed Kalymon's attempt to block his deportation from the United States. Kalymon immigrated to America from Germany in 1949 and became a U.S. citizen in 1955. A federal judge in Detroit revoked his U.S. citizenship in 2007. "John Kalymon and his Ukrainian Police accomplices were indispensable participants in Nazi Germany's campaign to exterminate the Jews of Europe during World War II," said Assistant Attorney General Lanny Breuer. Breuer said tens of thousands of Jewish men, women and children were murdered in L'viv or rounded up and shipped to the Nazi death camp in Belzec or to Nazi forced labor camps. In a news release last month, the Justice Department said Kalymon "personally shot Jews while serving, killing at least one" and "participated in violent anti-Jewish operations in which Jews were forcibly deported to be murdered in gas chambers and to serve as slave laborers." "This case is one of more than a hundred cases successfully prosecuted by the Department of Justice against wartime Nazi perpetrators," said Eli Rosenbaum, head of the Justice Department's Nazi-hunting unit. Rosenbaum said that since the government launched its program to find and deport former Nazis in 1979, 107 individuals have been prosecuted, and 180 suspected Axis persecutors who attempted to enter the United States have been blocked from doing so. Although authorities believe only a small number of former Nazis -- mostly in their 90s -- remain alive in the United States, the government is determined to keep up the hunt and deport those they find. Rosenbaum said the program "reflects the government's continuing commitment to pursuing justice on behalf of the victims of the Holocaust and other human rights crimes."

John Kalymon was a member of a Nazi-backed police unit, a court has found . He came to the United States from Germany in 1949 and became a U.S. citizen in 1955 . Efforts continue to find the few former Nazis remaining in the United States .

Washington (CNN) -- A Republican presidential debate on Tuesday focused on national security issues exposed deep fault lines within the GOP over how to grapple with the nation's challenges overseas. The eight Republican candidates who took to the CNN debate stage in downtown Washington differed on a range of issues confronting the United States, including the war in Afghanistan, aid to Pakistan and cuts in defense spending. The issue of illegal immigration also arose again as the newest Republican front-runner, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, called for a "humane" approach to immigration policy, a position at odds with many conservative activists who dominate key nominating contests in Iowa, South Carolina and Florida. Gingrich stressed the importance of securing the United States border with Mexico and penalizing employers who hire illegal immigrants. But he expressed sympathy for people who entered the country illegally and since became contributing members of society. Blog: The CNN debate as it happened "I don't see how the party that says it's the party of the family is going to adopt an immigration policy which destroys families which have been here a quarter-century," Gingrich said. "And I am prepared to take the heat for saying, let's be humane in enforcing the law without giving them citizenship, but finding a way to give them legality so as not to separate them from their families." The answer was reminiscent of Texas Gov. Rick Perry's response to a question about a 2001 bill he signed that granted in-state college tuition to the children of illegal immigrants. In a September debate, Perry said Republicans who oppose the legislation "don't have a heart" -- and his standing in the polls plummeted in the following days. Romney, the party's de facto front-runner for much of the year, pounced on Gingrich's remarks. "Amnesty is a magnet," Romney said. "When we have had in the past programs that have said that if people who come here illegally are going to get to stay illegally for the rest of their life, that's going to only encourage more people to come here illegally." iReport: What makes a good presidential candidate? Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann, a member of the House Intelligence Committee who had one of her strongest debate performances of the cycle, also chided Gingrich. "We need to move away from magnets, not offer more," said Bachmann, who is in single digits in the polls and pegging her candidacy to a strong showing in the Iowa caucuses. The debate was held at Daughters of the American Revolution Constitution Hall in downtown Washington and was co-sponsored by the Heritage Foundation and the American Enterprise Institute, two conservative think tanks. Gingrich entered the debate with fresh momentum in the Republican race and found himself in the spotlight for much of the evening. According to a CNN/ORC International Poll released on the eve of the debate, 24% of Republican and GOP-leaning independent voters said they are most likely to support Gingrich for their party's nomination, with 20% saying they back Romney, who is making his second bid for the presidency. Gingrich's four-point margin over Romney is within the survey's sampling error. A CNN poll released one week ago had Romney at 24% and Gingrich at 22%. Gingrich was at 8% in a CNN poll in October. The new front-runner got the first question of the night, which sparked a feud with the libertarian-leaning Texas Rep. Ron Paul over the USA Patriot Act. "I would look at strengthening it because the dangers that are posed are so great," Gingrich said about the legislation. Paul, who has been sharply critical of the Patriot Act since it was signed into law by former President George W. Bush in October 2001, called it "unpatriotic" because it "undermines our liberty." Paul took on the role of the lonely isolationist throughout the debate, calling on the administration to withdraw American troops from commitments overseas as a way to slash government spending. He also questioned the point of humanitarian aid,

GOP candidates debate national security, foreign policy . Debate was the 11th major showdown between the Republican candidates . Gingrich was latest front-runner in the polls heading into debate .

Washington (CNN) -- A State Department employee who resigned last month in protest over America's war in Afghanistan said Friday he has received an outpouring of support from Afghan-Americans and U.S. active-duty military. "I've had a lot of Afghan-Americans contact me and say, 'Matt, you get it,' " Matthew Hoh told CNN. "You understand -- yes, there is a civil war going on. You understand how Afghan society works. You understand this split within the Pashtuns. You understand valley-ism, or whatever you want to call it." The 36-year-old former Marine Corps captain resigned on September 10 over what he termed a "cavalier, politically expedient and Pollyannaish misadventure." Since then, even active-duty military have supported his decision, he said on CNN's "Fareed Zakaria GPS," scheduled to air at 1 p.m. ET Sunday on CNN. "I have received many many e-mails from active-duty military and some guys who just separated from the service," Hoh said. "Some guys are here in the States. I've gotten many e-mails from guys in Afghanistan. Some are people I know. But a lot are people I do not know. Men and women who are saying, 'Thanks for doing this. Keep it up. We don't know why we're here. We're not sure why we're taking these casualties. We don't know what it's accomplishing.'" In his letter, the senior civilian representative in Zabul Province, Afghanistan, said he was resigning because "I fail to see the value or worth in continued U.S. casualties or expenditures of resources in support of the Afghan government in what is, truly, a 35-year-old civil war." He concluded the letter by saying that he had "lost confidence" that the "dead have sacrificed for a purpose worthy of futures lost, love vanished and promised dreams unkept." "I believe that the people we are fighting there are fighting us because we are occupying them," Hoh told CNN earlier this week. "Not for any ideological reasons, not because of any links to al Qaeda, not because of any fundamental hatred towards the West. The only reason they're fighting us is because we're occupying them." After Hoh submitted his resignation, Richard Holbrooke, the Obama administration's special representative in Afghanistan and neighboring Pakistan, made a plea for Hoh to change his mind. Hoh refused. "The offer was to join his staff and be put in a position where I could continue to write and try to influence policymakers from within the administration," Hoh said Friday. "Two things: One, if I believed in the mission, if I believed it was worth our guys dying for, if I believed that 60,000 troops in Afghanistan would defeat al Qaeda somehow -- which it won't -- I would have stayed in Zabul Province," he said. "However, the other part of it, too, was that I realized that the administration was going to make its decision shortly and then I would be stuck. And if I don't believe in it, if I don't believe this cause is right, if I don't believe it's justified, then there's no reason to take that position." CNN terrorism analyst Peter Bergen disagreed with Hoh's assessment of Afghanistan. "It's not that our presence there is causing the problem," he said. "Quite the reverse: It is that we are not doing what we said were going to do, which is bringing a measure of security and a measure of prosperity." But Afghanistan's lack of infrastructure and "human capital" make it an especially difficult mission, said Hoh, who served two tours in Iraq as a Marine. "In Iraq, even though it was stuck in the '80s, it had infrastructure, it had human capital," he said. "It had doctors and lawyers and educators. And they had an established system of government, they had an infrastructure we

Matthew Hoh says Afghan-Americans, active-duty military members have shown support . Hoh resigned after saying he didn't believe in the war, which was essentially a civil war . Hoh believes increasing troops is only going to fuel insurgency, not help the problems . Hoh says he believes insurgents are fighting U.S. because we are occupying their land .

Washington (CNN) -- A Syrian-born naturalized American was ordered held in custody Wednesday after he was charged for allegedly spying on Syrian protesters in the United States. Judge Theresa Buchanan at the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia ordered Mohamad Anas Heitham Soueid, 47, held until Friday, when there will be a detention hearing. Prosecutor Dennis Fitzpatrick told the judge that Soueid was a flight risk. Soueid, of Leesburg, Virginia, was charged October 5 with conspiring to collect video and audio recordings and other information about people "in the United States and Syria who were protesting the government of Syria and to provide these materials to Syrian intelligence agencies in order to silence, intimidate and potentially harm the protestors," the Justice Department said Wednesday. The Syrian Embassy in Washington responded Wednesday by denying the allegations, saying Soueid never worked for the Syrian government to spy on protesters. Soueid was arrested Tuesday after a federal grand jury charged him in a six-count indictment. He is charged with conspiring to act and acting as an agent of the Syrian government in the United States without notifying the attorney general as required by law; two counts of providing false statements on a firearms purchase form; and two counts of providing false statements to federal law enforcement, the Justice Department said. This comes amid Syria's seven-month-long crackdown against protesters. "Today's indictment alleges that the defendant acted as an unregistered agent of the Syrian government as part of an effort to collect information on people in this country protesting the Syrian government crackdown. I applaud the many agents, analysts and prosecutors who helped bring about today's case," said Lisa Monaco, assistant attorney general for national security. The indictment says Soueid has been an agent of the Syrian Mukhabarat, a reference to Syrian intelligence agencies. "At no time while acting as an agent of the government of Syria in this country did Soueid provide prior notification to the Attorney General as required by law, the indictment alleges," the Justice Department said. "Under the direction and control of Syrian officials, Soueid is accused of recruiting individuals living in the United States to collect information on and make audio and video recordings of protests against the Syrian regime -- including recordings of conversations with individual protesters -- in the United States and Syria. He is also charged with providing the recordings and other information to individuals working for the Mukhabarat. According to the indictment, Soueid and others conspired to use this information to undermine, silence, intimidate and potentially harm those in the United States and Syria who engaged in the protests." In late June, the Syrian government paid for Soueid to travel to Syria. He met with intelligence officials and privately spoke with President Bashar al-Assad, the indictment said. "In addition to the recordings, Soueid is accused of providing the Mukhabarat contact information, including phone numbers and e-mail addresses, for protesters in the United States. In a handwritten letter sent to UCC-1 (an unindicted co-conspirator), Soueid allegedly expressed his belief that violence against protesters -- including raiding their homes -- was justified and that any method should be used to deal with the protesters. The indictment also alleges that Soueid provided information regarding U.S. protesters against the Syrian regime to an individual who worked at the Syrian Embassy in Washington, D.C." In a statement, the Syrian Embassy challenged the Justice Department to provide evidence of the allegations. It said Soueid is not an agent of any Syrian institution and has never worked for any Syrian official. The allegation that any U.S. citizen is working with Syria to intimidate other U.S. citizens is "absolutely baseless and totally unacceptable," the embassy said. Syria never paid Soueid for travel or any other expense, the embassy said. It also denied there had ever been a private meeting between Soueid and al-Assad, calling it a "ludicrous" accusation. It also said the embassy had never recruited anyone to inform on any activities in the United States. "Contrary to the statement of the Department of Justice, Mr. Soueid has never provided any individual at the Syrian Embassy

NEW: The Syrian Embassy denies the allegations . A judge orders Soueid held until a Friday detention hearing . The man could face a maximum of 40 years in jail . The charges come amid Syria's tough crackdown on protesters .

Washington (CNN) -- A U.S. Army officer who was honored for valor after his combat outpost in Afghanistan was attacked has also received a letter of reprimand for failing to secure the base before the attack, according to Army officials. Such a letter normally would prevent career advancement. U.S. Army Capt. Matthew Myer received the Silver Star for his part in repelling a Taliban attack on his small combat outpost in eastern Afghanistan in July 2008. The attack, near the village of Wanat, is still the deadliest ground combat of the war involving U.S. troops. A coordinated Taliban attack from the steep hills surrounding the base almost resulted in the outpost being overrun. According to troops who survived, the Taliban came at the base with about 200 fighters, outnumbering the U.S. forces at the base. In the end nine soldiers were killed and 12 were wounded. About 100 Taliban were killed. Despite the heavy U.S. death toll, Myer was awarded the Silver Star for calling in aircraft to beat back the fighters, some of whom had breached the base walls, according to U.S. military officials in Afghanistan. After the attack, the U.S. military scrutinized how enemy forces were allowed to get as close to the base as they did. Officials familiar with the after-action review said Taliban fighters got within grenade-throwing distance of U.S. troops. Myer even called in close air support to hit enemy targets just 10 meters from his own position, according to officials familiar with the after-action report. Four-star Gen. Charles C. Campbell was chosen to review the final investigation and make disciplinary decisions. Campbell decided Myer would receive a career-ending letter of reprimand for failing to prepare the base's defenses sufficiently against an enemy attack. Myer was informed this week of his punishment, according to U.S. military officials. CBS News first reported his punishment. Two of Myer's senior commanders, who were not at the base during the attack, also received similar career-ending letters of reprimand. Officials would not elaborate on the reasons for the reprimands. Army officials acknowledge the base, built to protect the people in Wanat, was at the bottom of a valley surrounded by high hills, an almost impossible location to defend. According to one U.S. military official familiar with the general's decision to reprimand Myer, "He saw the evidence and made a decision based on that." However, the same official said, "Unless you've been there, you don't know how hard those places are to defend." Myer and his two senior officers are allowed to appeal the punishment. Another U.S. military official familiar with the review said he expects the three officers to meet with Campbell to plead their cases.

Army Capt. Matthew Myer has Silver Star from actions during a Taliban attack . Letter of reprimand criticizes him for allowing attack to take place . Two of his superior officers also receive letters of reprimand . Site of attack was at bottom of a valley surrounded by high hills .

Washington (CNN) -- A Washington-based imam told CNN on Monday that alleged Fort Hood shooter Nidal Malik Hasan approached him for help finding a wife. Imam Yahya Hendi, the Muslim chaplain at Georgetown University, said Hasan came to him at least two years ago as the cleric conducted services at Bethesda Naval Hospital in Maryland. "He said he wanted someone to help him serve, deploy and be understandable and understanding of his own military career," Hendi said. "He saw himself as someone ... continuing his service with the U.S. military till the end of his career." The imam said he spoke with Hasan on at least two occasions about his search for a spouse. "It's not easy to find, in general, someone who will be willing to travel with you and deploy with you every two years," Hendi said. "But he did want a wife who would stand by him, is [a] loyal American, who will help him do his work and his service for the U.S. military." The imam's comments about Hasan's search for someone who would remain with him throughout his military career were at odds with some statements by Hasan's family. Relatives have said Hasan tried unsuccessfully to leave the military early -- requests that may have come after Hasan contacted Hendi. The cleric said he did try to help Hasan in his search, thinking of women he knew to whom he could introduce the Army psychiatrist, but he never heard from Hasan again. Authorities say Hasan opened fire at a military processing center at Fort Hood Army Post on November 5, killing 13 people. Hasan, who was seriously wounded in the incident, was charged with 13 counts of premeditated murder -- charges that make him eligible for the death penalty. Two other imams have told CNN similar stories about Hasan's search for a wife, and about his conservatism and apparent devotion to Islam -- but those accounts seem to be inconsistent with behavior Hasan exhibited in the last few months. The manager of a strip club near Fort Hood has told reporters that Hasan visited the club a handful of times, staying for several hours each time. "You know, for me, everything that he did is against the teachings of Islam. Killing fellow soldiers, fellow citizen men and women, the shooting, the bloodshed, speaks of someone who did not understand his faith very well. Islam is against going to strip clubs, but it's also against killing fellow citizens," Hendi told CNN. When taken as a whole, Hasan's actions in the weeks before the attack at Fort Hood -- the giving away of his possessions, his sometimes conservative dress in white Muslim clothing, and his previous defense of suicide bombings during presentations to classmates -- seem to be those of someone who was preparing for his own death, said CNN terrorism analyst Peter Bergen. "I think what he was doing was sort of a jihadist 'death-by-cop,'" said Bergen, who based his observations on news reports about Hasan. "Here's a guy who obviously had personal problems. He's a loner, he avoids women basically, has few friends, and then grafted onto that, he finds sort of a jihadist ideology as a way of making sense of everything, and he decides to martyr himself." Bergen and other experts say Hasan could be someone who engaged in what they call "self-radicalization": the idea that militant religion might provide an answer to psychological problems that someone already has. Hasan remained hospitalized in Texas, paralyzed from the waist down, his lawyer said. He was shot by a civilian police officer, who was also wounded in the attack.

Imam: Nidal Malik Hasan wanted wife who could deal with his military career . Yahya Hendi is third imam to tell CNN Hasan asked for help finding wife . Manager of strip club tells reporters Hasan visited there several times . Hendi says strip club visits violate Islam -- and so does "killing fellow citizens"

Washington (CNN) -- A congressional panel investigating claims the Dover Air Force Base Mortuary mishandled the remains of hundreds of fallen U.S. military personnel will meet for the first time Tuesday. In November, U.S. Air Force investigators announced they had found "serious misconduct" and "gross mismanagement" in the handling of remains at the base. The findings came after the Air Force conducted a year-long investigation into 14 allegations of wrongdoing made by whistleblowers involving the remains of four U.S. service members killed in action, the Pentagon official said. The panel, which is being chaired by retired Gen. John Abizaid, has been given "full authority to review all aspects of mortuary affairs to ensure we are meeting the highest standards of care for our fallen." Department of Defense spokesman Capt. John Kirby said. Abizaid retired from the Army in 2007 after leading U.S. Central Command the final three years of his 34-year military career. Last week, the Air Force admitted that it sent more sets of military personnel remains to a Virginia landfill than it originally acknowledged. Backtracking on initial information about how it handled the remains of American service members killed in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Air Force said the cremated body parts of hundreds of the fallen were burned and dumped in the landfill. Earlier, the Air Force said only a small number of body parts had been buried in a commercial landfill and claimed it would be impossible to make a final determination of how many remains were disposed of in that manner. The Washington Post broke the story, and the Air Force now confirms that body fragments linked to at least 274 fallen military personnel sent to the base mortuary were cremated, incinerated and buried with medical waste. That procedure was in place between November 2003 and May 1, 2008. The Air Force also said that 1,762 body parts were never identified and also were disposed of, first by cremation, then by further incineration and then buried in a landfill. Congressman Rush Holt, D-New Jersey, Thursday accused the Pentagon of what he called "willful blindness" in not acting faster to identify and correct the problems and fully report them. "For years, this has been handled unceremoniously and insensitively and, I would say, dishonorably," Holt said in a telephone interview. He said he had been asking the Pentagon for months about information about Dover, on behalf of a constituent whose husband was killed five years ago. "They don't get it. They don't understand the degree of dishonor involved in all of this," Holt said. Last month, the Defense Department told the congressman that exact numbers could not be determined. "Without individual case-by-case review, the exact number of Service-directed disposition of subsequent remains cannot be determined," said a fact sheet sent to Holt in November. "It would require a massive effort and time to recall records and research individually." When bodies are not intact -- for instance, in the aftermath of a crash or explosion -- a body may be released to the family before some parts have been identified by the Air Force Mortuary at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware. Families can elect to be notified when parts are identified or leave it up to the military to dispose of them appropriately. Since the policy was changed in 2008, the unclaimed body parts are buried at sea. Holt pointed to how the United States spends millions each year searching for the remains of service members missing in action from previous wars, for instance in Southeast Asia. "That makes us proud to be an American, that we would do that," Holt said. "It is a level of response that honors our soldiers." The mistakes at Dover send a different message, Holt said. "It sends shudders to think that we engage in this kind of desecration," he said. But at the Pentagon, aides to Panetta said he is satisfied with how the Air Force responded in regard to the landfill policy and new information about how many of the American fallen were involved. "I think the secretary is comfortable with the way

Service members' body parts incinerated, buried with medical waste . Mortuary at Dover Air Force Base handles remains of returning war dead . An earlier report found mismanagement at the mortuary .

Washington (CNN) -- A couple who allegedly crashed this week's state dinner at the White House met President Obama in a reception line at the event, a White House official told CNN on Friday. A White House photograph taken Tuesday evening shows Michaele Salahi, wearing a gold-accented red sari, clasping her hands around Obama's right hand as her smiling husband, Tareq, looks on. The dinner was held for visiting Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who is smiling next to the president in the photo. An investigation into Tareq and Michaele Salahi has found that Secret Service agents did not follow protocol at a security checkpoint, the Secret Service said. "The Secret Service is deeply concerned and embarrassed by the circumstances surrounding the State Dinner on Tuesday," the agency said in a statement Friday. "The preliminary findings of our internal investigation have determined established protocols were not followed at an initial checkpoint, verifying that two individuals were on the guest list." The Salahis, who are aspiring reality TV stars, made news when they showed up at Tuesday's state dinner. The White House says the Salahis were not invited, but their lawyer, Paul W. Garner, "states emphatically that the Salahis did not 'crash' this event," according to a statement from the couple's publicist, Mahogany Jones. The Secret Service's statement says that although the Salahis went through magnetometers and other levels of screening, "they should have been prohibited from entering the event entirely." "That failing is ours," the statement said. The investigation continues and "appropriate measures have been taken to ensure this is not repeated," the agency said. Also Friday, two Secret Service agents visited a Virginia winery to say they wanted to question the couple, according to the winery's manager. Diane Weiss, manager at the Oasis Winery in Hume, Virginia, said the agents wanted to speak with the Salahis. Weiss said she didn't know their whereabouts. The Warren County Report, a local newspaper, quoted Weiss as saying the agents said they wanted to speak with the couple and not arrest them. It also quoted her as saying that the Salahis live in Linden, Virginia, but receive mail at the winery. And the agents said it was "imperative" that investigators speak with the couple and that they would "take whatever action" is necessary if they did not, the paper quoted Weiss as saying. Weiss told CNN that the newspaper quoted her accurately, but she declined to elaborate. Meanwhile, court records have revealed a more complete picture of the Salahis, who have left an extensive paper trail in federal bankruptcy and state court filings. They are named in at least 16 different civil suits in Fauquier County, Virginia, near Washington, sometimes as plaintiffs, sometimes as defendants. Family members have sued the county and each other. The family winery, Oasis Winery, has sued Michaele Salahi. They did not respond to CNN requests for comment Thursday about their legal history or the White House dinner. "At this time the Salahis will not make any formal comments regarding the rumors and media speculation surrounding the White House State Dinner," Jones, their publicist, said in a statement. Tareq and Michaele Salahi were engaged in a long court battle with his parents over the winery. Tareq Salahi sued his mother, Corinne, court records show, and the suit was dismissed. The mother sued Tareq Salahi and the case went to trial. The outcome is not clear from a Virginia courts Web site. Tareq and Michaele Salahi won control of the winery in 2007, but it has run into debt since then. Oasis Winery filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in February of this year, according to U.S. Bankruptcy Court records in the Eastern District of Virginia. Tareq Salahi is listed as company president in the filing. Listed creditors include the IRS, Fauquier County, the state of Virginia, several banks and American Express Corp., among others. The company claims about $335,000 in assets and $965,000 in liabilities.

White House official: Couple met Obama in reception line . Secret Service 'embarrassed' it didn't prevent couple from entering event . White House: Tareq and Michaele Salahi appeared at state dinner uninvited . Secret Service looking for couple, manager says .

Washington (CNN) -- A crew member aboard a U.S. Navy ship accidentally fired a machine gun into the Polish port city of Gdynia on Wednesday while cleaning the weapon, Navy officials said Friday. Three rounds were fired from an M240 machine gun into the town but no injuries or damage were reported, officials said. The gun, aboard the USS Ramage, a Navy destroyer, is used to defend the ship in close combat. Navy officials said a crew member was cleaning the weapon when it accidentally discharged. The incident happened as the ship was in port after returning from an international exercise in the Baltic Sea. It was preparing to leave later that day, the Navy said. Polish military police boarded the ship to investigate, and Navy officials said the crew of the Ramage fully cooperated. No U.S. sailors were taken into custody by Polish authorities, Navy officials said. There was no immediate word of a U.S. Navy investigation into the incident.

Crew member cleaning a machine gun that fires into city of Gdynia . No injuries or damage reported, officials say . Gun is used to defend ship, USS Ramage, in close combat .

Washington (CNN) -- A federal advisory board's recommendation that women in their 40s should avoid routine mammograms is not government policy and has caused "a great deal of confusion," Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said Wednesday. "My message to women is simple. Mammograms have always been an important life-saving tool in the fight against breast cancer, and they still are today," Sebelius said in a statement. "Keep doing what you have been doing for years: talk to your doctor about your individual history, ask questions and make the decision that is right for you." With her statement, Sebelius waded into the controversy over Monday's announcement by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force that women in their 40s should not get routine mammograms for early detection of breast cancer. Sebelius' statement is aimed at "making it clear these recommendations are not ours," a White House source said. The report "shouldn't be dismissed," Sebelius said on CNN's "The Situation Room." But she added, "There are other groups who have disagreed with this information." The task force is "making recommendations, not coverage decisions, not payment decisions." Government health programs such as Medicaid will continue to cover routine mammograms, she said. "We will continue to recommend it, and the health plans have indicated that they will do the same," Sebelius said. "If the health care provider recommends a mammogram for a patient, they intend to cover that payment." Though the Preventive Services Task Force is independent, the Department of Health and Human Services' Web site calls the panel's recommendations the "gold standard," and insurance companies look to the panel for guidance on which preventive care practices they should cover. With the Obama administration fighting to push a sweeping overhaul of U.S. health insurance through Congress, Republicans quickly jumped at the chance to attack the mammography report. "This is how rationing begins," said Rep. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tennessee. "This is the little toe in the edge of the water. And this is where you start getting a bureaucrat between you and your physician." The White House disputes that, saying the recommendations "cannot be used to deny treatment" on their own. Sebelius said the task force won't make coverage decisions. "Mammograms have been a huge step forward for millions of American women, but we still have about 21 million women and girls in America who don't have a doctor, who don't receive any kind of mammogram screening on any kind of basis regardless of their age," she said. "The health reform debate is about closing that gap." Criticism of the recommendation has come from quarters other than opponents of the Democratic health care bills. The American Cancer Society said it disagrees with the findings of the task force and continues to recommend annual screening, including mammograms, for all women beginning 40 and over. "With its new recommendations, the [task force] is essentially telling women that mammography at age 40 to 49 saves lives, just not enough of them," said Dr. Otis Brawley, the group's chief medical officer. And Rep. Debbie Wasserman-Schultz, D-Florida, who was diagnosed with early stage breast cancer at 41, called the panel's recommendations "really disturbing" and "absolutely irresponsible." "It's a very patronizing attitude that these scientists have taken," she said. "It's pretty outrageous to suggest that women couldn't handle more information." Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., chairman of the House Energy and Commerce's Subcommittee on Health, has announced that he will lead hearings into the advisory board's recommendations. Wasserman-Schultz said those hearings "will help us reach the appropriate policy conclusion, which I believe is that these recommendations should be set aside." Breast cancer is the most common cancer for U.S. women, with nearly 200,000 women expected to be diagnosed with the invasive form of the disease this year, according to the American Cancer Society. For women 50 to

Secretary Kathleen Sebelius says findings aren't part of government policy . GOP criticizes health care "rationing"; White House disputes claim . Advisory board has said women in 40s shouldn't get routine mammograms . Health secretary: Government will continue to recommend mammograms .

Washington (CNN) -- A federal appeals court has certified the largest class-action employment lawsuit in U.S. history, in a long-standing dispute against retailer Wal-Mart Stores Inc. over alleged gender bias in pay and promotions. The divided 6-5 ruling by the San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Monday allows the combined multiparty litigation to move ahead to trial, where a decision against the company could result in billions in damages. The Arkansas-based chain of stores has the option of appealing Monday's ruling to the U.S. Supreme Court for review. At issue is whether more than a million current and former Wal-Mart employees can band together in their claims of discrimination, which they say has occurred over the past decade, at least. The plaintiffs allege that women were paid less than, and were given fewer opportunities for promotion than, their male counterparts. They seek back pay and punitive damages against the world's largest retailer. The lawsuit alleges that the company's "strong, centralized structure fosters or facilitates gender stereotyping and discrimination." The workers bringing suit also say women make up more than 70 percent of Wal-Mart's hourly work force but in the past decade made up less than one-third of its store management. The suit was first filed by Betty Dukes, a store greeter in Pittsburg, California, along with five of her co-workers in 2001. "It has taken a very long time, and a tremendous amount of work, but it looks like we're finally going to get our day in court," Dukes said after the ruling was announced. "That's all we've ever asked for." "We disagree with the decision of the sharply divided 6-5 court to uphold portions of the certification order, and are considering our options, including seeking review from the Supreme Court," Wal-Mart said in a statement. "We do not believe the claims alleged by the six individuals who brought this suit are representative of the experiences of our female associates. Walmart is an excellent place for women to work and fosters female leadership among our associates and in the larger business world." The federal appeals court concluded that there was enough merit in the claims to proceed to trial on a class-action track. Since the lawsuit was filed, both sides of the dispute have held so-called discovery hearings, in which preliminary testimony was taken to establish facts. Judge Susan Graber of the appeals court said that although "the size of this class action is large, mere size does not render a case unmanageable." The company has protested the size of the class action, which it called "historic" in scope, saying it would be too onerous to litigate. The company has more than 3,400 stores in 41 regions. Declaring class-action status for the lawsuit raises the financial and judicial stakes considerably, since more individual plaintiffs can now join, and creates greater potential liability for the company being sued. In federal courts, such certification must generally follow well-established principles to ensure that it does not become so large as to be impracticable and allows the parties to fairly represent the common interests of the larger class of plaintiffs. "Wal-Mart tries to project an improved image as a good corporate citizen," said Brad Seligman, a Berkeley, California, lawyer representing the female workers. "But no amount of [public relations] is going to work until it addresses the claims of its female employees." Wal-Mart has been accused in separate lawsuits of discrimination against African-American truck drivers and workers with disabilities. In 2001, the company settled 13 lawsuits by paying out $6 million. Beyond this particular suit, most workplace discrimination lawsuits fail to reach a court for resolution, according to data compiled by the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. In 2003, when the Wal-Mart litigation was in its preliminary court stages, about 27,000 sex discrimination claims nationwide were resolved administratively by the EEOC, little changed from the prior decade. More than 57 percent -- 15,000 claims

NEW: "Walmart is an excellent place for women to work," company says . Lawsuits say company paid women less and promoted them less . Hundreds of thousands of current, former works can band together in lawsuit . A decision against world's largest retailer could cost billions .

Washington (CNN) -- A federal appeals court on Monday affirmed the conviction and life sentence for convicted terrorist and 9/11 co-conspirator Zacarias Moussaoui. Moussaoui had agreed to plead guilty in 2005 to six criminal conspiracy charges arising from the al Qaeda terror plot to use commercial aircraft to strike key U.S. targets on September 11, 2001, in the worst domestic terror attack in American history. A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit concluded Moussaoui's trial was fair, despite the defendant representing himself against the advice of the trial judge and his own lawyers. The judges said a life sentence imposed by the jury was appropriate. "Moussaoui, having pled guilty, has waived all nonjurisdictional errors leading up to his conviction except those affecting the adequacy of his pleas," the panel said. Moussaoui has been held by the government since August 2001, and was the first person charged in the United States in connection with the 9/11 attacks. He was indicted in December 2001, accused of being part of a broader terror conspiracy in the months leading up to 9/11. Several other accused top al Qaeda officials -- including alleged 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed -- are awaiting transfer into federal custody and future prosecution in civilian courts, the same as Moussaoui. Government sources have told CNN that three top al Qaeda detainees have told their interrogators that Moussaoui was not meant for the 9/11 plot, but for a future terror operation. Moussaoui had said as much in open court, admitting allegiance to al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, but denying he was to have been part of the 9/11 hijacking of planes. Prosecutors had questioned the validity of some of his claims. The 41-year-old faced the death penalty, but was instead given life in prison, and serves his sentence at the so-called "Supermax" correctional facility in Colorado. His trial was delayed for many months over whether the French citizen of Moroccan descent had the right to introduce testimony from the three top al Qaeda leaders who he said may have evidence that could clear him. The court agreed but said no direct access was allowed, only written summaries of the interrogations. That evidence was the key basis of Moussaoui's current appeal. "We find it significant that Moussaoui never sought to rescind the admissions he had just made" at his March 2005 guilty plea, wrote the judges, "nor to withdraw his guilty plea during the nearly three-year long period that elapsed between his [initial] appeal and the conclusion of the sentencing proceeding." Moussaoui tried to use bin Laden's own words to help his case. The Saudi leader -- reportedly in hiding in Pakistan or Afghanistan -- said in an audio message, "I was responsible for entrusting the 19 brothers -- Allah have mercy upon them --- with those raids ... and I did not assign brother Zacarias to be with them on that mission." Those 19 Muslim men were the al-Qaeda members aboard the planes that crashed one 9/11. At the same time, the defendant also claimed he was supposed to fly a fifth plane into the White House, and that Richard Reid, the so-called "shoe bomber" was supposed to be on his hijacking team. Only four planes were involved in the 9/11 attacks. But after his May 2006 sentencing, Moussaoui claimed he lied on the stand. His erratic behavior at trial, including his frequent outbursts and threats and his insistence of representing himself for a time, led to calls for a mistrial by his legal team. In his last public appearance at his sentencing, Moussaoui waved the "V" victory sign, and attacked the United States. "We will come back another day," Moussaoui told the court. "As long as you don't hear, America, you will feel. ... God curse America. God bless Osama bin Laden. You will never get him." Moussaoui now has the option of asking the full appeals court to hear his case or of going directly to the Supreme Court. The justices had earlier refused to stop his trial from going ahead. The case is Moussaoui v. U.S. (

Convicted terrorist and 9/11 co-conspirator remains in maximum security prison . He was first person charged in the U.S. in connection with 9/11 attacks . In appeal, he said he should have been allowed to give evidence from al Qaeda leaders .

Washington (CNN) -- A former U.S. government scientist who served in sensitive positions on classified aerospace projects pleaded not guilty to attempted espionage Thursday. He will be held without bond pending a jury trial. Stewart David Nozette, 52, appeared in U.S. District Court wearing a prison uniform with bold, horizontal black and white stripes. He smiled as his defense attorney greeted him, and he seemed relaxed during the proceeding. In arguing against bond, prosecutors played what they call an undercover videotape of a conversation just 10 days ago between Nozette and an agent. Nozette, sitting back in a chair or sofa at what appears to be a hotel room, is heard negotiating for a false passport and a means to get to a country with no extradition policy with the United States. "I like the idea of an invisible identity," Nozette was heard saying in the recording. "Can you actually get me that, that artificial name and stuff?" He discussed gift cards under an alias, and a "kitty" that he could use for expenses. Prosecutors Thursday initially said they would present a witness to authenticate the videotape. But the judge accepted the government's claim and a transcript and allowed the eight-minute recording to be played. Authorities have said in a criminal complaint that Nozette, of Chevy Chase, Maryland, tried to deliver classified information to someone he thought was an Israeli intelligence official but who was actually an FBI undercover agent. Nozette, responding on the videotape to the agent's suggestion that arrangements would involve "a lot of work," told the agent, "This isn't just, you know, a few documents. ... I'm making a career choice." The camera in the undercover video is positioned over that agent's right shoulder, looking directly at Nozette. When the agent asked whether the negotiations were only for himself, Nozette said yes, and suggested his wife would not accompany him. "She would ask too many questions," Nozette said. The wife, Wendy McColough, was not seen in the courtroom Thursday, but had been in the spectator gallery October 20 when her husband made his initial appearance. A transcript of the undercover video came out just hours before Thursday's proceeding. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Asuncion has said evidence will show Nozette disclosed to investigators information that was "top secret, related to our national defense, that would cause exceptionally grave damage to national security" if revealed to a foreign country. In an affidavit, the FBI sets out the case against Nozette, who received a doctorate in planetary sciences from Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Nozette had a "top secret" clearance and served at the White House on the National Space Council for President George H.W. Bush, the affidavit says. Later, from early 2000 to early 2006, he did research and development for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, the Naval Research Laboratory, and NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, it says. The document says Nozette also acted as a technical consultant from 1998 until early 2008 "for an aerospace company that was wholly owned by the government of the state of Israel." The company consulted with Nozette monthly, getting answers to questions, and he received total payments of $225,000, the affidavit says. In early September, Nozette was contacted by phone by an individual purporting to be an Israeli intelligence officer, but who really was an FBI undercover agent, the document says. They met in downtown Washington in front of a hotel, and over lunch, Nozette "demonstrated his willingness to work for Israeli intelligence," it says. The undercover agent engaged in a series of meetings with Nozette, and eventually Nozette allegedly deposited "secret" information in a "dead drop" post office box. Some of the information, the affidavit says, was classified as secret. The criminal complaint does not accuse the government of Israel of any violations of U.S. law. Nozette next has a status hearing November 10 at U.S. District Court, before Judge James Robertson.

Stewart David Nozette appeared Thursday in U.S. District Court . Judge denied bond after seeing undercover video of Nozette and agent . Nozette may have planned to leave wife behind if he fled the U.S. Nozette willing "to work for Israeli intelligence," complaint states .

Washington (CNN) -- A hearing continues Thursday to determine the future of John Hinckley Jr., who shot President Ronald Reagan and three others in March 1981. After an expected week and half of testimony, a federal judge will consider whether Hinckley should eventually be released from a mental hospital, where he has been a patient since his 1982 trial. The trial ended in a jury verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity. On Wednesday, Hinckley's lawyers said he is not dangerous and should eventually be released. But prosecutors are fighting that, saying Hinckley has been deceptive about his activities while on visits to his mother in Williamsburg, Virginia. In opening statements, prosecutor Sarah Chasson said Secret Service agents will testify they performed surveillance on Hinckley without his knowledge earlier this year when he was allowed what he was told was unsupervised free time in Williamsburg. On several occasions in July and September, Hinckley was supposed to go to the movies or shopping but instead went to bookstores where he looked at books about Ronald Reagan and presidential assassins, Chasson said. A requirement of Hinckley's current visitation program is that plans be laid out detailing what he will do when on his own and that medical staff and the Secret Service are informed. According to Chasson, in the first instance in July, Hinckley was supposed to go to the movie "Captain America." Later when he saw his "treatment team," Hinckley not only maintained he had gone to the movie, but he enthusiastically recommended it. Chasson also quoted from a 1987 diary entry by Hinckley in which he said "psychiatry is a guessing game" and doctors "will never know the true John Hinckley." "The hospital doesn't know what Mr. Hinckley is thinking, and he wants it that way," the prosecutor said. Hinckley's attorney, Barry Levine, said the issue is not whether Hinckley has sometimes been deceptive but whether he is dangerous. "This man is not dangerous and the evidence shows he is not dangerous," Levine said. He added that Hinckley is "flawed" but is "fundamentally decent." Levine said that in the two and a half decades that Hinckley has been at St. Elizabeths Hospital in Washington to undergo treatment and during his visits outside that facility, there has "not been a single act of violence." Since 1999, Levine said, Hinckley has been taking a drug called Risperdal. Medical websites describe Risperdal as an antipsychotic medication often used to treat bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. Dr. Tyler Jones, director of psychiatry at St. Elizabeths, testified Hinckley also started taking Zoloft in 2005 after complaining about anxiety. Jones said Hinckley had been diagnosed years ago as suffering from depression and from an unspecified psychotic disorder. But Jones said he's been in remission for both of those disorders for many years. He said Hinckley also suffers from narcissism, which has improved but is still present. Jones said he has interviewed Hinckley but has not treated him. According to Jones, Hinckley's treatment team was informed by the Secret Service that Hinckley had not told the truth about his activities during several visits. Jones said the medical staff discussed this issue with Hinckley, who initially did not appear to view the issue as a big deal, but later understood it was a serious issue. Although concerned Hinckley was not truthful about his activities, Jones said, "We didn't feel this constituted an increased risk." The staff decided to reduce Hinckley's Christmas visit to his mother from 10 days to five days, and he will not be allowed to have any unaccompanied activities during that December stay. Jones said the staff had considered stronger action including the possibility of revoking Hinckley's privileges altogether. A September filing by prosecutors said Hinckley "continues to be deceptive regarding his relationships with and interest in women." According to the document, in June of 2009 he went on the Internet to find photos of his female dentist. "When he was caught, Hinckley claimed, falsely, that the dentist had invited him to view her personal photographs." Asked about the photographs of the dentist, Jones said the photographs

Defense attorneys want John Hinckley to be transitioned out of a mental hospital . "The hospital doesn't know what Mr. Hinckley is thinking," the prosecutor says . The hearing may determine whether to eventually free him from a mental hospital . After John Hinckley shot Reagan, he was found not guilty by reason of insanity .

Washington (CNN) -- A key congressional committee opened its investigation Thursday into the November 5 Fort Hood shootings with a pledge to find out if authorities failed to "connect the dots" and could have prevented the attack. The head of the committee promised the inquiry would not interfere with a separate investigation into the shootings being conducted by Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Attorney General Eric Holder. "Their investigation looks backward and is punitive. Ours looks forward and is preventive," said Senate Homeland Security Committee Chairman Joe Lieberman, I-Connecticut, Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, a U.S. Army psychiatrist, is accused of opening fire at a military processing center at Fort Hood Army Post, killing 13 people. Dozens of others were wounded. Hasan was shot and paralyzed during the attack and remains in a military hospital. Lieberman said the committee will carry out its investigation "with respect for the thousands of Muslim-Americans who are serving in the American military with honor and the millions of other patriotic, law-abiding Muslims who live in our country." But, he added, "we do no favor to all our fellow Americans who are Muslim by ignoring real evidence that a small number of their community have, in fact, become violent Islamists and extremists." Lieberman said the committee's investigation will focus on whether concerns raised by Hasan's colleagues about his "mental stability and political extremism" were dealt with appropriately by senior Army officials. Among other things, a memo reportedly written two years ago by Hasan's supervisor at Walter Reed Army Medical Center says Hasan demonstrated "a pattern of poor judgment and a lack of professionalism" during his residency at the hospital. CNN could not corroborate the authenticity of the memo, which was obtained by National Public Radio. Lieberman also said the committee will examine a lack of response by federal authorities after uncovering an exchange of e-mails between Hasan and a radical cleric accused of having ties to al Qaeda. The FBI has said it was aware of communication between Hasan and Anwar al-Awlaki, a Yemeni-American cleric who has promoted jihad against the United States and other Western countries. But investigators determined that those contacts were "consistent with research being conducted by Maj. Hasan." Also, Lieberman noted, the committee will look into whether information on Hasan gathered by a joint terrorism task force was shared with officials in the Army, the Defense Department or elsewhere. Maine Sen. Susan Collins, the ranking Republican on the committee, said Hasan's case "raises questions about whether or not restrictive rules have a chilling effect on the legitimate dissemination of information, making it too difficult to connect the dots that would have allowed a clear picture of the threat to emerge." But a law enforcement official familiar with the investigation told CNN that when Hasan first came to the attention of investigators because of his communications with al-Awlaki, officials looked at his military personnel file and nothing was found that raised suspicion. None of the items that have been reported since the shootings -- including the reported memo from his Walter Reed supervisor or a Power Point presentation arguing that Muslims in the Army should be given conscientious objector status -- were part of the file, the official said, but it was noted that Hasan had done research about Muslims in the military. Thursday's hearing included testimony from former Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. John Keane, Rand Corp. consultant Brian Jenkins and New York City Police Department intelligence analyst Mitchell Silber. "At a glance, Maj. Hasan's rampage at Fort Hood looks a lot like what used to be called 'going postal,' " Jenkins said. It was "a deepening sense of personal grievance culminating in a homicidal rampage directed against co-workers -- in this case, fellow soldiers. "For Hasan, 'going jihad' reflects the channeling of obvious personality problems into a deadly fanaticism," he said. The committee launched its investigation only hours before Gates announced a 45-day review of Pentagon policies to see if the Defense Department has fallen short in identifying service members "who could potentially pose credible threats to others

Incident has "broader implications for society," Sen. Joe Lieberman says . Congressional committee opens inquiry into massacre at Fort Hood, Texas . Lieberman: Feds' lack of response after uncovering e-mails will be examined . Also to be investigated is whether task force information about suspect was shared .

Washington (CNN) -- A killer who sent a prosecutor a taunting letter about killing a 16-year-old girl died in Virginia's electric chair Thursday night, the Richmond Times Dispatch reported. Paul Warner Powell was pronounced dead at 9:09 p.m. ET, the newspaper reported. Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell had denied clemency and the U.S. Supreme Court in January refused to block the execution. Powell was convicted in the 1999 murder of Stacie Reed and the rape of her 14-year-old sister in their Manassas, Virginia, family home. Powell claimed double jeopardy after state prosecutors put him on trial for a second time in the killing. The high court in July delayed Powell's execution while considering the broader constitutional claims, which were finally rejected. The killer rejected lethal injection, the state's usual method of execution. "I'm hopeful this is the last legal chapter in the long history of this case," said Powell's prosecutor, Prince William County Commonwealth's Attorney Paul Ebert. "The survivors -- Stacie's mother and [her sister] -- have really been traumatized by delay after delay. Hopefully they're going to get some peace and closure after all these years." CNN does not identify sexual assault victims without their permission, even though the surviving victim, now 25, has talked publicly about the case. The crime shocked the Washington area. Stacie Reed knew Powell, then 20 and an admitted racist. The state's highest court eventually threw out the 2000 verdict in the first trial, saying prosecutors had not proven other necessary death-eligible offenses were committed against the 16-year-old. Such "aggravating" factors could include, rape, attempted rape or robbery in commission of the murder. The sexual assault and attempted murder of Stacie's younger sister was upheld, and Powell was given a long prison sentence. Powell, believing he was free from execution, proceeded to write a taunting, profanity-filled letter from behind bars to Ebert, laying out explicit details of the crime unknown to investigators at the time. "Since I have already been indicted on first degree murder and the Va. Supreme Court said that I can't be charged with capital murder again, I figured I would tell you the rest of what happened on Jan. 29, 1999, to show you how stupid all of y'all ... are," wrote Powell, who is white. He said he had gone to the Reed house to confront Stacie for dating a black boyfriend. He admitted pinning the victim, threatening to rape her, then stabbing her in the heart when the girl resisted. He then stomped on her throat. "I guess I forgot to mention these events when I was being questioned. Ha Ha!" he wrote in 2001. "Do you just hate yourself for being so stupid ... and saving me?" The killer also said that after that crime, he waited in the house until the younger girl returned from school, then attacked her, leaving her for dead. In the meantime, he drank iced tea from the family refrigerator and smoked a cigarette, part of the forensic evidence that investigators used to place Powell at the scene of the crime. With this firsthand account from Powell, he was indicted again and charged with murder and attempted rape of Stacie -- a capital-eligible crime. He again was convicted, and federal and state courts subsequently upheld the conviction on appeal. The Supreme Court appeal is Powell v. Kelly (09-21).

Paul Warner Powell was convicted of murdering Stacie Reed and raping her sister . Afterward, he wrote a taunting letter to the prosecutor giving new details of the crime . In a second trial, his admission of attempted rape of Stacie got him the death penalty . The U.S. Supreme Court in January refused to block the execution .

Washington (CNN) -- A lesbian couple together for more than a decade smiled through tears Tuesday as they became the first same-sex couple to marry in the District of Columbia, on the first day such unions are legal in the nation's capital. Sinjoyla Townsend and Angelisa Young said they had waited years to marry. They were first in line last week to apply for a marriage license at Washington's marriage bureau. "You are my friend, my partner, my love," Young, 47, told Townsend, 41. "I will love you today, tomorrow and forever." After the wedding, those present cheered as the two women embraced and cried. They have been together for 12 years and have children, according to biographical information released by the Human Rights Campaign and D.C. Clergy United for Marriage Equality. The new law survived a Supreme Court challenge. The measure went into effect last week, but couples had to hold off until Tuesday because of the district's three-day waiting period. "We're very excited," Townsend said last week. She and Young were among 100 couples applying for licenses. Share your thoughts on same-sex marriage The district joins Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont in allowing same-sex couples to marry. Mayor Adrian Fenty signed the Washington measure into law in December after the city council overwhelming passed it. It then went through a review period, during which Congress had an opportunity to intervene. The Supreme Court last week rejected a request from a group of Washington residents to keep the law from going into effect. Local courts had previously turned down lawsuits to block it. Opponents of the law say city residents should have had a chance to vote on the issue before the city council passed it. They hope to force a ballot initiative to overturn the law. Also among the first couples to marry Tuesday were Reggie Stanley and Rocky Galloway, both 50. The couple have two daughters, Malena and Zoe Stanley-Galloway, each 15 months old, according to the biographical information released by the equality groups. Also married on Tuesday were the Rev. Elder Darlene Garner, 61, and the Rev. Lorilyn Candy Holmes, 53, of Laurel, Maryland. Both of them serve in leadership roles in the Metropolitan Community Church. The women are mothers, grandmothers and great-grandmothers, according to the groups. During Garner and Holmes' ceremony, a representative from their families read a statement blessing the marriage.

Tuesday is first day same-sex couples in Washington, D.C., can legally marry . Supreme Court last week rejected bid by residents that would have blocked law . Mayor Adrian Fenty signed measure into law in December, after council passed it .

Washington (CNN) -- A narrowly passed committee measure that recommends the United States recognize the 1915 killings of ethnic Armenians in Ottoman Turkey as genocide will likely not get a full vote in the House of Representatives, according to a senior State Department official. The official said Friday that the State Department has an understanding with House leadership on the issue, and, "We believe it will stop where it is." The measure passed 23-22 in the House Foreign Affairs Committee on Thursday. In response, Turkey ordered its ambassador to the United States home for "consultation," Foreign Ministry spokesman Burak Ozugergin told CNN. The nearly century-old issue has placed both Congress and the White House in the middle of a political minefield, balancing moral considerations with both domestic and international concerns. The Obama administration had urged the House Foreign Affairs Committee not to pass the resolution, warning it could damage U.S.-Turkish relations and jeopardize efforts to normalize relations between Turkey and its neighbor Armenia. The two do not share formal diplomatic relations. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told reporters Friday that "the Obama administration strongly opposes the resolution that was passed by only one vote in the House committee, and we'll work very hard to make sure it does not go to the House floor." State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley told reporters ahead of the vote that the United States was concerned about the impact the vote could potentially have on U.S.-Turkish relations. Turkey, among other things, is considered a strong American ally and is home to a critical U.S. air base. Armenia's foreign minister, Edward Nalbandian, said his country highly appreciates the committee's vote. "This is another proof of the devotion of the American people to universal human values and is an important step toward the prevention of the crimes against humanity," he said. The Armenian National Committee of America said the passage of the measure shows that "Turkey doesn't get a vote or a veto in the U.S. Congress." Turkish officials vehemently oppose the measure. "Turkey is saddened by the bill that has been accepted in the Foreign Affairs Committee today [Thursday]," Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's Web site said. "We condemn this bill that accuses the Turkish nation of a crime it has not committed. The people who support this bill have adopted a wrong and unfair attitude, ignoring the differences of opinion of expert historians and historical facts. The bill has been prepared with tangible historical mistakes regarding the 1915 incidents and with a completely subjective attitude," the statement said. A Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman recently issued a public warning that passage of a resolution labeling the World War I killings as genocide "would harm U.S.-Turkish relations." Turkish officials have also warned that passing the resolution could hurt a historic agreement aimed at normalizing relations between Turkey and Armenia, and efforts to reopen their long-closed border. "It would harm the normalization process," spokesman Ozugergin said. "And it is wrong. The substance is also wrong." Turkey officially denies a genocide took place in the last days of the crumbling Ottoman Empire. Ankara instead says that Muslim Turks and Christian Armenians massacred each other on the killing fields of World War I. Historians have extensively documented the Ottoman military's forced death-march of hundreds of thousands of ethnic Armenians into the Syrian desert in 1915. Every April 24, Armenians worldwide observe a remembrance day for those killed. The killings decimated the Armenian population in what is modern-day eastern Turkey. The government in the Armenian capital of Yerevan and influential Armenian diaspora groups have been urging countries around the world to formally label the events of 1915 "genocide." "I don't pretend to be a professional historian," Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Howard Berman, D-California, said ahead of Thursday's vote. "But the vast majority of experts ... agree that the tragic massacres of the Armenians constitute genocide." Rep. Gary Ackerman, D-New York, acknowledged that Turkey is an "important, strong [and] necessary ally of the United States." But "overriding all of

Measure: U.S. should recognize 1915 killings of Armenians in Turkey as genocide . House committee passed the measure by one vote on Friday . Move has strained relations with crucial ally, but is hailed by officials in Armenia . "We believe it will stop where it is," senior State Dept. official says of measure .

Washington (CNN) -- A new classified directive to coalition forces in Afghanistan puts restrictions on nighttime raids of Afghan homes and compounds, according to a senior U.S. official who has seen the document. The official declined to be identified because a declassified version of the document has not been made public. The directive is signed by Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the top NATO commander in Afghanistan, the official said. The directive comes as the coalition seeks to reduce tension between its military forces and Afghan civilians in an effort to maintain Afghan public support. Nighttime raids in which troops enter private homes have sparked problems for U.S. and NATO forces. The raids are viewed as overly invasive -- a violation of the privacy of the home in Afghan culture -- and they can turn violent. The document orders forces to use Afghan troops at night "whenever possible" to knock on doors of residences and compounds, and to use them if forcible action is required for entry, the official said. But the directive also orders troops to "conduct an analysis" of whether it is militarily essential to conduct a raid at night or whether it can be put off until daylight, the official said. If troops can keep a target under surveillance but wait for daylight, they then can enlist the aid of village elders, perhaps, in determining if a home or compound poses a threat, the official said. The official emphasized that troops always have the right to defend themselves and are given leeway to use their best judgment on the battlefield. McChrystal also is updating another directive, first issued last year, on conducting operations to minimize civilian casualties, the official said. The updated version, which is yet to be published, will include "more clarity" for troops on how to operate in "escalation of force" incidents, such as when a vehicle approaches a checkpoint in a potentially threatening manner and troops must decide whether, and when, to fire at it. The official declined to offer further details but said the aim is to make sure even the most junior troops have full understanding of rules and procedures. Some troops and local commanders have expressed concerns that recent rules can inhibit their ability to take action under fire. These directives come as the coalition has been involved in several recent incidents in which civilians were inadvertently killed, and as the coalition conducts major operations in southern Afghanistan. McChrystal released a video message to the Afghan populace apologizing for an incident this week in which 27 Afghan civilians were killed. "I have made it clear to our forces that we are here to protect the Afghan people. I pledge to strengthen our efforts to regain your trust to build a brighter future for all Afghans," he said in the message. The official said the documents may be made public in the coming weeks, after current operations ease.

U.S. official: Directive pertains to coalition forces' raids on Afghan homes, compounds . Coalition trying to lower tension between military and civilians, keep Afghan public support . Raids seen as violation of privacy of Afghan homes, and they can turn violent . New rules are said to call for use of Afghan troops, analysis of whether night raid is essential .

Washington (CNN) -- A new report, due Thursday, raises questions about the Transportation Security Administration's ability to keep airports safe from terrorists. The report by the Government Accountability Office casts doubts on TSA's ability to adequately perform its security mission, said U.S. Rep. John Mica of Florida. Mica specifically wanted the GAO to determine how effective the TSA's behavior detection program, or SPOT (Screening Passengers by Observation Techniques), has been in deterring potential acts of terrorism. Mica will unveil the results of the report at a press conference, he said. As chairman of the subcommittee on aviation after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, Mica was instrumental in establishing the TSA. Now, he says he is a critic of its ballooning bureaucracy.

GAO report examines Transportation Security Administration's work . Report specifically targets TSA's behavior detection program . Report requested by congressman who helped create agency .

Washington (CNN) -- A representative at the Virginia mosque of five Americans arrested in Pakistan said it plans to conduct an inquiry into the circumstances that led to the arrests. The men were arrested by Pakistani police this week amid suspicion that they were plotting terrorist attacks and planned to go to Afghanistan, a development that shocked members of the ICNA Center, the mosque the five attended. At a news conference Friday, friends of the five and members of the mosque expressed their surprise over the arrests, defending the activities at the mosque as positive and describing the five as "wholesome, regular kids." Attorney Ashraf Nubani said he believes the incident is isolated, but said the mosque is conducting an inquiry into the matter. While members of the mosque didn't comment on the reports and charges emerging from Pakistan, they described a tight-knit, patriotic congregation that focused on community service. They were grateful for the actions of law enforcement and expressed profound empathy for the families of the people held. A Pakistani police interrogation report, dated Thursday, shined more light on the Wednesday arrests of the five Americans at a home in Sargodha, a town about 120 miles south of Islamabad. The men will be transferred to Lahore, Pakistan, for security reasons, Interior Minister Rehman Malik said Friday. A sixth man -- the father of one of the five -- was arrested afterward, police said. Read the interrogation report (PDF) The report carries profile detail about the men and shows pictures of Internet sites, laptops, mobile phones, an iPod, and an external hard drive seized by police. "They had deep interest in the religion and they were of the opinion that a jihad must be waged against the infidels for the atrocities committed by them against Muslims around the world," said the report, which refers to the five as college students. The report focused on one of the suspects -- identified as Ahmed Abdullah Minni, a 20-year-old American born in Virginia. It said he regularly goes online to watch attacks on the U.S. military in Afghanistan and that he left comments praising the actions. That caught the attention of militants, and he was eventually contacted by a person named Saifullah, the report said. After contact had been made, a Yahoo! e-mail account was set up so the men and militants could communicate, the report said. E-mails were never sent from the account, but people would leave messages in the draft sections of the e-mail account and delete them after reading them, the Pakistani police report said. "This mode of communication enabled them to pass on messages without fear of interception by the FBI," it said. The report said the suspects made a plan with Saifullah to go from Pakistan to Afghanistan. They gathered in Karachi and left for Hyderabad on December 1. They tried to hook up with two militant groups -- Jaish-e-Mohammed and the Jamaat-ud-Dawa -- but neither group showed interest. "They went to the madrassa [a Muslim school] of Jaish-e-Mohammad where they informed them about their desire for jihad. However, the management of the madrassa refused to keep them, and advised them to go to Jamat-ud-Dawa Lahore. Interestingly, the Jamat also refused to keep them as they could not provide a surety. Thus, they came along with their friend Umar Farooq to Sargodha," the report said. The FBI said Pakistan authorities detained the men -- four of whom it said were found to have American passports -- on Wednesday, "after they came to the attention of police." An FBI statement did not give further details and did not identify the men. Officials said the six men include three Pakistani-Americans, an Ethiopian-American, an Egyptian-American and an Eritrean-American. Along with Minni, there were snapshots and brief profiles of only four others -- Umar Farooq, Aman Hassan Yemer, Waqar Hussain Khan, and Ramy Zamzam -- all from the Washington area. The sixth man was Khalid Farouk, father of Umar, the report said

Members of the mosque describe five students as "wholesome, regular kids." Americans arrested in Pakistan planned to go to Afghanistan, interrogation report says . Pakistani officials: 5 arrested Wednesday, sixth man -- father of one of the 5 -- arrested later . Pakistani police say men were planning terrorist acts, official says .

Washington (CNN) -- A trio of congressional Republicans passionately appealed to the Pentagon on Thursday to drop charges against three Navy SEALs accused of assaulting an Iraqi suspected of orchestrating the 2004 killing and mutilation of four U.S. contractors. Flanked by about a dozen retired Navy SEALs at a news conference near the Capitol, Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, R-California; Rep. Dan Burton, R-Indiana; and Rep. Louie Gohmert, R-Texas, insisted that the U.S. is sending the wrong message to its troops. "These Navy SEALs were apprehending a terrorist murderer, and they are being accused of roughing him up? Give me a break! These men should be given medals, not prosecuted. These men are heroes," Rohrabacher said. Burton agreed, saying, "These people are laying their lives on the line every day, and they can't go into a combat situation with kid gloves on." The congressmen said they plan to present to Pentagon officials petitions signed by thousands of people supporting the SEALs. The Iraqi suspect, Ahmed Hashim Abed, complained to investigators he was punched during his detention. One of the three SEALs, Petty Officer 2nd Class Matthew McCabe, 24, accused of assault, stood next to his attorney at the event Thursday. McCabe did not speak. Gohmert said those who bring harm to Americans should not get the same judicial treatment as U.S. citizens. "They get all their constitutional rights. Well, we've got heroes around who deserve the constitutional rights of an even better caliber. And yes, there are different levels of constitutional rights," he said. In January, a military judge ruled that the trials of the two other SEALs should be held on a base in Iraq. Petty Officer 2nd Class Jonathan Keefe, 25, and Petty Officer 1st Class Julio Huertas, 28, are charged with dereliction of duty and impeding an official investigation surrounding the Iraqi's detention last September. Their trials are set to begin next month. The case against the Navy SEALs has sparked outrage that the sailors are being tried at all for handling a suspect in the contractors' murders, one of the most notorious incidents in the Iraq war. The killings got widespread news coverage when the burned bodies of two of the contractors were paraded through the streets of Falluja and hanged from a bridge as their captors cheered. "In this case, we've turned logic upside down on its head," said Rohrabacher. "Our government is taking the word of a terrorist and attacking our defenders."

Three Navy SEALs accused of assaulting an Iraqi . Iraqi suspected of orchestrating '04 killing, mutilation of four U.S. contractors . Rep. Dana Rohrabacher: "These men should be given medals, not prosecuted" Congressmen say they have petitions signed by thousands supporting SEALs .

Washington (CNN) -- A year and a half after deploying National Guard troops to counter illegal immigration on the Southwest border, the Department of Homeland Security and Pentagon told Congress Tuesday they are cutting the number of troops and changing their mission. The drawdown, which the department characterized as a "transition," will begin in January and should be completed by March. Several lawmakers told CNN the number of National Guard troops on the border will be cut from 1,200 with responsibilities mainly on the ground to 300 who will support the border mission in the air. The Department of Homeland Security said the change is possible because of a jump in the number of Border Patrol officers in the region, an increase in technology and a drop in apprehensions at the border. But several lawmakers criticized the move, saying conditions on the Southwest border merit more troops, not fewer. A deployment of 1,200 troops was "not enough to begin with, although they are doing as good a job as they can," Rep. Ted Poe, R-Texas, told CNN. Poe said the United States has "operational control" of only 44 percent of the Southwestern border. "That's not success," Poe said. Rep. Lamar Smith, R-Texas, agreed. "If the Obama administration's goal is border security, their actions undermine their objective," he said in a written statement. "We should keep guardsmen on the ground until the Border Patrol can gain operational control of the majority of the U.S.-Mexico border." But Rep. Silvestre Reyes, D-Texas, supported the drawdown. "While I appreciate the service of our National Guard forces, requiring them to engage in border law enforcement activity is not cost effective," he said in a statement. The Homeland Security Department said that in the fiscal year ending October 1, Border Patrol apprehensions of illegal immigrants -- a key indicator of the amount of illegal immigration -- decreased to 340,252, down 53 percent since fiscal year 2008. Since 2004, the size of the Border Patrol has doubled to 21,444. In a news release announcing the change, the Department of Homeland Security and the Pentagon did not cite exactly how many troops would be pulled from the border, but said the "new strategic approach" will increase border security. That approach includes "adding a number of new multi-purpose aerial assets" equipped with the "latest surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities." In addition, the National Guard will provide helicopters and planes to the Border Patrol, "allowing for faster response capabilities," the news release said. "I did not understand or get the impression they are going to add any equipment; they're going to use what they have," said Poe, who was briefed on the changes. The Defense Department budget for the border would drop by half, from $120 million to $60 million, congressional staffers said they were told. Specifics about the ramped-up aerial surveillance are still being worked out, the staffers said. Poe said he plans to fight the change. "I'll ask the president to reconsider and then try to figure a way, bipartisan, to show that this is not a wise move," he said.

The transition will begin in January and be completed by March, DHS says . Some lawmakers oppose the move, saying conditions merit more troops, not fewer . DHS says a "new strategic approach" will increase border security .

Washington (CNN) -- African-Americans are extremely supportive of President Obama, but their enthusiasm appears to have dramatically dropped from earlier this year, according to a new national poll. The CNN/Opinion Research Corp. survey, released Tuesday, also indicates that Obama's presidency appears to have made blacks more optimistic about race relations, but less than one in five believe the new president has ushered in a new era of race relations in the country. More than nine in 10 blacks questioned in the poll approve of the job Obama's doing in the White House, far higher than 42 percent of whites who approve of his performance as president. But when asked how they personally feel about Obama's presidency, only 42 percent of black respondents say they're thrilled, with nearly half of those questioned saying they are happy but not thrilled. The 42 percent who are thrilled is down from 61 percent in January, when Obama was inaugurated. "African-Americans are still big fans of the first black president in U.S. history, but the thrill is gone," said CNN Polling Director Keating Holland. According to the poll, 51 percent of African-Americans say Obama's presidency has brought some improvement in race relations in the U.S., but only 18 percent feel it's the start of a new era. Another 23 percent say they've seen a real change in race relations over the past 11 months and 7 percent say things have gotten worse. The survey indicates that three-quarters of blacks believe race relations will improve eventually, which is up from 49 percent of blacks who felt that way a year before Obama was elected. "Whites take a dimmer view of Obama's effect on race relations, with a third believing that the new presidency has not changed race relations in the country and 15 percent of whites saying that Obama has made race relations worse," Holland added. "Not surprisingly, whites are less supportive of Obama, although for a notable number of whites, their negative view of the president is due to the perception that he's not been liberal enough." The CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll was conducted December 16-20, with 1,160 adult Americans, including 259 African-Americans and 786 whites, questioned by telephone. The survey's overall sampling error is plus or minus 3 percentage points and plus or minus 6 percentage points for the African-Americans sample. CNN Deputy Political Director Paul Steinhauser contributed to this story

CNN/Opinion Research Corp. Poll released Tuesday . Poll: More than nine in 10 blacks approve of the job Obama is doing . Black respondents saying they're "thrilled" down 19 points from January . Approval rating more than twice as high among blacks than among whites .

Washington (CNN) -- Alabama now has the toughest immigration law in the nation. The law went into effect on September 29, prompting hundreds of families to pull their children from school and workers to disappear from Alabama farms. A federal appeals court has blocked some provisions, including the one requiring state officials to check the legal status of students in public schools. No doubt, the issue is far from being settled. Alabama is just one state where an uproar over immigration has been heard. The rapid growth in Alabama's immigrant population, a large proportion estimated to be mostly present illegally, was the impetus behind the law. But the reality of immigration is more complex than the perception. You wouldn't know it from the rhetoric the last few years, but immigration nationally over the past decade was slower than in the 1990s. Between 1990 and 2000, the United States gained 11.3 million immigrants, the largest increase this country has ever experienced, a growth rate of 57%. The 2000s, by contrast, witnessed an 8.8 million increase in immigrants, a 28% growth rate. An estimated 40 million foreign-born individuals now call the United States home, according to Census Bureau data released in September, which we analyze in a new report. So why the ruckus now? The context for immigration has changed considerably since 2000. Economic times were good at the beginning of the decade, so immigrants, legal and illegal, were drawn by plentiful jobs in an expanding economy. Back then, they were viewed as assets to our labor force and society. Today, amid economic distress, unemployment and shrinking public coffers, immigrants are more likely to be viewed as a drain on resources and as competitors for jobs. During the economic expansion of the late 1990s, immigrants found new opportunities in some unexpected places. This trend continued in this decade as immigrants dispersed to new metro areas and suburbs within metro areas. The five metropolitan areas with the largest foreign-born populations -- New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Chicago and Houston -- housed a smaller share of the nation's immigrants, just 38% in 2010, compared to 43% in 2000. Meanwhile, immigrants have increasingly settled in the suburbs, so by 2010 a majority of the nation's immigrants are suburban residents. Nine metropolitan areas—from Scranton, Pennsylvania to Indianapolis, Indiana to Nashville, Tennessee—experienced at least a doubling of their foreign-born populations between 2000 and 2010. This rapid change did not come without resistance. In the eight states represented by these metro areas, restrictive immigration legislation was introduced, if not passed. Florida, Tennessee, and Alabama all participate in the 287(g) program, an agreement between state and local law enforcement with Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE) delegating authority for immigration enforcement within their jurisdictions. The friction in places unaccustomed to or unprepared for new inflows of foreigners, particularly those who are assumed to be present illegally, manifests itself in different ways. In Arizona, Alabama, Georgia, Indiana and South Carolina, where metro areas experienced some of the fastest or largest growth in their foreign-born populations over the decade, state legislatures passed laws in 2011 to crack down on unauthorized residents. Not every region is reacting in this way. Metro areas that want to stem their population loss and boost economic growth -- such as Detroit and Cleveland -- are devising ways to woo immigrants. These areas experienced the slowest growth of their immigrant populations among all metropolitan areas -- Detroit at 9% and Cleveland at 6% -- well below the 26% growth across the 100 largest metro areas. Dayton, Ohio, where the tiny immigrant population grew by 57% over the past 10 years, is the most recent place to buck the "stay out" trend. The city council agreed to a new plan, crafted by 130 community members from all segments of Dayton's communities, outlining a framework for new policies to make the city more open and supportive of immigrants. Dayton's Mayor Gary Leitzel emphasized, "This is not a city of Dayton government program. For this effort to be successful, it will take the support and active participation

Immigration actually slowed down in the last decade despite the uproar, authors say . They say the immigration issue is much more contentious because of a poor economy . Some areas have seen immigrant population more than double, prompting controversy . Authors: While some pass laws to curb immigrants, other places welcome them .

Washington (CNN) -- Alexander Haig, who managed the Nixon administration during the Watergate crisis and served a controversial stint as secretary of state under President Reagan, died on Saturday. He was 85. Haig died at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland, after he was admitted there on January 28, spokesman Gary Stephenson said. "He served his country well. For that he should be remembered," said William Bennett, who was secretary of education during the Reagan administration. "He carried himself well. He carried himself with dignity and honor." The White House issued a statement mourning Haig, saying he "exemplified our finest warrior-diplomat tradition of those who dedicate their lives to public service." A top official in the administrations of three presidents -- Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford and Ronald Reagan -- Haig served as Nixon's chief of staff during the Watergate political crisis, a scandal that dogged the administration in the 1970s. "There was a time during the Watergate crisis when President Nixon was nearly incapacitated," said political analyst and CNN contributor David Gergen, who worked with Haig during the Nixon and Reagan administrations. "He had a hard time focusing, so obviously obsessed with the scandal and the gathering storms around him. I watched Al Haig keep the government moving. I thought it was a great act of statesmanship and service to the country." Haig became secretary of state during the Reagan administration and drew controversy for his much-criticized remark on television after the president was shot and wounded by John Hinckley in March 1981. "As of now, I am in control here in the White House," Haig said as Vice President George H.W. Bush was headed to Washington from Texas. Haig said he wasn't bypassing the rules; he was just trying to manage the crisis until the vice president arrived. However, he was highly criticized for his behavior, and many observers believe it doomed his political ambitions. Born December 2, 1924, in Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Philadelphia, Alexander Meigs Haig Jr. was raised by his mother after he lost his father at age 10. He attended the University of Notre Dame for two years before transferring to the U.S. Military Academy in 1944. After his graduation in 1947, he served in Japan and later served on Gen. Douglas MacArthur's staff in Japan during the Korean War. He also served in Vietnam, where he earned the distinguished service cross for heroism in combat. He also won the Purple Heart and Silver Star twice. Haig served as supreme allied commander of NATO forces in Europe for five years. There was an assassination attempt on him in Brussels in 1979 as he was being driven to NATO headquarters. A public official known for his loyalty, Haig had hawkish foreign policy views, and Gergen said he could be tough and "combustible." "He was first and foremost a soldier," Gergen said. Haig was assistant to National Security Adviser Henry Kissinger in the Nixon White House and was involved in the Paris peace agreements that brought an end to the U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War. He was long rumored to be Deep Throat, the Washington Post's inside source on the Watergate break-in and cover-up that eventually destroyed Nixon's presidency. W. Mark Felt, then a high-ranking FBI official, declared in 2005 that he was the source. "Great tensions" in the Reagan administration simmered over his stances, and Gergen said, "There was a sense in the White House that he was grabbing too much power. "He wanted to be the, quote, vicar of foreign policy, and there was a lot of pushback from the White House on that. He felt that he had been guaranteed by Ronald Reagan a role as a strong secretary of state and the reins of power would be in his hands. He resented the White House staff trying to manage him," Gergen said. "My own sense is that he has been underappreciated," he said. TIME: Read why Haig left the Reagan White House As secretary of state

Haig worked under Presidents Nixon, Ford, Reagan . He was highly decorated soldier who served during Korean and Vietnam wars . As secretary of state, Haig wrongly declared "I am in control here" after Reagan was shot . He unsuccessfully sought the 1988 Republican presidential nomination .

Washington (CNN) -- All Cedric wanted was lunch. A 14-year old student in a special education classroom in Texas, Cedric was living with a foster family because of a history of neglect, including malnutrition. But on this day in 2002, his teacher tried to punish him by withholding food, despite the abuse he had suffered as a young child. Cedric's teacher delayed his lunch for hours to discipline him for refusing to do his work. When he wouldn't comply, his teacher put him in a face down restraint and sat on him in front of his classmates. Cedric said repeatedly that he could not breathe. He died minutes later on the classroom floor. Cedric's tragic story isn't an isolated case in America's schools today. According to the U.S. Government Accountability Office, over the last 20 years there have been hundreds of allegations of school personnel using restraint and seclusion in abusive ways on children. It's happening disproportionately to students with disabilities, often at the hands of untrained staff. Many of these students bear haunting physical and emotional scars. And in a number of cases, students have died. It's difficult to believe, but there are no federal laws to prevent this from happening. Local newspapers recount bone-chilling stories of schoolchildren tied to chairs, or with their mouths taped shut, sometimes locked in dark closets, or pinned to the floor for hours at a time. If parents treat their kids this way, it's considered a criminal offense. But unlike in hospitals and other institutions that receive federal taxpayer funding, there are no federal protections against these abusive practices when they happen in schools. The Children's Health Act of 2000 regulates how and when restraint and seclusion can be used in medical settings and community facilities. But classrooms, where students spend the majority of their day, are exempt. In the absence of a federal standard, state protections for kids are all over the map. Many states have no regulations whatsoever. Children are left vulnerable and staff untrained. Restraint and seclusion techniques should be used only as a last resort, when someone is in imminent danger of physical injury and there are no alternatives. Without proper training, staff can be hurt and students, especially small children, are at risk. Yet the GAO and news reports confirm that these practices are used frequently, often as discipline, when students aren't physically aggressive. While there is no centralized reporting, data from the few states that do track incidents paints a troubling picture. In the 2007-2008 school year in California alone, the GAO reports, there were more than 14,300 cases of restraint, seclusion and other "emergency interventions." We don't know how many of these merited real emergencies. In one California case, Paige, a young girl with Asperger's syndrome, was restrained in class because she was wiggling her loose tooth. Her mother, who had never consented to physical interventions, had no idea restraint was regularly imposed until her daughter came home with bruises. As parents, when we send our children to school, we expect they will be safe from danger. And when the very people we entrust with our children's well-being inflict this type of abuse, it's not just the victims and their families who suffer. It hurts their classmates, who witness these terrifying events. It undermines the vast majority of teachers and staff who are trying to give students a quality education. It's a nightmare for everyone involved. The easy answer here would be to blame teachers. But it would be the wrong one. Ultimately, the root of this problem has been our system-wide failure to provide direction and enforcement. As long as school systems continue to lack the tools they need to create good policies and properly train staff, these incidents will continue. The solution is a balanced approach to make classrooms safe for students and teachers. With that goal in mind, on Wednesday we are introducing legislation to finally ensure that schools in every state have the resources they need to prevent inappropriate restraint and seclusion. Our bill would set minimum safety

Reps. Miller and McMorris Rodgers say kids sometimes restrained abusively in schools . No federal laws prevent this, they say, and it happens disproportionately to special ed kids . They say students, teachers, classmates are all harmed by abuse, with lasting effects . Miller, McMorris Rodgers: New law would train teachers, limit restraint, provide oversight .

Washington (CNN) -- Americans are split over whether China represents a military threat to the United States -- but there is no doubt in the public's mind that the country poses an economic threat, according to a new national poll. According to a CNN/Opinion Research Corporation survey released Monday, 51 percent of the public consider China a military threat, with 47 percent disagreeing. That 4-point margin is within the poll's 4.5 percent sampling error. The poll's release coincides with U.S. President Barack Obama's first visit to China to bolster relations. At a town hall meeting on Monday he made the case to Chinese students that the two countries' philosophical differences should not get in the way of a robust relationship. According to the survey, two-thirds see China as a source of unfair competition for U.S. companies, while only a quarter are more likely to view China as a huge potential market for U.S. goods. "That may be why 71 percent of Americans consider China an economic threat to the U.S.," says CNN Polling Director Keating Holland. "Americans tend to view foreign countries as competition, and China is no exception." Only a quarter of those questioned in the poll say that China has a good track record on human rights. Sixty-eight percent suggested that China is doing a bad job respecting the human rights of its citizens. The CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll was conducted November 13-15, with 1,014 adult Americans questioned by telephone. CNN's Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report

71 percent of Americans polled consider China an economic threat . More than 1,000 adult Americans were questioned by telephone . Poll coincides with Obama's visit to China .

Washington (CNN) -- An Amtrak train traveling from New York to Washington struck and killed a 14-year-old girl Tuesday morning, the rail operator said. Details on how the accident occurred were not immediately available, and the girl was not named. Baltimore County Police Lt. Robert McCullough said there were other children at the scene who knew the victim. Nearly two hours after the fatality occurred, emergency management officials in Washington announced that one out of four railroad tracks between Washington and Maryland had been "cleared for reduced speed service." Amtrak spokeswoman Tracy Connell said trains were traveling in both directions but had to take turns using the single set of tracks. Amtrak halted all trains through the area near Essex, Maryland, to give investigators access to the scene. Authorities said the teen was hit at 9:02 a.m. ET. Connell said the incident occurred 11 miles north of the Baltimore, Maryland, rail station. Both Baltimore County Police and Amtrak were investigating.

14-year-old struck by train headed from New York to Washington . All trains halted throughout area during investigation . One track was reopened at 10:45 a.m.

Washington (CNN) -- An Arkansas man has pleaded guilty to plotting to kill several African-Americans in 2008, including then-presidential candidate Barack Obama, the Justice Department announced Thursday. Paul Schlesselman of West Helena, Arkansas, faces 10 years in prison under a plea agreement reached with federal prosecutors in Tennessee. Federal officials in Washington said Schlesselman threatened to kill then-Sen. Obama on October 23, 2008, shortly before the presidential election. He also planned to "murder dozens of people with a focus on murdering African-Americans" the Justice Department said. "Despite great civil rights progress, hate-fueled violence remains all too common in our country, as illustrated by this unthinkable conspiracy," said Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Thomas Perez in a statement issued by his Justice Department office.

Paul Schlesselman faces 10 years in prison in plea deal with Tennessee federal prosecutors . Schlesselman threatened to kill then-Sen. Obama on October 23, 2008, officials say . He also planned to kill dozens, focusing on African-Americans, Justice Department says .

Washington (CNN) -- An Idaho man accused of trying to assassinate President Barack Obama by shooting at the White House pleaded not guilty, as expected, in federal court Tuesday. Oscar Ortega-Hernandez will remain in custody until his trial, a date for which has not yet been scheduled. He appeared in a dark blue prison jumpsuit at his brief arraignment hearing before Magistrate Judge Deborah Robinson. He was indicted last week on 17 criminal counts. Prosecutors say Ortega-Hernandez fired a Romanian-made assault rifle out of the window of his car the evening of November 11. After allegedly sending a number of rounds toward the White House, he sped away toward a bridge leading to the Virginia suburbs, but crashed his vehicle and fled on foot, officials say. A court document says Ortega-Hernandez's fingerprints were found on ammunition magazines left in a 1998 Honda, but not on the weapon itself, which also was left in the car. Neither the president nor his family was at home at the time of the incident. Ortega-Hernandez said nothing at Tuesday's hearing, but appeared alert, nodding and smiling at the judge as the hearing concluded. He wore a heavy beard and was not in restraints. An FBI agent had testified at an earlier hearing that bullets found embedded in the White House residence came from Ortega-Hernandez's assault weapon. The 21-year-old man claimed after his arrest that he had been car-jacked by a man with a gun on the day of the crime, and said his assailant must have been responsible for the shooting, according to court filings. He also allegedly told the officers he never owned a gun, but the government cited two witnesses from Idaho confirming the rifle left in the car belonged to Ortega-Hernandez. A federal public defender representing Ortega-Hernandez had previously claimed inconsistent witness statements raised doubts about whether he was the shooter. Attorney David Bos cited one witness who said the shooter was driving a yellow van. Police had said Ortega-Hernandez was driving a dark-colored sedan. Bos did not object Tuesday when the magistrate ruled the defendant would continue to be held behind bars. Another hearing is scheduled for next month. Ortega-Hernandez was captured at a Pennsylvania motel days after the incident. He told police he hitchhiked and walked from the District of Columbia. Another federal judge previously ruled him competent to stand trial. Ortega-Hernandez has been interviewed at least once by a psychologist, and the doctor said he is able to understand the allegations against him and to aid in his defense. In court documents, prosecutors argue Ortega-Hernandez is dangerous and planned out his alleged crime over a period of months. If convicted of attempting to assassinate the president, Ortega-Hernandez would face a maximum sentence of life in prison.

Oscar Ortega-Hernandez will remain in custody until his trial . He was indicted last week on 17 criminal counts . He is accused of shooting a rifle at the White House in November .

Washington (CNN) -- An Iranian navy plane that approached a U.S. aircraft carrier last week was flying as low as 300 feet as it neared the USS Eisenhower, U.S. military officials said Wednesday. The incident, first reported by CNN on Tuesday, came as Iran was beginning a series of military exercises last week meant to show off their military prowess. The Eisenhower was on duty in the Gulf of Oman in the northern Arabian Sea, in support of the Afghanistan war efforts, when the Iranian maritime patrol aircraft flew within 1,000 yards of the vessel, according to military officials. While the encounter was not threatening, it was unusual. U.S. navy ships have regularly encountered Iranian aircraft in the Persian Gulf in recent years, but this encounter took place in the Gulf of Oman, in an area where Iranian jets are seen much less frequently, several Navy officials said. The officials declined to be identified, citing the extremely sensitive nature of any U.S. military interaction with Iranian forces. Adm. Gary Roughead, the top Navy officer, confirmed the April 21 incident. The Iranians were "not provocative or threatening. As long as they are professional and not threatening or reckless, it's international space," he said. Radar on the Eisenhower and other U.S. ships in the vicinity closely tracked the Iranian aircraft as it approached the aircraft carrier to ensure it maintained a nonthreatening path, Roughead said. A senior U.S. military official said the Iranian plane was tracked by U.S. units for nearly 100 miles before it reached the Eisenhower. The Iranian aircraft was a Fokker F27 that was unarmed, officials said. It remained in the vicinity of the Eisenhower for about 20 minutes before leaving the area, according to the senior official. The Eisenhower had just finished a series of carrier aircraft flight operations and a resupply at sea mission. U.S. officials believe the Iranians wanted a close look at the carrier, but they could not say if the Iranians took photos of the ship. One of the officials also said Iran may simply have been trying to demonstrate its aerial capabilities to the United States. U.S. military officials continue to emphasize that recent encounters with Iranian naval forces in the Persian Gulf have been professional and without confrontation or problems. The U.S. Navy takes great care to try to stay out of the way of any Iranian forces in the region, officials said.

U.S. officials believe the Iranians wanted a close look at the carrier . Plane flew as low as 300 feet, officials say . Iranians were "not provocative or threatening," U.S. admiral says .

Washington (CNN) -- An engine problem forced passengers -- including U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg -- to evacuate a United Airlines flight at Dulles International Airport on Wednesday, officials said. Flight attendants shouted "everyone get out" after passengers spotted smoke coming from the plane's right engine and notified the crew, according to one passenger who was onboard. Passengers slid down the plane's emergency slides onto the airport's tarmac, officials said. "I am shaking ... People were screaming," passenger Jodi Gersh wrote in a Twitter post after evacuating. "Attendants opened (the) rear door to see where smoke was coming from," she wrote in another post. "They then very loudly started yelling 'everyone get out.' Very scary." Ginsburg was on the flight and was not injured, a Supreme Court spokeswoman said. Passengers evacuated from the Boeing 757 onto the tarmac just after the aircraft left the gate, said Rob Yingling, a spokesman for the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority. There were 179 passengers and six crew members onboard, United spokesman Mike Trevino said. Yingling said an engine problem caused the evacuation. The Federal Aviation Administration said there was a report of a fire onboard. Trevino said the airline was investigating the incident, but did not confirm whether there had been an engine problem or a fire. Video from CNN affiliate WUSA showed firefighters at the scene. Flight 586 was scheduled to fly to San Francisco, Trevino said. Passengers will head to San Francisco on a different plane scheduled to leave Dulles later Wednesday, he said. Dulles is located in Chantilly, Virginia, about 25 miles from downtown Washington. CNN's Lindy Royce-Bartlett, Bill Mears and Carol Cratty contributed to this report.

NEW: "I am shaking ... People were screaming," one passenger tweets . Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was on the flight . There were 179 passengers and six crew members onboard . An engine problem caused the evacuation, an airport authority spokesman says .

Washington (CNN) -- An expanded team of civilian technical experts from a "quick-reaction force" is on the ground in Libya, tracking down and destroying "MANPADs," shoulder-fired, heat-seeking missiles that the U.S. fears could be used to bring down a civilian airliner. The United States currently has a State Department officer and 14 technical experts who are embedded with munitions and destruction teams from Libya's National Transitional Council, according to Andrew Shapiro, assistant U.S. secretary of state for political-military affairs. Officials hope to ramp up the search effort "significantly," Shapiro said, with the number of specialists on the ground increasing to 50. The joint teams are sweeping, surveying and securing stockpiles of the weapons that were previously under control of the Moammar Gadhafi regime. The joint teams already have surveyed 20 out of 36 known ammunition storage sites, a State Department official said, and have disabled or destroyed hundreds of MANPADs. The official was not authorized to speak on the record. At each site they have found from several dozen to several hundred storage bunkers. The United States estimates there were as many as 20,000 surface-to-air missiles in Libya when NATO began its operations to aid rebels in ousting Gadhafi. Shapiro declined to say how many weapons might be missing, but U.S. Gen. Carter Ham, commander of U.S. Africa Command, expressed concern that the missiles could be crossing the border. "There are some worrying indicators ... that some of these portable air defense systems have left Libya," Ham said, adding that he didn't have enough information to know how many have possibly moved, "but there's enough ... churn out there in the information I see to cause me to be very concerned." U.S. officials are working with Libya's neighbors on "how best to address this threat," Shapiro said. The United States is distributing thousands of pamphlets in multiple languages, including Arabic and English, to neighboring countries, including Egypt, Algeria and Morocco, to inform their border guards what the MANPADs look like and to be on watch for any attempts to move them out of Libya. Ham noted that the MANPADs are a threat "to anything that flies," including commercial airliners upon takeoff and landing. The United States also is working through NATO to alert the Libyans to stockpiles NATO was aware of and may have targeted during the conflict. "When it comes to the conventional weapons destruction challenge, the NTC have not only have talked the talk, they've walked the walk," the State Department official said. "They have really taken leadership on this and we are committed to helping them secure the weapons stockpiles." The U.S. experts involved in the operation are mostly retired military personnel who were specialists in munitions handling and ordnance destruction at the Department of Defense, Shapiro said. Many of them work with nongovernmental organizations on de-mining. Shapiro noted the United States paid $3 million to two non-governmental organizations in Libya "to help secure weapons that they discovered." CNN Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr contributed to this report.

Gen. Ham is "very concerned" about proliferation across Libyan borders . A team of U.S. technical experts is assisting in securing weapons stockpiles . The search effort is focused on shoulder-fired heat-seeking missiles . The missiles pose a threat "to anything that flies," Ham says .

Washington (CNN) -- Another massive snowstorm barreled into the mid-Atlantic region Tuesday, as residents still reeling from a paralyzing weekend blizzard faced more of the same. Hundreds of flights were canceled, and airlines were waiting to see whether they would have to cancel more. No flights were expected to be operating Wednesday at Reagan National Airport or at Washington Dulles International, the Washington Airports Authority said. Federal workers and schoolchildren in the nation's capital were told to stay home for a second consecutive day. The National Weather Service predicted another 10 to 20 inches of snow for northern Virginia, eastern Maryland and Washington beginning Tuesday afternoon and continuing through Wednesday. In last weekend's blizzard, a record 32.4 inches of snow fell on Washington's Dulles International Airport over two days, breaking the January 7-8, 1996, record of 23.2 inches. Are you there? Share your winter weather photos, video If as severe as predicted, the new storm will be the third major snowfall to hit the nation's capital and surrounding region in slightly more than seven weeks. In Washington on Tuesday, out-of-towners Susan Martin and Robert Travers told CNN affiliate WJLA they had just flown to the city for a conference, but learned when they arrived that the conference had been canceled. Flights that would take them home from Reagan National Airport had been canceled, too. "We probably won't get a flight back out of here until Thursday. That's what they're telling us," Martin told WJLA. WJLA.com: People stranded at Washington airports, train stations It was not expected to begin snowing in some areas until Tuesday night or Wednesday. Forecasters said Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, could be slammed with 3 to 7 inches Tuesday and an additional 8 to 12 inches on Wednesday; Washington, 4 to 8 inches on Tuesday night and another 3 to 7 inches Wednesday; 5 to 8 inches Tuesday and 3 to 5 on Wednesday in Boston, Massachusetts; and 2 to 4 inches Tuesday and 6 to 10 inches Wednesday in New York. Snow coverage from CNN affiliate WBAL Delays of 30 minutes were reported for some flights at Chicago, Illinois', O'Hare International Airport, where more than 600 flights were canceled. Most of the flights at Midway Airport also were canceled, according to Gregg Cunningham, spokesman for the Chicago Department of Aviation. Southwest Airlines was expecting to resume its normal schedule Wednesday at 10:30 a.m., he said. Travelers should confirm the status of their flights by checking their airline's Web site before departing for the airport, he advised. Delta Air Lines canceled 375 flights, including regional flights, in various locations Tuesday, spokesman Anthony Black said. He said a decision would be made Tuesday evening on any Wednesday cancellations. American Airlines canceled 80 flights into and out of Washington and Philadelphia, spokesman Tim Wagner said. American and Delta said they had pre-emptively canceled 120 flights for Wednesday for both cities. US Airways canceled 135 mainline flights and 307 US Airways Express flights systemwide, spokesman Andrew Christie said. He said the airline has canceled 380 mainline flights and 1,042 US Airways Express flights. Snow causes more headaches for travelers The storms were taking a financial toll on local governments. Alexandria, Virginia, spent more than $1 million for the massive snowstorm that hit the region in December, budget analyst Morgan Routt said, and the city was still cleaning up after last weekend's storm. "So, you can imagine, that's costing even more," he said. "We've had people working around the clock." The city, whose fiscal year runs from July 1 to June 30, generally budgets $790,000 annually for snow removal. That covers the costs of equipment, personnel, contractors, materials and supplies. For the 2009 year ending in July, Routt said, the city spent only $485,000. Part of this year's costs are reimbursable by the federal government because the governor declared a snow emergency, he added. All Washington National Guard full-time personnel were asked to report for duty Tuesday morning and

Airlines cancel hundreds of flights in Chicago, Northeast . Another 10 to 20 inches of snow forecast for northern Virginia, eastern Maryland . Federal workers, students in Washington told to stay home Tuesday . Record 32.4 inches of snow fell on Dulles International Airport over weekend .

Washington (CNN) -- Apparently no good deed goes unpunished for President Barack Obama, who was trying to make sure he didn't get a flabby belly after Thanksgiving but wound up with a fat lower lip instead. White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said the president received a dozen stitches after getting hit with an errant elbow during a Friday morning basketball game with White House aide Reggie Love and others at the Fort McNair military base in Washington. The elbow belonged to Rey Decerega, who works for the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute. According to White House aides, Decerega went up for a shot and turned into the President, who was playing defense and accidentally got hit in the mouth. "I learned today the president is both a tough competitor and a good sport," Decerega said in a statement released by the White House. "I enjoyed playing basketball with him this morning. I'm sure he'll be back out on the court again soon." According to Gibbs, "After being inadvertently hit with an opposing player's elbow in the lip while playing basketball with friends and family, the president received 12 stitches today administered by the White House Medical Unit. They were done in the doctor's office located on the ground floor of the White House." Aides said Obama was given a local anesthetic while receiving the stitches, and doctors used a smaller-than-usual filament. That increased the number of stitches needed to patch up the tear, but it made a tighter stitch so that the scar on the president's lower lip should be smaller. Obama frequently plays basketball, works out on a daily basis, and was undoubtedly playing Friday to work off some extra Thanksgiving calories. An official White House menu showed that in addition to turkey and the usual trimmings, the first family dined Thursday on six types of pie: apple, sweet potato, pumpkin, banana cream, cherry, and huckleberry. Asked by CNN if Decerega will be getting a presidential pardon, a top White House aide just laughed.

Obama gets 12 stitches after taking an elbow to the lip . Gibbs: Obama is sewn up in the White House doctor's office . The owner of the errant elbow calls Obama "a tough competitor and a good sport"

Washington (CNN) -- Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer made clear Tuesday she's not worried about a potential legal challenge from the Obama administration over her state's controversial immigration law. "We'll meet you in court," Brewer told CNN' when asked how she would respond if President Barack Obama's Department of Justice decided to challenge the law. "I have a pretty good record of winning in court." The American Civil Liberties Union is currently leading a court challenge. Attorney General Eric Holder, who met with a delegation of police chiefs from Arizona and elsewhere this week to discuss the law, has yet to indicate whether the federal government would file a legal challenge. Obama, who has called the law "misguided," will meet with Brewer at the White House on Thursday, a White House official told CNN. It will be the first one-on-one meeting between the two since Brewer approved the law in April. The new immigration law, implemented last month, allows police officers to check the residency status of anyone who is being investigated for a crime or possible legal infraction if there is reasonable suspicion the person is an illegal resident. Critics, including Holder, have said the law will promote racial profiling. But Brewer said Tuesday the law does not target an individual's specific race. She also made clear driver's licenses are not sufficient to prove citizenship. "It wouldn't matter if you are Latino or Hispanic or Norwegian," she said. "If you didn't have proof of citizenship and the police officer had reasonable suspicion, he would ask and verify your citizenship. I mean, that's the way that it is. That's what the federal law says. And that's what the law in Arizona says." Brewer strongly defended the law, saying she would not suspend it even if Obama sharply increased the number of U.S. troops at the Mexican border. iReport: Share your view on the Arizona law The Arizona governor also said the White House has not adequately communicated with her about Obama's recently announced plan to dispatch 1,200 National Guard troops to the border. "I'm sitting here with no good information. It would be very helpful, I might say, if somebody would give me something in writing telling me what they're sending to Arizona, how will it be distributed?" she said. CNN's Alex Mooney and Ed Henry contributed to this report

Arizona governor to meet Thursday with President Barack Obama . Gov. Jan Brewer defends her state's controversial immigration law . Brewer says she'll ask Obama to tighten border security .

Washington (CNN) -- Army Secretary John McHugh ordered a new investigation into poor record keeping and other problems at Arlington National Cemetery even as a separate investigation ended without an absolute answer to who is buried in a grave marked "Unknown." "As the final resting place of our nation's heroes, any questions about the integrity or accountability of its operations should be examined in a manner befitting their service and sacrifice," McHugh said in a statement after signing the order directing the Army's Inspector General to begin an investigation into allegations regarding cemetery operations. The Army IG is already in the middle of an investigation ordered by the previous secretary of the Army to review management of the cemetery. In recent years, the cemetery -- where President Kennedy and thousands of fallen U.S. soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines are buried -- has had a number of embarrassing problems. In 2008, the cemetery discovered that workers inadvertently buried cremated remains at a grave site already in use. Those remains were moved to another grave site. In 2003, as workers were digging a grave for a new burial, they discovered a casket already buried there. There was no headstone or grave marker to indicate who. Only recently, after a report by a journalist at Salon.com, did the Army take action on the problem. Over the summer, the cemetery put up a headstone on the mystery grave that reads "Unknown." As McHugh ordered the new investigation, the Army released results of a separate investigation of problems at the cemetery. That investigation focused on the discovery of the "Unknown" grave. A spokesman for the Military District of Washington, which conducted the review, said "Cemetery records, the MDW investigation, and the non-invasive geophysical analysis of the grave sites strongly indicate that a husband and wife, who died years apart and should have been buried in the same grave site, were instead buried in adjacent graves." A DNA test of the remains in the two adjacent graves could prove conclusively that is what happened, but the family of the husband and wife did not wish for their remains to be disturbed. The MDW said the Army will abide by the family's wishes and has ordered a headstone to properly mark the wife's grave. One of the problems discovered by the MDW investigation was a possible lack of adequate staffing at the cemetery. Last year Arlington conducted 4,377 burials, up more than 21 percent over the past 10 years. During that same period the number of civilian staff members has dropped nearly 19 percent. Currently the cemetery has four employees to schedule 135 to 150 funerals a week as well as maintain all grave records. Arlington, which sits on a hill across the Potomac River from the Lincoln Memorial, has been the final resting place for America's military heroes since the Civil War, when the Union seized the estate from the family of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee. McHugh hopes this new investigation will "ensure America's confidence in the operation of its most hallowed ground."

Army Secretary John McHugh orders inquiry into poor record keeping . Previous investigation sought to identify remains in grave marked "Unknown" In recent years, the cemetery has had a number of embarrassing problems .

Washington (CNN) -- As Libyans in the United States cheered the death of Moammar Gadhafi, President Barack Obama on Thursday called the fate of the former Libyan leader both the end of a "long and painful chapter for the people of Libya" and the hallmark of a successful U.S. foreign policy. In the first official government remarks on the killing of a longtime foe who was behind terrorist attacks against U.S. citizens, Obama pledged American support as Libya builds a democratic system from the ruins of dictatorship. "You have won your revolution," he said to the Libyan people. Obama also praised the efforts of U.S. military personnel who took part in the NATO-led military mission that launched thousands of airstrikes in support of Libya's rebel forces. "Without putting a single U.S. service member on the ground, we achieved our objectives," Obama said in heralding a strategy that "demonstrated what collective action can achieve in the 21st century." In an obvious reference to Syria and the crackdown on dissent by President Bashar al-Assad, Obama noted that Gadhafi's death proved "once more that the rule of an iron fist inevitably comes to an end." "Across the Arab world, citizens have stood up to claim their rights," the president said. "Youth are delivering a powerful rebuke to dictatorship, and those leaders who try to deny human dignity will not succeed." His statement, delivered in the White House Rose Garden, followed hours of silence by top government officials as initial reports that Gadhafi had been captured or killed emerged from Libya. It was a very different scene hours later outside the White House, as dozens of people waved and wrapped themselves in the Libyan flag while cheering Gadhafi's death. Many sang to the beat of a drum Thursday evening, while one celebrant held a hand-drawn sign showing a newborn baby drawn over the outline of Libya -- symbolizing a country reborn. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was in Afghanistan when she said "Wow" after an aide handed her a Blackberry that spoke of Gadhafi's capture. At the time, she stressed the reports were "unconfirmed" and noted similar stories had proven false, Politicians were less reticent, especially as it became more clear that Gadhafi was in fact dead. Sens. John Kerry and John McCain, both foreign affairs veterans, were among several legislators who remarked about Gadhafi's death long before Obama issued his statement. McCain, an Arizona Republican who lost to Obama in the 2008 presidential election, called it a "great day" and said the administration he previously criticized for withholding full U.S. military capacity in Libya "deserves great credit." "Obviously, I had different ideas on the tactical side, but ... the world is a better place, and the Libyan people now have a chance," McCain told CNN. Kerry, a Massachusetts Democrat, said Obama's policy of building a NATO-led coalition for the Libya mission "demonstrated clear-eyed leadership, patience and foresight by pushing the international community into action." "Though the administration was criticized both for moving too quickly and for not moving quickly enough, it is undeniable that the NATO campaign prevented a massacre and contributed mightily to Gadhafi's undoing without deploying boots on the ground or suffering a single American fatality," Kerry said. Rep. Mike Rogers, the chairman of the House intelligence committee, cheered the news that Gadhafi's "brutal regime is finally over." At the same time, the Michigan Republican stressed what he deemed an urgent need to secure "Libya's large stockpile of chemical and other advanced weapons" in this period of transition. Vice President Joe Biden noted that the U.S. role in the campaign cost no more than $2 billion and that no American lives were lost, saying: "This is more a prescription about how we ought to deal going forward. "We do not have to do it ourselves. ... The NATO alliance worked like it was designed to do," Biden told CNN's Candy Crowley in New Hampshire, calling Gadhafi "one bad guy. This was real burden sharing

NEW: Dozens outside of the White House celebrate Gadhafi's death . VP Biden says "the NATO alliance worked like it was designed to do" The president says Gadhafi's death ends a "long and painful chapter" NATO's leader announces the alliance will end its mission in Libya .

Washington (CNN) -- As the Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial was officially dedicated Sunday, speakers called for carrying on King's ideals and values and confronting issues including bullying and social and economic justice for all Americans. "Nearly 50 years after the March on Washington, our work -- Dr. King's work -- is not yet complete," President Barack Obama said at the dedication ceremony. The nation faces many challenges, he said, including an ailing economy, substandard education, war and tragedy. Progress, he said, can often be a slow and painful process. During the civil rights movement, "progress was purchased through enduring the smack of billy clubs and the blast of fire hoses. It was bought with days in jail cells and nights of bomb threats." Every victory was met with setbacks and defeat, Obama said. Today's America can draw strength from that struggle, from King's belief that we are one people and from his refusal to give up, the president said. "Let us not be trapped by what is," Obama said. "We can't be discouraged by what is. We've got to keep pushing for what ought to be." He noted that King "will stand for all time, among monuments to those who fathered this nation and those who defended it. A black preacher, no official rank or title, somehow gave voice to our deepest dreams and our most lasting ideas." "I know we will overcome," the president said. "I know there are better days ahead. I know this because of the man towering over us." The monument to the slain civil rights leader was due to have been dedicated on August 28, the anniversary of the 1963 March on Washington when King delivered his world-altering "I Have a Dream" speech, but Hurricane Irene forced the event to be postponed. Perhaps, said the Rev. Bernice King, one of King's daughters, that postponement was due to divine intervention. "Perhaps God wanted us to move beyond the dream into action," she said. "As we dedicate this monument, I can hear my father saying that oppressed people cannot remain oppressed forever," she said. "The yearning for freedom eventually manifests itself ... I hear my father saying what we are seeing now, all across the streets of America and the world, is a freedom explosion." She called for "a radical revolution of values and reordering of priorities in this nation." She urged attendees to also pay homage to her mother, Coretta Scott King, who even as a grieving widow with four children "raised a nation in my father's teachings and values. It was vitally important to her that his life and principles become institutionalized." The memorial site, which features a striking 30-foot statue of King gazing out on the iconic Tidal Basin, lies between the Lincoln Memorial and the Thomas Jefferson Memorial on the National Mall. The statue, representing a "Stone of Hope," sits forward from a "Mountain of Despair." Visitors pass through the mountain on their way to King's statue and an expanse along the basin rimmed with an inscription wall covered with stone carvings of some of his most famous quotes. The four-acre area will also feature the iconic cherry blossom trees that draw thousands of tourists to the Mall each spring. "The very first time that I came to the site, I was almost overwhelmed," Martin Luther King III said. "I really was impressed by this artist. He was able to capture the essence of my dad." On Sunday, he described his father as "a champion of human rights and social justice for all people," regardless of race, gender and ethnicity. "Let us not forget that he paid the ultimate price for our civil rights," he said. But, he said, "we've lost our souls," noting the recent killing of a black man in Mississippi; child bullying; wars in Iraq and Afghanistan; and the lack of social and economic justice

NEW: Obama: "We've got to keep pushing for what ought to be" King's children urge that his ideals and values be remembered . Speakers at the ceremony urge the pursuit of economic justice . Celebrated writer Maya Angelou says King has been edited to make him seem arrogant .

Washington (CNN) -- As the United States completes its withdrawal of all military forces from Iraq by the end of the month, Iraq's prime minister made a pitch to leaders of American commerce and industry Tuesday: Iraq is open for business. In an address to American executives at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in Washington, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said his country offers "limitless" opportunities for American companies. Al-Maliki said his country is trying to diversify from an energy-dominated economy, to one that focuses on financial, medical, agricultural, educational and infrastructure services as well. The end of U.S. military operations in Iraq heralds the beginning of a "wider relationship" between the two countries where "not generals but businessmen" will focus on economic and political engagement between the two countries, al-Maliki told the audience. He spoke to more than 400 executives representing a wide range of industries including petroleum, engineering and construction, commercial aviation, architecture, maritime cargo and financial services. As U.S. investment in Iraq has increased since 2008, al-Maliki said Iraq wants to see a much greater presence of U.S. companies in his country to help spur greater spending and investment on the country's infrastructure as a way to better the lives of Iraqis and create more U.S. jobs in the process. Total foreign direct investment in Iraq hit $70 billion for the first months of 2011, according to the chamber. The United States has increased its investment from nearly nearly $2 billion in 2010 to more than $8 billion this year, the organization said. That figure represents 11.6% of all investment entering Iraq, the chamber said. The International Monetary Fund has projected the Iraqi economy to grow at a faster pace than China or India over the next two to three years. Despite growing U.S. investment in Iraq, the chamber continued its own pitch to U.S. businesses of the potential Iraq represents for them, and American workers, before al-Maliki spoke. "We continue to trail our trading partners with respect to investment and economic engagement in Iraq," said Lionel Johnson, vice president for Middle East and North African Affairs at the chamber. The private sector stands to play a crucial role in filling the capacity void left in many sectors of the Iraqi economy following the U.S. military departure, Johnson said. Winning business for American firms in Iraq has not been an easy prospect in the past. Not a single U.S. energy firm secured a deal for oil production at an auction of contracts by the Iraqi government two years ago. Many members of Congress were outraged, and questioned the U.S. investment in Iraq to that point after lucrative multi-billion-dollar contracts went to Russian and Chinese firms instead. In the past year, the United States Business Council in Iraq was established to advance commercial interests for American firms operating in Iraq. Opportunity aside, al-Maliki acknowledged the difficulty of moving his country from the planned economy of the Saddam Hussein era to a market-based system governed by transparency laws and international regulations, not to mention convincing American businesses to invest in a country that still experiences a high volume of violence. He assured his audience that his government was doing all it could to root out corruption and make the country safe for businesses to operate. "Make no mistake, this is a country that's developing, its commerce is developing, it's going to take time, it's going to take energy," Deputy Secretary of State Thomas Nides told CNN after al-Maliki spoke. "U.S. companies are going there because they believe they can make money and at the end of the day that's what it is about, and most of these companies have dealt with complicated environments. Iraq is no different, but we have seen huge progress." Nides said the "robust diplomatic staff" still based in Iraq after the military withdrawal will include large economic and legal teams to work with U.S. companies operating in Iraq. Nearly 40 leaders from the Iraqi private sector made the trip to Washington with al-Maliki to meet with their American counterparts.

Al-Maliki talks business with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce . "Not generals but businessmen" will build the U.S.-Iraq relationship now, he says . Al-Maliki says Iraq wants to see more U.S. companies in his country . No U.S. energy firm secured a deal at an auction of Iraqi contracts two years ago .

Washington (CNN) -- As the new evangelist for entrepreneurship, President Obama is finally on the right track. Mentioning "small business" 14 times in his State of the Union address last week, he pledged to increase small business lending and provide tax incentives to jump-start new jobs. And pivoting from propping up "too big to fail" behemoths to boosting more nimble job generators is smart. After all, mom and pop shops, small enterprises, and garage start-ups get Americans on the payroll. Small Business Administration (SBA) data shows that small companies have generated 64 percent of net new jobs annually over the past 15 years. What's more, a Kauffman Foundation study reveals that firms less than five years old are the engine of this growth. Yet, for these businesses the recession has been particularly acute. According to a Senate report last year, American businesses with fewer than 20 employees have suffered steeper job losses than bigger companies. With unemployment hovering at 10 percent, the president must kick-start small business. In an appearance in Nashua, New Hampshire, yesterday, Obama detailed his proposed small business lending program. Let's examine his proposals: $30 billion of federal bailout funds redirected to community banks to lend to small business. Yesterday in Nashua, President Obama unveiled his proposal to redirect $30 billion of Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) funds to create a new Small Business Lending Fund for community banks. To do this, the White House has said, would require an act of Congress to change current law. On Capitol Hill yesterday, White House Budget Director Peter Orszag met with severe criticism from Sen. Judd Gregg (R-N.H.), who accused the administration of viewing TARP as a "piggy bank" and using it for political purposes. Certainly access to credit is the lifeblood of small business and has been sorely lacking. If we are to direct funds to community banks, we must not make the same mistake twice. Federal funds must come with mandatory loan distribution requirements to ensure that banks actually lend. Better yet, Obama should channel capital to small businesses through the Small Business Administration directly. Pending legislation introduced by Sen. Benjamin L. Cardin, D- Maryland, proposes funneling bailout funds through the SBA itself. The infrastructure is in place and such a process would be quicker and more efficient. At a minimum, Obama needs to empower the SBA with funding for consistent loan guarantees. As part of the Recovery Act, the SBA raised guarantees from 75 to 90 percent and eliminated fees, making it more attractive for banks to lend. This was helpful, but inconsistent funding left 1,069 small businesses on a waiting list in late 2009. Subsequent funding was extended, but this on-again, off-again fluctuation makes it impossible for small businesses to plan, and in some cases, survive. Tax credits for new hires and wage increases. The goal of this program is to encourage on-the-fence businesses to take the plunge and hire new workers. While tax credits rarely provide the reason to add new staff, for businesses anticipating growth, this nudge can catalyze hiring. As part of Obama's $33 billion tax credit proposal, employers would get a $5,000 tax credit for every net new worker hired in 2010 and reimbursement for Social Security taxes paid when they increase wages. By limiting the maximum credit to $500,000 per company, the intention is to focus on small companies, though all businesses would be eligible. Elimination of capital-gains tax on investments in small business. This is a winning proposal. For small companies seeking investment, a zero-rate capital gains tax will attract private investors who together with friends and family provide essential funding for small business start-ups. Such incentives will reward entrepreneurs who take start-up risks, and create a more level playing field for worldwide investors, as many other countries do not tax capital gains. Tax incentives for investment in new facilities and equipment. Allowing companies to write off, instead of depreciate, new equipment helps businesses buy things they were already planning to buy. Encouraging businesses to

Amy Wilkinson says Obama's new focus on small businesses and jobs is on track . She says small businesses, the engines for U.S. job recovery, took hit in recession . Obama's plan for lending, tax breaks, incentives could go even further, she says . Wilkinson: Give SBA a role in loans; reform immigration to bring job-creating talent to U.S.

Washington (CNN) -- At the House Republican strategy session in January, I stood before the Republican Conference and said, "I am your worst nightmare." It was a figure of speech, of course, but my point was that our campaign helped change the political equation for winning elections. No longer is it enough to have big-name identification and big money to win. We demonstrated that principles and policy matter, and if you combine that with hard work and dynamic new media, young upstarts can beat incumbents in a big way. (I beat a 12-year incumbent in my own party, winning by 20 points.) In order to survive in the current political climate, it's paramount to be on the cutting edge of technical trends. As a young freshman, it is challenging to distinguish myself among 434 other members. If I want to be relevant and productive, I have to work hard to get my message across. Using social media is a great way to do just that. I stay in contact with people through Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. Other members of Congress have also jumped aboard the Online Express. These days, even John McCain is all-a-twitter over new social media. See the latest episode of "Freshman Year" Granted, my "tweets" will not replace town hall meetings or direct mail, but social media is an important outreach supplement. People like feeling connected to their elected officials. Residents of my district want their voices to be heard and want to be a part of the political process. It has been very important to me that my constituents don't have to wade through layers of bureaucracy to reach me. My Facebook page, for example, hosts hundreds of interactions each week from "supporters." I post frequently and engage in the comments. I never outsource this type of communication to staff. It's done entirely by me. That kind of attention builds trust with people. They know what I really think, and they develop a connection with me -- even if we disagree. Twitter has become a particularly useful tool for me. I often tweet several times a day. Followers get an inside look at not only my job, but also my personality -- and sometimes my appetite. When I came to Washington as a newly elected member of Congress, I got a few headlines for bringing a cot to sleep on in my office. Taking my inspiration from FDR's Fireside Chats in the 1930s and '40s, I began producing "Cotside Chats" that are featured on my Web site. These chats give me the opportunity to talk directly with my constituents about the issues I think are important. Social media is a two-way street. It's a great way to deliver a message, and it's free. It also provides me with opportunities to listen to what is going on in the real world in real time. With today's easy Internet access and the surging popularity of social networking, there's no excuse for politicians to remain in the 20th century. For me, embracing new media and increasing the accessibility for my constituents is a winning formula. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Jason Chaffetz.

Rep. Jason Chaffetz: Campaigns today are driven by use of social media . He says using social media is a great way to get a message out . He says constituents want to hear from their representatives, and they want to talk back .

Washington (CNN) -- At the end of his career, former House Speaker Tip O'Neill was asked how Congress had changed between the 1950s and 1980s. O'Neill answered: "The people are better. The results are worse." Watching last week's health summit, you see what O'Neill meant. The conversation was intelligent, civil, well-informed. It also predictably achieved nothing. How could it? Deals are never reached in front of the television camera. Take this quiz. Name the most important legislation enacted in the 30 years between 1950 and 1980. Overwhelming isn't it? Civil rights. Voting rights. Interstate highways. Medicare. Medicaid. The deregulation of the airlines, natural gas, trucking, rail and oil. The immigration act of 1965. Clean Air, Clean Water, and the Endangered Species Acts. Supplemental Security Income in 1974. I could fill the whole screen. Now ... the next 30 years. There's the Reagan tax cuts of course. Deregulation of the savings & loans in 1982. The Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990. Welfare reform in 1995. Medicare Part D. What else? Leave aside whether you are liberal or conservative, whether you approve the measures mentioned above or disapprove. It's hard to dispute: Congress just got a lot more done in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s than in the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s. Why? You hear many grand, sweeping explanations. Let's try just one simple one. Congress in the first period was controlled by a handful of committee chairmen, who owed their positions to seniority. The committees did their work in secret. Bills written in committee typically could not be amended on the floor of Congress. The institution was authoritarian, hierarchical, opaque. And stuff passed. In the mid-1970s, Congress underwent a revolution. The power of the committee chairmen was broken. The number of subcommittees proliferated. The committees met in public. Amendments multiplied. Congress become more open, more egalitarian, more responsive. And stuff ceased to pass. Again and again, today's gridlock can be traced to yesterday's reform. Is the filibuster grinding Congress to a halt? Before the 1970s, filibusters were both very rare and very difficult. But when Congress took action to make filibusters easier to break, it inadvertently made them easier to use. Back in the 1950s, a filibuster would bring the entire Senate to a halt, as the filibustering Senator talked and talked and talked. A filibuster was both spectacularly visible and personally exhausting: it exacted a high price from the filibustering senator. Then Congress took action to make filibusters easier to break, requiring only 60 votes instead of 67. But that same deal made them much easier to start. No need to speechify all night; no colleagues enraged that the filibustering senator has paralyzed the chamber. Today, a filibustering senator need only notify the majority leader of his intention. The filibustered legislation is sidetracked until 60 votes are found to enact it, while other business continues as normal. The price of the filibuster has been drastically cut. No surprise we get more of them. Candidates consumed by fundraising? Two generations ago, candidates barely raised money at all. Once nominated, a candidate would turn to his party apparatus to provide the money and expertise needed to contest an election. But the maximum contribution by a party organization was capped in the 1940s, and it has not been raised significantly since. This cap was supposed to clean up politics by weakening party bosses. Instead, it has forced every individual member of Congress to spend the bulk of his or her time begging for funds -- the very opposite of clean politics. Lobbyists everywhere? In 1950, a lobbyist who wanted a tax measure would have very few targets. The chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee could help, ditto the ranking member of the opposition party. The senior members of the Senate Finance Committee would likewise be worth talking to. Maybe some of the upper level officials at Treasury. The days of concentrated power have ended. Today, almost any one of the 535 members of

In '50s and '60s, landmark bills were passed through secret deals, David Frum says . Reforms of the 1970s resulted in much more transparency, he says . Frum says the result has been that very little major legislation can get accomplished .

Washington (CNN) -- Authorities evacuated Union Station, the main train terminal in Washington, D.C., for part of Sunday afternoon due to a chemical odor from an overheated battery system, according to a spokesman for the D.C. Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department. The evacuation ended just over an hour after it began, after a hazardous materials team responded and all train service had been suspended, said fire department spokesman Peter Piringer. One person was taken to a hospital for evaluation after complaining of dizziness, Piringer said. The odor, described as smelling like sulfur or natural gas, was due to the battery that backs up the train platform's lighting system getting overheated, the spokesman said. Amtrak spokesman Marc Magliari said all rail traffic in and out of the station was suspended for 75 minutes due to the evacuation. Delays from the temporary suspension would probably affect train service through the afternoon, Magliari said. Subway service continued to operate during the evacuation, but trains were not stopping at Union Station, according to the Washington Metro Area Transit Authority. Regular subway service was to resume shortly after the evacuation lifted.

Chemical odor causes hour-long evacuation at Washington, D.C.'s Union Station . Cause of odor was overheated battery system, official says . One person taken to hospital for evaluation after complaining of dizziness . Amtrak train service was suspended for 75 minutes, spokesman says .

Washington (CNN) -- Bush administration lawyers who wrote "torture" memos have been cleared of allegations of professional misconduct after a Justice Department internal investigation, which recommends no legal consequences for their actions. The report by the Justice Department concludes the high-ranking lawyers who developed controversial legal guidance on waterboarding and other enhanced interrogation techniques may have exercised poor judgment, but not professional misconduct. The conclusion resulted from a decision by top career Justice Department executive David Margolis to reverse a recommendation of investigators that found the two lawyers' legal memos did constitute professional misconduct. That tentative conclusion, which was overruled by Margolis, said the lawyers should be referred to their state bar associations for potential disbarment. But in the final report, the examination of the legal guidance written by Justice Department lawyers John Yoo and Jay Bybee found they did not constitute a professional breach that could have led to state disbarment. The report by the Justice Department ethics office, called the Office of Professional Responsibility, also examined and cleared attorney Steven Bradbury. He headed the Office of Legal Counsel, which provided legal guidance to the executive branch during President George W. Bush's second term. The often-delayed release of the report came late Friday after it was sent to lawmakers on the House and Senate Judiciary committees, who made the findings public. In addition to the content itself, the constantly delayed release of the politically sensitive report had become an issue. Issuance of the report was repeatedly postponed for more than a year, prompting lawmakers and civil liberties groups to press for publication of the investigation's findings. In November, Holder told Congress the report would be made public "by the end of the month." Reaction to the Justice Department investigation largely fell along party lines, with liberal Democrats unhappy with the conclusions, and highlighting criticism of the Bush Administration lawyers. "While the report concludes the lawyers did not breach their minimal professional obligations, I certainly hold top lawyers at the Justice Department] to a higher standard than that, as all Americans should," said Rep. John Conyers, D-Michigan. Conyers, who chairs the House Judiciary Committee focused on the lawyers' "poor judgments," and said, "Today's report makes plain that those memos were legally flawed and fundamentally unsound." Meanwhile, conservative lawmakers applauded the decision not to recommend action against the Bush administration officials who proposed enhanced interrogation techniques. "It is important that future government lawyers know that their efforts to protect Americans will not be criminalized by future administrations," said Rep. Lamar Smith, R-Texas, the top Republican on the House Judiciary Committee. "We know that the decision of these attorneys to approve enhanced interrogation tactics in the wake of 9/11 saved lives," he declared.

DoJ: No professional misconduct by lawyers who wrote "torture memos" Conclusion reversed recommended referral of lawyers for disbarment . John Yoo and Jay Bybee developed legal guidance on enhanced interrogation . Also cleared was Steven Bradbury, who headed the Office of Legal Counsel .

Washington (CNN) -- Citing a "deficit of trust" in government by the American people, President Obama's first State of the Union address urged Congress to erode the influence of special interests and work together to confront the nation's most pressing problems. In the nationally televised speech Wednesday night to a joint session of Congress, Obama sought to reassure Americans angry and nervous about the pace of economic recovery that his government understands the challenges and would act boldly to meet them. Obama called for a new political climate of "common sense" approaches that invest in the American people without building "a mountain of debt." Highlights of the speech "We have to recognize that we face more than a deficit of dollars right now. We face a deficit of trust -- deep and corrosive doubts about how Washington works that have been growing for years," Obama said. Key areas where Obama wants to build that trust include: the economy, education, energy, health care and national security. Democrats applauded the remarks of their party's leader. "He outlined a road map that, if followed with bipartisan support in Congress, can reduce our deficit, rebuild our economy and create a new foundation of prosperity for American families and businesses," said Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa. "It was a serious speech -- reached out to Republicans," said Rep. Steny Hoyer, D-Maryland, the House majority leader. iReport: Share your views on the speech Republicans, however, were skeptical of Obama's ability to change the partisan atmosphere in Washington. "Real bipartisanship requires more than just lip service; it demands both sides coming together in a real and meaningful way. It's time for the administration to abandon this big-government agenda and start working in a meaningful way with Republicans to find common-sense solutions to move the country forward," said Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah. "I would have liked to have seen him emphasize reaching out to the other side of the aisle and bringing us together," said Sen. George Voinovich, R-Ohio. Read more reaction to address Analysts, too, were mixed in their reactions to what Obama had to say Wednesday night. CNN political contributor John Avlon said Obama was targeting independents with his remarks, but questioned his success. "They still hear The Who's 'Won't Get Fooled Again' in the back of their minds," Avlon said. Democratic strategist James Carville said Obama made progress. "He picked up a first down tonight," Carville said. And a post-speech opinion poll shows a divided public. A CNN/Opinion Research Corp. survey indicated that 48 percent of speech watchers had a very positive reaction, with three in 10 saying they had a somewhat positive response and 21 percent with a negative response. See full results of poll The 48 percent who indicated they had a very positive response is down 20 points from the 68 percent of speech watchers who felt the same way a year ago about the president's February 24 primetime address to a joint session of Congress. "Wednesday night's State of the Union audience is more Democratic than the nation as a whole, but speech-watchers were less Democratic this year than they were last year," said Keating Holland, CNN polling director. "That may be one reason why the number who gave his speech a 'very positive' rating is lower this year. But part of the reason also may be that speech-watchers didn't necessarily hear a new agenda and aren't confident that the president can improve health care or lower the deficit."

Obama says he wants to close "deficit of trust" with American people . Democrats say president hits right areas with speech . Republicans say Obama doesn't go far enough to reach across aisle .

Washington (CNN) -- Coalition forces can attain "success" in Afghanistan, but U.S. officials should wait until December 2010 before they can measure the progress of the troop surge, a top U.S. commander told a Senate committee Wednesday. Gen. David Petraeus, head of U.S. Central Command, predicted the surge will be met by an increase in violence in spring 2010 and a rise in "security incidents" in the summer. Turmoil within the Afghan government over the 18 months of the troop increase is also expected as corruption is rooted out, Petraeus said. That, combined with an expected backlash in the spring and summer, Petraeus cautioned, means officials and the public should wait until December 2010 to evaluate the progress of the U.S. military strategy. "While certainly different and in some ways tougher than Iraq, Afghanistan is no more hopeless than Iraq was when I took command there in February 2007," Petraeus told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. "Indeed the level of violence and number of violent civilian deaths in Iraq were vastly higher than we have seen in Afghanistan, but achieving progress in Afghanistan will be hard and the progress there likely will be slower in developing than progress was achieved in Iraq." Petraeus' appearance before legislators was the latest by top U.S. officials on Capitol Hill this week. Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, testified before the Senate and House counterparts of the Armed Services Committee on Tuesday, joined by Karl Eikenberry, the U.S. ambassador in Kabul, who also testified Wednesday. Jacob Lew, deputy secretary of state for management and resources also testified Wednesday. McChrystal told CNN on Wednesday that U.S., Afghan and NATO forces need to cut off the Taliban insurgency from the Afghan people by establishing "security zones" that will gradually expand to encompass more and more territory. "At the end of the day, the insurgency needs access to the population to be effective," McChrystal said in an interview with CNN's Christiane Amanpour. "They need to be able to coerce the population, to tax the population, to recruit from the population, and to prevent the government from extending its governance into those areas." If Taliban fighters are forced to keep their distance from the Afghan population, then "over time, they become irrelevant, and they, in fact, are defeated," McChrystal said. The generals and diplomats were called to testify before the congressional committees about President Obama's new plan for the Afghan war, which involves the deployment of another 30,000 U.S. troops and a July 2011 date for the beginning of an American withdrawal. Part of stabilizing Afghanistan and fighting the Taliban will include supporting legitimate economies among Afghans, thwarting the chance that some would join the insurgency as a means of making a living, Eikenberry testified. About 80 percent of the Afghan people derive their income from agriculture and the United States plans to support agriculture among civilians while keeping farmers from growing heroin in the poppy fields, which can be lucrative for the Taliban, said Eikenberry. Also critical is a partnership with Pakistan, Eikenberry, Petraeus and Lew agreed. Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, Sen. John Kerry, D-Massachusetts, articulated that fighting the insurgency in Afghanistan includes addressing the problem of militants who have sought shelter across the border in Pakistan. Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, who has been at large since the September 11 attacks in 2001, is widely believed to be hiding along the rugged border between Afghanistan and Pakistan. While the withdrawal is set to begin July 2011, Kerry said the United States will maintain "engagement" with the region and talks with Afghanistan's neighbor, Pakistan. And Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai on Tuesday said that the country will need help financing their own military and police forces for the next 10 to 15 years. Worried about billions of dollars in costs and the longevity of the commitment to Afghanistan, Sen. Richard Lugar, R-Indiana, asked Petraeus to explain whether 15 years would be necessary and how much money it could cost. If Afghanistan attained the "aspirational" goal of 400,000 army and police members, it could cost about $10 billion

NEW: Gen. Stanley McChrystal talks with CNN's Christiane Amanpour about insurgency . Gen. David Petraeus: Full evaluations of progress should wait until December 2010 . Petraeus: Progress "likely will be slower" to come in Afghanistan than it was in Iraq . Karzai's "aspirational" goals would cost U.S. about $10 billion a year, Petraeus says .

Washington (CNN) -- Computer technicians have recovered about 22 million Bush administration e-mails that the Bush White House had said were missing, two watchdog groups that sued over the documents announced Monday. The e-mails date from 2003 to 2005, and had been "mislabeled and effectively lost," according to the National Security Archive, a research group based at George Washington University. But Melanie Sloan, executive director of the liberal-leaning Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, said it could be years before most of the e-mails are made public. "The e-mails themselves are not what we're getting," Sloan said. Documents related to the handling of e-mail under the Bush administration and subsequent information regarding how White House e-mails are currently archived will be released under a settlement with the Obama administration, which inherited a lawsuit the groups filed in 2007. But the National Archives must sort out which documents are covered by the Freedom of Information Act and which ones fall under the Presidential Records Act, which means they could be withheld for five to 10 years after the Bush administration left office in January, Sloan said. "The National Archives will sort this out," she said. The e-mail controversy dates back to the Bush administration's 2006 firing of the top federal prosecutors in nine cities. After congressional committees demanded the administration produce documents related to the firings, the White House said millions of e-mails might have been lost from its servers. Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington and the National Security Archive sued over the issue in 2007, arguing the Bush administration violated federal laws that require presidential records to be preserved. Court records have shown that the Bush administration knew about the e-mail problems as far back as 2005 and did nothing to fix them, Sloan said. "They never made an effort to restore them," she said. But Scott Stanzel, a former deputy press secretary in the Bush White House, said the group "has consistently tried to create a spooky conspiracy out of standard IT issues." "We always indicated that there is an e-mail archiving system and a disaster recovery system," Stanzel said. "We also indicated that e-mails not properly archived could be found on disaster recovery tapes. There is a big, big difference between something not being properly archived and it being 'lost' or 'missing,' as CREW would say." Monday's settlement allows for 94 days of e-mail traffic, scattered between January 2003 to April 2005, to be restored from backup tapes. Of those 94 days, 40 were picked by statistical sample; another 21 days were suggested by the White House; and the groups that filed suit picked 33 that seemed "historically significant," from the months before the invasion of Iraq to the period when the firings of U.S. attorneys were being planned. Also requested were several days surrounding the announcement that a criminal investigation was under way into the disclosure of then-CIA agent Valerie Plame Wilson's identity. That investigation led to the conviction of White House aide I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby on charges of perjury, obstruction of justice and lying to federal agents investigating the leak. Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington represented Wilson and her husband, former U.S. Ambassador Joseph Wilson, in a lawsuit over her exposure, which they argued was in retaliation for his accusation that the Bush administration over-hyped the intelligence used to justify the invasion of Iraq. A federal judge dismissed the case on procedural grounds in 2007, but Sloan said the missing e-mails raise the "strong possibility" that special prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald never received all the documents he requested during the leak investigation.

White House had said that about 22 million Bush administration e-mails were missing . E-mails involve Bush administration's 2006 firing of top federal prosecutors . White House said during congressional hearings they might have been lost . Suing watchdog groups will settle lawsuit with the Obama administration .

Washington (CNN) -- Congressional hearings into the massive oil spill growing in the Gulf of Mexico will start Tuesday, as winds continue to push the crude closer to the Mississippi Delta. BP America President Lamar McKay and Transocean President Steven Newman will appear before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee in the morning and then the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee in the afternoon. BP leased from Transocean the oil rig that exploded off the Louisiana coast last month, starting the spill. Senators are expected to quiz McKay and Newman about the precautions taken before the blast that set off the underwater gusher and the steps being taken to stop the spill. Experts also are expected to testify on the possible impact of the spill on fishing, tourism and local economies. Also on Tuesday, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano plans to travel to Mobile, Alabama, "to inspect ongoing operations to minimize the Deepwater BP Oil Spill's impact on public health, the environment and the economy," the Deepwater Horizon Joint Information Center said in a statement. Napolitano and Alabama Gov. Bob Riley plan to talk with reporters late Tuesday afternoon, the center said. A change in the weather could push more oil from BP's Deepwater Horizon site into the Mississippi Delta region and areas west of the river, according to Gov. Bobby Jindal, who called the development "bad news for Louisiana." Louisiana has been mostly spared since the oil rig exploded April 20 and sank two days later about 50 miles off the southeast coast of Louisiana. The catastrophe is sending 210,000 gallons of crude into the Gulf of Mexico each day. Most of the slick has been centered in an area east of the environmentally sensitive delta. "We've said all along that the oil coming west of the river would pose a whole new set of challenges," Jindal said at a Monday news conference. He detailed efforts to place booms and other restraining devices into four passes near Grand Isle to prevent the oil from reaching land. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecasters had warned over the weekend that the Mississippi Delta and areas to the northeast of it -- including Breton Sound, the Chandeleur Islands and the mainland behind them -- could see oil hit the coast by Tuesday. So far, the spill has had little impact on wildlife, said Mark J. Musaus, deputy director of the Southeast region for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Only a few birds have been taken to a wildlife rehabilitation center at Fort Jackson, Louisiana, he said. Two of them, a gannet and a pelican, were released Monday back into the wild. Another oiled pelican was still in the treatment center, as was a green heron, he said. The stakes are high for residents of coastal Louisiana who make their living from fishing in the Gulf of Mexico. The government has closed parts of the Gulf to fishing. The affected area, which is east of the Mississippi Delta, comprises about 4.5 percent of the Gulf of Mexico, NOAA said. Hundreds of thousands of feet of boom and large volumes of dispersants continued to be deployed in an effort to capture or break up the spilled oil moving toward the Gulf coastline. Thousands of workers and volunteers also have been skimming the water's surface.

Presidents of BP, Transocean to appear before two Senate committees Tuesday . Senators expected to quiz them about massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico . Homeland security chief heads to Alabama to see efforts to minimize impact of spill . Officials worry that change in weather will push more oil into Mississippi Delta .

Washington (CNN) -- Defense Secretary Robert Gates will unveil the Pentagon's plan to prepare for repealing the controversial "don't ask, don't tell" law regarding gay soldiers at a committee hearing Tuesday, a Pentagon spokesman said. "The Defense Department leadership is actively working on an implementation plan and the secretary will have more to say about this next week," Pentagon press secretary Geoff Morrell said on Thursday. President Obama said in his first State of the Union address Wednesday night that he would work with Congress and the Pentagon this year to repeal the law that prohibits military members from acknowledging openly that they are gay. According to the Senate Web site, the Senate Armed Services Committee has scheduled an hour to discuss the issue at Tuesday's hearing on the fiscal year 2011 defense budget, which Gates will attend. The committee revised its schedule for the hearing, announcing that Gates and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Adm. Mike Mullen will testify on the budget, as planned, as well as the "don't ask, don't tell" issue. Gates and Mullen are not expected to offer a specific legislative proposal to repeal the law, but rather to detail some of the preliminary steps that need to be taken inside the military in advance of formulating a legislative plan. Gates will discuss options for more "humanely" implementing the current ban, for example, according to a senior Pentagon official. The secretary asked his general counsel's office for options six months ago including how to possibly not expel personnel whose homosexuality is revealed by third parties, the source said. The 1993 law bars gay men and lesbians in the military from revealing their sexual orientation, and prevents the military from asking about it. Another military official familiar with the discussion said some of the issues to be considered include the cost of implementing a new policy, benefits for gay spouses, potential hate crimes, and even logistical questions such as the possible need to renovate barracks to separate straight and gay troops. According to the official, the idea of separate housing or showers was not considered a serious possibility, but would be discussed in order to rule it out. Previously, Gates has said the transition from the existing law should be done gradually and "very, very carefully." "The president has been clear about where he wants to go and what he thinks needs to be done," Gates said in April at the Army War College when asked about changing the law. "But I think that he is approaching this in a deliberate and cautious manner, so that if we do go down that road, we do it right and we do it in a way that mitigates any downsides, problems that might be associated with it." At least one member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff -- Gen. James Conway, commandant of the Marine Corps -- has expressed reservations in the past about repealing the law. In November, Conway said through a spokesman: "Our Marines are currently engaged in two fights, and our focus should not be drawn away from those priorities." Some Congressional opposition already is clear. Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona, a former Navy pilot, released a statement after Wednesday night's State of the Union address saying "it would be a mistake" to repeal the law. "This successful policy has been in effect for over 15 years, and it is well understood and predominantly supported by our military at all levels," McCain's statement said, later adding: "At a time when our Armed Forces are fighting and sacrificing on the battlefield, now is not the time to abandon the policy." Others support the change. Gen. John Shalikashvili, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said it was time to repeal the law. "As a nation built on the principal of equality, we should recognize and welcome change that will build a stronger more cohesive military," Shalikashvili said in a letter sent to Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-New York, who supports repealing the policy. The Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, an organization that works with those affected

President has called on Congress to repeal policy on gays in military . Defense Secretary Robert Gates will discuss Pentagon's plan at Tuesday hearing . Issues include cost of implementation, benefits for gay spouses, potential hate crimes .

Washington (CNN) -- Democratic congressional leaders Wednesday demanded Republicans join them in condemning a spate of threats and vandalism that has followed Sunday's vote on a sweeping overhaul of the U.S. health care system. More than 10 Democrats have reported trouble since the weekend vote, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer told reporters. Windows have been smashed at Democratic offices in at least three states, and federal agents were investigating whether a cut gas line at the home of a Virginia congressman's brother was related to the lawmaker's yes vote. Democracy "is not about violence," Hoyer said at a news conference with South Carolina Rep. James Clyburn, the No. 3 Democrat in the House of Representatives. "Both of us believe that to remain silent in the face of such activity gives the impression of either condoning or sanctioning such actions," added Hoyer, D-Maryland. The top Republican in the House, Minority Leader John Boehner, told reporters that he has urged opponents to demonstrate legally. "I've made statements that I understand people are angry, but violence and threats are inappropriate and irresponsible," the Ohio congressman said. "If people are angry, they ought to register to vote and get involved in a campaign." The white-hot rhetoric that dominated the last several months of debate on the historic health care bill culminated in unruly protests by the Tea Party movement at the Capitol over the weekend. Three African-American House Democrats, including civil rights leader Rep. John Lewis of Georgia, reported protesters shouted racial slurs at them and spit at one of them, while Rep. Barney Frank, D-Massachusetts, an openly gay House member, had anti-gay slurs yelled at him. One House member mentioned a map on the Facebook page of former Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin during a Wednesday meeting on safety concerns, a Democratic source said. The map shows 20 House Democratic political targets believed to be vulnerable in the upcoming midterm elections -- some have already announced their retirements. Their home districts are marked with cross hairs. Mention of the map brought audible groans to the room, the source said. Republican House members encouraged protesters outside and inside the House gallery, some of whom carried messages like "Vote no or else" or "If Brown won't stop it, a Browning will" -- a reference to newly elected Massachusetts Sen. Scott Brown accompanied by a silhouette of a pistol. Since the vote, an Alabama blogger has launched a "window war" against Democrats and has kept a tally of the recent incidents of damage, including ones in upstate New York, Arizona and Kansas. A message left for Michigan Democrat Bart Stupak, whose last-minute decision to support the bill helped give Democrats the votes it needed to pass, warned that "there are millions of people across the country who wish you ill, and all of those thoughts projected on you will materialize into something that's not very good for you." Clyburn, who is African-American, said he has received a fax in his office with a picture of a noose drawn on it and had threatening telephone calls at his home. iReport: 'A very dangerous time for Obama' "We're giving aid and comfort to these people, and this stuff gets ratcheted up," Clyburn told CNN. "We in this Congress have got to come together in a bipartisan way and tamp this foolishness down. It doesn't make sense. That's not what a democracy is all about." Hoyer told a news conference that "a significant number, meaning over 10" lawmakers had reported either threats, vandalism or other incidents. Capitol police officials have briefed House Democrats on reporting suspicious or threatening activity and taking precautions to avoid "subjecting themselves or their families to physical harm," he said. Rep. Louise Slaughter, D-New York, said her Niagara Falls district office had a brick thrown through one of its windows and a message that referred to "snipers" was left on one of her campaign offices. In a written statement, she said GOP leaders have been "fanning the flames with

Steny Hoyer: Some House Democrats reported threats or other incidents . An aide to one Democrat said propane line on his brother's gas grill had been severed . "Violence and threats are unacceptable," House Minority Leader John Boehner says .

Washington (CNN) -- Despite revelations in a congressional investigation of a subsidiary's mismanagement and questionable vetting of employees, the company formerly known as Blackwater could soon win millions of dollars in new job orders for work in Afghanistan. A subsidiary of Xe, the new name for Blackwater, is eligible to win Department of Defense work worth tens of millions of dollars to train Afghan police, according to a Pentagon official. Five companies were qualified to bid on the training and training-support contracts, including Raytheon, Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin Integrated Systems, ARINC and the U.S. Training Center. U.S. Training Center is a subsidiary company owned by Xe. The Pentagon contract is to be announced next month. Xe has not been officially notified whether it will be awarded the contract, according to a company spokesman. "We have not been awarded either and have no knowledge of the status of those contracts," said Xe spokesman Mark Corallo. An industry official told CNN that Xe made bids on two task orders under the training program, one for the actual training of Afghan police and one for logistics support for such training. Once awarded, the new orders would be in effect until August 2012, according to a Department of Defense statement. Since 2007, the company, then called Blackwater, has held the rights to bid against the other four companies on a pool of jobs worth as much as $15 billion. Xe still holds numerous contracts under three company names in Afghanistan for support of military and intelligence operations. Those companies are US Training Center, Greystone and Presidential Airways. The company has a troubled past both in Iraq and Afghanistan. It was banned from operating in Iraq by the government there after a shooting incident left Iraqi civilians dead and injured. That incident strained relations between the United States and Iraq. In May 2009, four contractors in Kabul were involved in a shooting incident that left two Afghan civilians dead. Two of the contractors are now facing charges in the United States. A congressional investigation found evidence that the company that hired them, a Xe subsidiary called Paravant, armed the employees despite having no permission to do so from the U.S. military. The probe also found that the company illicitly obtained the guns used in the shooting, and hundreds of others, from a stockpile of weapons meant for the use of the Afghan military and police. On Wednesday Xe officials were called before the Senate Armed Service Committee to discuss that shooting incident. The committee's chairman, Carl Levin, D-Michigan, said an Army investigation appeared to find that the contract personnel had "violated alcohol consumption policies, were not authorized to possess weapons, violated use-of-force rules and violated movement-control policies." He said one of the keys to beating the Taliban in Afghanistan is the ability of U.S. forces to win support from the Afghan people, many of whom do not distinguish between U.S. contractors and the U.S. military. Xe Services Vice President Fred Roitz acknowledged the company's culpability in the 2009 incident in his opening statement to the panel. In the statement, Roitz said, "the new Xe Services would act differently today. We simply will not send our personnel overseas without a proper authorization for a weapon (where needed) and without full compliance with all requirements." He said the company has "put in place new leadership and procedures to help ensure this commitment is kept." On Thursday, Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell defended the military's oversight of contractors. "We've made a lot of mistakes in both Iraq and Afghanistan. And we've tried to address those mistakes in a number of ways," Morrell said. "But as far as I know, people are being held to account for the mistakes and the violations that they have made."

A subsidiary of Xe, formerly Blackwater, bid on lucrative new training contract . Xe spokesman: No official word on whether company will be awarded contract . Since 2007, Xe has held rights to bid against four other firms in a $15 billion jobs pool . The company has a troubled past both in Iraq and Afghanistan .

Washington (CNN) -- Despite the bruising battle over their proposals to overhaul health care, congressional Democrats have maintained an advantage over their Republican counterparts on one key measure, according to a new national poll. A CNN/Opinion Research Corp. survey released Wednesday indicates that a bare majority of Americans, 51 percent, believe that the Democrats' policies are good for the country, with 46 percent saying that those policies would take the U.S. in the wrong direction. Fifty-three percent of people questioned in the poll said the GOP's polices would move the nation in the wrong direction, with 42 percent saying Republican policies are good for the country. "The numbers for both parties are virtually unchanged since late August, just before President Barack Obama's health care speech to Congress opened the latest round of debate on this divisive issue," said Keating Holland, CNN's polling director. Democrats will be defending their large majorities in Congress next year when all 435 House seats and more than a third of the Senate seats are up for grabs. "This advantage on policy could be an important edge for the Democrats heading into the 2010 midterm elections," Holland added. "But independents will be the key to the midterms, and the numbers among independents spell bad news for both parties among that important group." In an August survey, independent voters' views of GOP policies were evenly divided. But a majority of independents now say Republicans would move the country in the wrong direction. Nonetheless, the number of independents who dislike Democratic policies, now at 57 percent, is higher than the 52 percent who hold a negative view of Republican policies. The survey suggests that Sen. Joe Lieberman is taking a hit in popularity due to his opposition to a major element in the health care bill. The Connecticut independent, who caucuses with the Democrats to give the party a 60-vote filibuster-proof majority in the Senate, threatened to undermine the bill unless compromises were made. Lieberman opposed the creation of a government-run public insurance option and the expansion of Medicare to individuals as young as 55. Both of those proposals were dropped from the bill this month, enraging many liberals. According to the poll, Lieberman's favorable rating has dropped 9 percentage points, from 40 percent to 31 percent, from early December. His unfavorable rating has risen 6 percentage points, from 28 percent to 34 percent. "Lieberman's biggest decline -- a 14-point drop -- came among independents," Holland said. "Only Republicans continue to like Lieberman." The survey also indicates that just one in five Americans trust the federal government always or most of the time, down 4 percentage points from a year ago. The CNN/Opinion Research poll was conducted December 16 through Sunday, with 1,160 adult Americans questioned by telephone. The survey's overall sampling error is plus or minus 3 percentage points. CNN deputy political director Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.

Poll: Fifty-one percent believe Democratic policies are good for the country . Forty-two percent say Republican policies are good for the country, poll shows . Views of independents spell bad news for both parties in 2010 elections, CNN polling chief says .

Washington (CNN) -- Disturbed by the news that Moammar Gadhafi's wife and three children, along with some grandchildren, were able to flee over the Libyan border to Algeria in spite of a U.N. travel ban, the U.S. State Department nonetheless is taking a low-key approach. "There are concerns that this isn't in keeping with the travel ban restrictions," State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland told reporters Tuesday but, defending the administration's response, she said the United States is reviewing Algeria's explanation for why it let the family into the country. Gadhafi's two sons who fled, Hannibal and Mohammed, along with his daughter, Aisha, are specifically named in the U.N. travel ban for "closeness of association with (the) regime." "We care, in terms of the fact that under U.N. Security Council Resolution 1970, the Gadhafi family was subject to a travel ban," Nuland said. "So, they have now traveled. The government of Algeria has now sent a letter to the UN. We are reviewing that letter now in New York but, clearly, there has to be an international community decision and response in regard to the travel ban restrictions that (the resolution) imposes." The Algerian representative to the U.N. said Monday that his government let the Gadhafis into the country on "humanitarian grounds." Aisha Gadhafi gave birth to a daughter at the border. Algeria's Ambassador to the U.N., Mourad Benmehidi, told CNN, "The wife of someone who has grievances with the international community is not necessarily subject to the same grievances." The U.N. resolution does allow exceptions to the travel ban resolution: "Where the Committee determines on a case-by-case basis that such travel is justified on the grounds of humanitarian need, including religious obligation." It requires a state to inform the United Nations within 48 hours of any such decision. "We have said that members of Gadhafi's family should be held accountable," the State Department's Nuland said, but added: "...we need to review the Algerian government explanation, so does the (National Transitional Council), and we need to see where we go from there." Algeria's decision to accept the family, however, has infuriated the rebel National Transitional Council. The council is demanding that Algerian authorities hand the family over to be tried by Libyan courts, calling Algeria's decision an "act of aggression." Rebels who picked through Hannibal Gadhafi's seaside villa in Libya on Sunday introduced CNN's Dan Rivers to his family's badly scarred former nanny, who said she had been doused with boiling water by Hannibal's wife, model Aline Skaf, when she refused to beat one of their crying toddlers. The abuse was corroborated by another member of the household staff.

U.N. Security Council resolution forbade travel to the Gadhafi family . Gadhafi's wife, three children, some grandchildren were able to flee Libya into Algeria . Libya's National Transitional Council called Algeria's decision an "act of aggression" State Department: International decision is "clearly" called for in this instance .

Washington (CNN) -- Even as he charges into his re-election battle, President Barack Obama has a festering weakness on a flank that, by all accounts, ought to be rock solid: the one held by African-American Democrats. Their support for his programs, belief in his leadership and enthusiasm for another term is softening just as he needs it most. In the past few weeks, the president has been chastised by the Congressional Black Caucus for avoiding troubled inner-city districts, peppered with tough questions on BET, and suffered plummeting poll numbers among black voters. That last item is critical. During the 2008 election, their turnout was massive and their support almost unanimous. Now, however, a Washington Post/ABC News poll finds that black voters with a "strongly favorable" view of Obama dropped from 86% to 58% in just five months. "Patience is running out," says Reginald Daniel, a professor of sociology at the University of California Santa Barbara. Daniel has written extensively about race and politics. "People are disappointed because I think their expectations were way too high to begin with." Many political analysts sum up those "expectations run amok" this way: White voters heralded the election of a black president as a sign that long-standing racial gaps were closing, and they expected Obama to play a post-racial role; a president for everyone, who just happened to be black. Meanwhile, many African-American voters just as clearly saw his election as a great leap forward and hoped the presence of a black president in the Oval Office would bring a new level of understanding, acknowledgment, and relief for their community's problems. "Finding a middle ground is almost an impossibility," Daniels says. "It's just the worst position to be in." The driving problem, however, is neither black nor white -- it is green. Joblessness, bad for everyone, is much worse in African-American communities, where unemployment is pushing 17%, the worst since the 1980s. That is what triggered the revolt in the CBC and those stinging questions during that TV interview. The president is pushing back, pointing out that his initiatives, such as health care reform and the recent jobs bill, especially help lower-income families, many of whom are black. On BET, he quickly dismissed talk about a dearth of specific programs for minorities. "What people are saying all across the country is we are hurting and we've been hurting for a long time," the president said. "The question is: How can we make sure the economy is working for every single person?" He also insisted that even if black leaders are grousing, it's not really about him or his policies. "There's always going to be somebody who is critical of the president of the United States." And at a CBC fundraising dinner he raised eyebrows by telling members to quit complaining and start "marching" with him for change. But if the reaction of Rep. Maxine Waters, D-California, is any gauge, he'll have to do a lot more selling. She summed up his comments in a word: "Curious." To be sure, most African-Americans still support Obama. Political analysts do not expect a massive shift of their votes to the Republicans; and even the president's most adamant black critics often follow their barbs with a quick salve, saying African-American voters ultimately will not oppose him. Still, the danger for the White House is not that black citizens will vote against Obama, but that they won't vote at all. A lackluster turnout in just a few key states could tip the electoral balance against him. What's more, every moment he spends making sure black Democrats come to the polls increases his risk of alienating white voters, and is time lost winning over independents, whom he also must have. Politically, it is hard for a candidate to tiptoe through such a black-and-white minefield. For a president, it is even tougher

In recent weeks, Obama's support among blacks has been beset by troubles . Among them: CBC scolding, hardball questions on BET, black jobless numbers . He faces a balancing act in the 2012 campaign in appealing to various blocs . Sociologist Reginald Daniel: "Finding a middle ground is almost an impossibility"

Washington (CNN) -- Fearlessly demonstrating the majesty of U.S. justice or acquiescing to terrorists by giving them undeserved rights and a public platform? The decision to bring Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, admitted mastermind of the September 11, 2001, attacks, and four other suspects to a New York courtroom, rather than a military tribunal, was described in stark contrasts Sunday by officials on opposing sides of the political spectrum. Democrats hailed Attorney General Eric Holder's decision to try the men in a civilian court as a demonstration of America's might and moral certainty, while Republicans called it a bad idea based on politics rather than pragmatism. "We have a judicial system that's the envy of the world," Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy, D-Vermont, said on the CBS program "Face the Nation." "I don't think we should run and hide and cower. Let's use our system." But Republican Sen. Judd Gregg of New Hampshire, speaking on the CNN program "State of the Union," questioned why foreigners who allegedly are terrorists at war with the United States should be given full judicial rights of U.S. citizens. "These people are evil people," Gregg said of the defendants. "They represent a cause which wants to destroy this nation. If they have the opportunity and were to get free, they would try to destroy this country. There's no reason we should have them in the criminal justice system." Former New York Major Rudy Giuliani, considered a possible GOP presidential candidate in 2012, called military tribunals created for terrorism suspects who have been held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, a better option than a civilian court. Military tribunals are "a better choice for the government," Giuliani said on "Fox News Sunday." "This choice of New York is a better choice for the terrorists. Why would you seek to give the terrorists a better choice than you're giving the public?" In a separate interview on CNN's "State of the Union," Giuliani said a New York court trial would cause unnecessary stress and expense for the city's police force. "Anyone that tells you that this doesn't create additional security problems, of course, isn't telling you the truth," Giuliani said. "And the best indication of it is, just look at the additional security that's going to be employed when this happens. That also happens to cost millions and millions and millions of dollars." Rep. Peter Hoekstra of Michigan, the ranking Republican on the House Intelligence Committee, warned that bringing the suspects to New York raised the risk of further attacks on the United States. "Why move them into the United States while we are still under the threat from radical jihadists?" Hoekstra asked on the CBS program. However, Democratic Sen. Jack Reed of Rhode Island said on "Fox News Sunday" that scores of terrorism suspects were successfully prosecuted in civilian courts under the Bush Administration. "What was a statesmanlike decision by the Bush administration can't be a political decision by this administration," Reed said. Holder announced the decision on the trial Friday. He said he expected all five suspects to be tried together and for prosecutors to seek the death penalty. The trial would be open to the public, although some portions that deal with classified information may be closed, Holder said.

Democrats: Decision is a demonstration of America's might and moral certainty . Military tribunals would have been better choice, says ex-N.Y. mayor Giuliani . Rep. Peter Hoekstra, R-Michigan: Bringing suspects into U.S. raises threat of attacks . Sen. Jack Reed, D-Rhode Island: Prosecuting terrorism suspects in civilian courts not new .

Washington (CNN) -- Fears that Haitian earthquake survivors would engage in a massive and deadly ocean migration to South Florida have thus far been unfounded, according to federal and local government officials, who say they continue to plan for such an exodus only as a precaution. The U.S. Coast Guard said it has witnessed only normal maritime traffic around Haiti, and it has not intercepted any Haitians attempting illegal crossings into U.S. waters. Nor does it see people preparing for voyages . Florida officials have asked for federal government funding to shelter 10,000 refugees, but said that was done only as a precaution. Meanwhile, the U.S. Air Force continues daily flights of its EC-130J Commando Solo aircraft -- a radio station in the sky -- which is broadcasting warnings to would-be migrants, as well as information about where people can find food and aid. List of missing, found people in Haiti The plane is broadcasting a recorded message from Raymond Joseph, Haiti's ambassador to the United States, saying: "Listen, don't rush on boats to leave the country. Because I'll be honest with you: If you think you will reach the U.S. and all the doors will be wide open to you, that's not at all the case. And they will intercept you right on the water and send you back home where you came from." State Department deputy spokesman Gordon Duguid said the message is "part of the U.S. effort to help keep Haitians safe." "We don't want people to endanger their lives by taking risk to try to get to the U.S. at this time," he said. The U.S. military will be distributing special radios to Haitians this week in an effort to get messages and news spread as far as possible. Some 50,000 portable solar-powered and windup radios will be distributed by the U.S. military joint task force that is deploying troops in Haiti's capital, Port-au-Prince, and other severely stricken parts of the country. Government officials say past migrations from Cuba and Haiti were the result of large geopolitical events, circumstances that differ significantly from those in Haiti now. Further, there is a large U.S. government presence in Haiti and offshore -- factors that will make any migration easier for the government to detect. "At this point, we are not expecting a massive influx of Haitian individuals," said Mike Stone, spokesman for the Florida Emergency Operations Center. Immediately after the January 12 quake, the state "dusted off" a preparedness plan known as Operation Vigilant Sentry "just in case," he said. The plan has been in place since 2003. David Halstead, director of Florida's Division of Emergency Management, said the state's request for "safe housing" for 10,000 Haitian survivors was based on the plan. That is the maximum number Florida officials believe the state could support in any mass migration, and only for a limited period, he said. It is based on the expectation that people would first be housed at Guantanamo Bay Naval Base in Cuba and federal immigration detention centers. "I think right now, with everyone watching Haiti ... for any boat or ship to be able to get out of there illegally would be a miracle upon itself," Halstead said Tuesday. The U.S. Coast Guard said it has seen "nothing out of the ordinary" off Haiti's coast in recent days. Ferry vessels have been crowded, "but they're not going anyplace we wouldn't expect them to," Lt. Cmdr. Christopher O'Neil said. Haitians have migrated to the United States by boat in relatively small numbers for at least the past 30 years, with several notable spikes. An estimated 25,000 Haitians were among the mass migration of more than 150,000 asylum seekers, primarily Cubans, during the Mariel boatlift in 1980. In the early 1990s, tens of thousands of Haitians migrated to the United States after the coup d'etat deposing President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. CNN Pentagon Producer Mike Mount contributed to this report.

U.S. Coast Guard: Maritime traffic around Haiti normal . Coast Guard says it hasn't intercepted Haitians trying illegal crossings into U.S. waters . Florida has asked for federal funding to shelter 10,000 as a precaution . U.S. Air Force plane broadcasts message: Don't try to reach U.S. on boats .

Washington (CNN) -- Federal Aviation Administrator Randy Babbitt resigned Tuesday, three days after he was arrested on a drunk driving charge near his suburban Washington home. In a brief statement released to the media, Babbitt said he had submitted his resignation to his boss, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, and that LaHood had accepted it. Babbitt, 65, a former airline pilot and president of a major pilots' union, said serving as FAA administrator had been "the highlight of my professional career," adding, "But I am unwilling to let anything cast a shadow on the outstanding work done 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by my colleagues at the FAA." His statement made no mention of his arrest, although it was clearly the event that precipitated his action. Earlier in the day, Secretary LaHood told reporters he was "very disappointed" that he had learned about Babbitt's Saturday night arrest only after the Fairfax City, Virginia, police department issued a news release about the incident. In a statement released just minutes after Babbitt announced his resignation, LaHood called Babbitt a "dedicated public servant and outstanding leader." "I'm proud to say that we have the safest aviation system in the world, and thanks to Randy's stewardship, it became safer and stronger," LaHood said. "He worked tirelessly to improve relations with the labor community and bolstered employee engagement among his 49,000 colleagues at the FAA." Fairfax City police arrested Babbitt late Saturday night after they allegedly saw Babbitt driving on the wrong side of the road. The police put out a news release on Monday morning detailing the incident. Babbitt was alone in the car, and was cooperative, police said. He was released on personal recognizance, meaning no bail was required. The police department said Babbitt failed a sobriety test, but they did not release the results of any blood-alcohol test. On Monday, DOT officials appeared to be caught off-guard when the police department, in accordance with its policies, issued a news release saying Babbitt had been arrested. DOT officials Monday afternoon issued a statement saying that Babbitt had asked for a leave of absence, and it had been granted. A court date for Babbitt has been set for February 2 in Virginia. Deputy Administrator Michael Huerta is serving as acting administrator.

NEW: FAA head Randy Babbitt resigns after a weekend charge of drunk driving . NEW: Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood accepts Babbitt's resignation . Police allegedly saw Babbitt driving on the wrong side of the road .

Washington (CNN) -- Few issues divide the Supreme Court -- and the country at large -- more than church-state matters, and arguments before the Supreme Court on Wednesday involving a workplace discrimination lawsuit against a Lutheran church proved especially touchy. At issue is whether the Americans with Disabilities Act applies to hiring and firing decisions involving "ministerial employees" like teachers who may have primarily secular job duties. The justices appeared at odds over whether this is substantive discrimination or simple retaliation against a Michigan teacher, after she complained to government authorities over her treatment on the job. "You're asking for an exemption (to lawsuits) so these issues can't even be tried" in a government hearing on the merits, said Justice Anthony Kennedy. "She was fired simply for asking for a hearing." "It's none of the business of the government to decide what the substantial interest of the church is," countered Justice Antonin Scalia. "There, in black and white in the text of the Constitution, are special protections for religion." Court records show Cheryl Perich went on medical leave for narcolepsy in 2004. When she tried to return several months later to the Hosanna-Tabor Evangelical Lutheran Church and School, officials refused to accept her, saying a substitute had been hired to complete the school year. After weeks of often acrimonious discussions between her and the school, Perich was fired for insubordination and "regrettable" conduct toward church leaders. She then complained to the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which sued the church on her behalf. Federal courts have upheld an exception in the Americans with Disabilities Act blocking government intrusion in the employment decisions between religious institutions and ministerial workers. The church said Perich was just such an employee and therefore the institution could not be sued. Perich had been hired five years earlier, and eventually became a "called" teacher, meaning she could not be fired without cause. Assigned to third and fourth grades, she led instruction in math, language arts, social studies, gym and music, with much of the curriculum identical to that of the local public schools. Perich also taught a religion class four days a week, and engaged in daily prayers and devotionals with her students. The religion-based activities typically took up about 45 minutes of the seven-hour school day, according to court documents. She also led chapel services with her class twice a year, on a rotation basis with other instructors. The faculty has two types of teachers: "lay" employees, who are on one-year contracts, and called teachers like Perich, who have completed a formal colloquy, receiving a certificate of admission into the teaching ministry. Those parochial instructors are hired on an open-ended basis and cannot be summarily dismissed without proper justification. Perich began as a contract teacher, but fulfilled the requirements to be a called teacher, becoming a "commissioned minister" in the Lutheran Church. Perich attended the one-hour oral arguments at the high court, saying afterward, "I can't fathom how the Constitution in any way can be interpreted to deny me my fundamental rights. I hope the court sees it that way." The Redford, Michigan, school is affiliated with the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, but does not require its teachers to be called, or even Lutheran. A federal appeals court in Cincinnati eventually ruled for Perich, saying her primary duties as a teacher were not religious in nature. In the oral arguments at the high court, Douglas Laycock, representing the church, said, "Government does not set the criteria for selecting and removing officers of the church. That's a bedrock principle." Justice Sonia Sotomayor jumped in. "Doesn't society have a right at some point to say certain conduct is unacceptable," and deserving of government intervention. "We know from the news recently that there was a church whose religious beliefs centered around sexually exploiting women and, I believe, children." She added, "Once we say that's unacceptable, can and why shouldn't we protect (from

A former teacher wants to sue the church school that dismissed her . The Evangelical Lutheran Church and School says it is immune from such suits . Justice Sotomayor: "Doesn't society have a right" to censure "certain conduct?" Chief Roberts: The EEOC is judging "how important a ... religious belief is to a church"

Washington (CNN) -- Finding al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden and rolling back a resurgent Taliban are necessary steps toward winning the war in Afghanistan, the top U.S. commander there told a Senate committee Tuesday. Bin Laden remains at large more than eight years after the September 11, 2001, attacks on New York and Washington that triggered the Afghan war, and is widely believed to be hiding along the rugged border between Afghanistan and Pakistan. Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, said the world's most wanted terrorist is "an iconic figure" whose survival "emboldens al Qaeda as a franchising organization across the world." "It would not defeat al Qaeda to have him captured or killed, but I don't think we can finally defeat al Qaeda until he is finally captured or killed," McChrystal told the Senate Armed Services Committee. But he said if bin Laden is hiding across the border, "It is outside of my mandate." In addition, he said, pushing back the Taliban -- which allowed al Qaeda to operate from Afghanistan before 9/11 -- is a "prerequisite" for destroying the terrorist network. "To pursue our core goal of defeating al Qaeda and preventing their return to Afghanistan, we must disrupt and degrade the Taliban's capacity, deny their access to the Afghan population, and strengthen the Afghan security forces," he said. McChrystal's appearance before senators was his second round of testimony on Capitol Hill on Tuesday, following a session with the House Armed Services Committee earlier in the day. Karl Eikenberry, the U.S. ambassador in Kabul, joined him in both hearings. Both men were called to testify about President Obama's new plan for the Afghan war, which involves the deployment of another 30,000 U.S. troops and a July 2011 date for the beginning of an American withdrawal. McChrystal said the next 18 months will be "critical" to the war effort and said U.S. forces must convince Afghans that "we are going to win." The United States and its NATO allies must reverse the Taliban's actual and perceived momentum and establish "contiguous security" around the country rather than the pockets that currently exist, McChrystal said. One advantage U.S. troops have is that the Taliban -- which ruled most of Afghanistan before the 9/11 attacks -- remain largely unpopular among Afghans and draw support only through the threat of violence. "I have never seen evidence that the Taliban have popular support like a political liberation movement," he said. In August, the general had cautioned that a failure to reverse Taliban gains within 12 months could make defeating the insurgents impossible. But his testimony Tuesday lengthened that timeline. "The sober fact is that there are no silver bullets," he told the House committee. "Ultimate success will be the cumulative effect of sustained pressure." McChrystal said he "participated fully in the president's assessment and decision-making process" and fully supports Obama's decision. And Eikenberry, whose leaked cables to Washington indicated that he opposed sending large numbers of troops to the conflict, told the Senate he is "100 percent" behind the new strategy "with the refinement of the mission." His initial questions, Eikenberry told the House, were about the number of troops, the timeline for those troops, and the context in which those troops would operate. "The mission was refined, the ways forward were clarified, and the resources now have been committed to allow us to achieve the refined mission," said the ambassador, a retired general who held a senior post in Kabul before retiring from the Army. "With that, at this point in time ... I am unequivocally in support of this mission and I am exactly aligned with Gen. McChrystal in moving forward now to vigorously implement the assigned mission." Both Eikenberry and McChrystal went out of their way to minimize the differences in their views after reports of an Eikenberry cable advising the president that McChrystal's plans to send more troops would be ill advised because of a lack of confidence in the government of Afghan President Hamid Karzai. In their opening statements, both said they were honored

NEW: "I don't think we can finally defeat al Qaeda" without getting bin Laden, McChrystal says . NEW: General, U.S. ambassador testify before House and Senate armed services committees . McChrystal: Perceptions of Afghan people and insurgency will be critical to success . McChrystal: "I don't view July 2011 as a deadline."

Washington (CNN) -- Flights transporting critically injured Haitians into the United States will resume within a few hours, the White House announced Sunday afternoon. The flights were temporarily suspended because of logistical issues including space to care for the injured, White House spokesman Tommy Vietor said Saturday. "Having received assurances that additional capacity exists both here and among our international partners, we determined that we can resume these critical flights," he said in a statement Sunday. Full coverage The statement, released Sunday afternoon, said flights would resume "in the next 12 hours." The evacuated patients are those whose medical needs could not be met by doctors working in Haiti. Nearly 23,000 people have been seen by U.S. personnel since the January 12 earthquake, Vietor said. Some volunteer American doctors in Haiti expect the flights to resume at 11 a.m. Monday, according to Nery Ynclan, a spokeswoman for Dr. Barth Green, of the University of Miami, who is leading a team of volunteers in Port-au-Prince. Airlifts stopped after there were "concerns about the strain on domestic health capacity," Vietor said. But officials have increased the ability to care for patients through a network of nonprofits and U.S. hospitals, he said. But earlier reports also cited questions over who would pay for patients' care. The missing, the found, the victims The flights stopped Wednesday when some states refused to allow entry to Haitians needing care, according to Navy Capt. Kevin Aandahl, a spokesman for the U.S. Transportation Command. He would not say which states objected. In a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius obtained by CNN, Florida Gov. Charlie Crist asked that the federal government activate the National Disaster Medical System to provide reimbursement to Florida and other states for taking in the patients, who have no insurance. Florida's health facilities were already strained by winter tourism and seasonal residence migration, Crist said in the letter. But Florida officials said Saturday that the state was committed to assisting Haitian quake victims and had not asked the airlifts be halted. Florida will play a role in caregiving once flights resume. The state has identified medical facilities that could take in victims, Vietor said in Sunday's statement. CNN's Susan Candiotti and Rachel Streitfeld contributed to this report.

White House spokesman: Flights had been temporarily suspended because of logistical issues . Spokesman says there were "concerns about the strain on domestic health capacity" Evacuated patients are those whose medical needs couldn't be met in Haiti after quake . White House has "received assurances that additional capacity exists"

Washington (CNN) -- Flights transporting critically injured Haitians to the United States are set to resume Monday morning, according to a spokeswoman for a University of Miami team of volunteers in Port-au-Prince. The flights are scheduled to resume at 11 a.m. Monday, said Nery Ynclan, a spokeswoman for the university's R. Barth Green, who is leading the team. The flights were temporarily suspended because of logistical issues including space to care for the injured, White House spokesman Tommy Vietor said Saturday. "Having received assurances that additional capacity exists both here and among our international partners, we determined that we can resume these critical flights," he said in a statement Sunday. The statement, released Sunday afternoon, said flights would resume "in the next 12 hours." The evacuated patients are those whose medical needs could not be met by doctors working in Haiti. Nearly 23,000 people have been seen by U.S. personnel since the January 12 earthquake, Vietor said. The missing, the found, the victims Airlifts stopped after there were "concerns about the strain on domestic health capacity," Vietor said. But officials have increased the ability to care for patients through a network of nonprofits and U.S. hospitals, he said. Earlier reports also cited questions over who would pay for patients' care. The flights stopped Wednesday when some states refused to allow entry to Haitians needing care, according to Navy Capt. Kevin Aandahl, a spokesman for the U.S. Transportation Command. He would not say which states objected. In a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius obtained by CNN, Florida Gov. Charlie Crist asked that the federal government activate the National Disaster Medical System to provide reimbursement to Florida and other states for taking in the patients, who have no insurance. Share your stories from Haiti Florida's health facilities were already strained by winter tourism and seasonal residence migration, Crist said in the letter. But Florida officials said Saturday that the state was committed to assisting Haitian quake victims and had not asked the airlifts be halted. Full coverage Florida will play a role in caregiving once flights resume. The state has identified medical facilities that could take in victims, Vietor said in Sunday's statement. CNN's Susan Candiotti and Rachel Streitfeld contributed to this report.

Evacuation flights to U.S. to resume Monday morning, aid group says . Flights were temporarily halted Wednesday over logistical issues, White House says . Some hospitals lacked space to care for influx of Haitian patients . Questions have also been raised about who will pay for their care .

Washington (CNN) -- Foreign nationals who are HIV-positive will find it easier starting Monday to visit the United States. The Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention removed HIV infection from the list of diseases that prevent non-U.S. citizens from entering the country. HIV is the human immunodeficiency virus -- the virus that causes AIDS. Advocates for HIV-positive people said the new policy was long overdue, calling it "a significant step forward for the United States." "The end of the HIV travel and immigration ban is the beginning of a new life for countless families and thousands who had been separated because of this policy," said Steve Ralls, spokesman for Immigration Equality, a national rights organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and HIV-positive individuals. "This is a new beginning for them." The final rule was approved in November and went into effect Monday. The new regulation takes HIV infection out of the category of "communicable diseases of public health significance," the CDC said. It also removes required testing for HIV infection from the U.S. immigration medical screening process and eliminates the need for a waiver for entry into the United States. U.S. laws and regulations enacted since 1952 have made persons "who were afflicted with any dangerous contagious disease" ineligible to receive a visa to enter the country. People infected with HIV have been restricted since 1987, when Congress directed the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to add HIV to its list of diseases of public health significance. The United States Global Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria Reauthorization Act of 2008, which President Bush signed on July 30, 2008, removed the statutory requirement that mandated the inclusion of HIV on the list of diseases of public health significance that barred entry in the United States. The legislation did not, however, automatically change the existing regulations, administered by HHS, that continued to list HIV as a "communicable disease of public-health significance" and required the more cumbersome visa process. The United States was one of 13 countries that restricted entry of HIV-positive visitors, according to amfAR, an AIDS research foundation.

Travel and immigration ban on HIV-positive travelers lifted . Advocates for HIV-positive people say the new policy was long overdue . HIV-infected visitors previously had to get a special waiver to obtain a visa .

Washington (CNN) -- Former President Bill Clinton will travel to Haiti on Monday to meet with officials and deliver aid supplies to the quake-ravaged country, his foundation announced Sunday. Clinton, the U.N. special envoy to Haiti, will meet with Haitian President Rene Preval and other members of the local government as well as aid workers, to discuss how to proceed with recovery operations. The visit comes two days after President Barack Obama announced the formation of the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund, a major fundraising effort for victims of Tuesday's earthquake led by Clinton and former President George W. Bush. In a pre-recorded interview broadcast Sunday on CNN's "State of the Union," Bush and Clinton said the first goal of the fund is to get aid to Haiti right away to save lives. It also seeks to ensure that money keeps coming in after public attention begins to wan in the weeks and months ahead. "For me, success is helping save lives in the short term, and then we can worry about the long-term after the situation has been stabilized," Bush said. Clinton, who also is the U.N. special envoy to Haiti, defined success as "setting up a network quickly to get the food, water, medicine, security and information people need." The overall goal is to help Haiti resume "as quickly as possible" its efforts to build a "strong, modern society" after decades of political and social instability that made it the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere before the earthquake, Clinton said. Officials in Haiti fear more than 100,000 people killed in the disaster. Clinton noted that Haiti already was working to overcome its problems before the latest crisis. "They have an economic plan," Clinton said. "We're going to have to amend it now, and substantially, to take account of the damage done." Simply restoring Haiti to its impoverished state prior to the earthquake would amount to failure, Clinton said. The two predecessors to Obama as U.S. leader also said the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund (http://www.clintonbushhaitifund.org/) was intended to provide people with a safe place to continue donating money to help the Caribbean country. "Our job it to set up a fund to make sure the compassion is still existent once the crisis gets off TV and make sure the money is wisely spent," Bush said. That means getting the donated money quickly to organizations with experience working in Haiti, including faith-based groups and international aid groups, Bush and Clinton said. "During these crises, all kinds of fake charities spring up that take advantage of people's good will," Bush said. "We're safe haven. We will make sure the money is accounted for and there's transparency and properly spent." Both Bush and Clinton noted politics should play no role in responding to the crisis, with Clinton saying: "I hope that it will humanize us all in every aspect of our lives." However, Clinton couldn't resist a little politicking, praising the Obama administration's response so far and noting that the president had "extraordinary taste" in a secretary of state -- his wife, Hillary Clinton. Clinton also offered warm praise for CNN's coverage of the Haiti earthquake. "You made this come alive to the American people," Clinton said. "You put us in the skin of the Haitian people, and I'm personally very grateful." For Bush, his return to Washington is a welcome chance to aid a worthy cause, but nothing more. "I frankly don't miss the limelight," Bush said. "I'm glad to help out."

Clinton will meet with Haitian president on Monday . Clinton working with former President George W. Bush on Haitian relief . Clinton says relief fund will help Haiti recover after situation stabilizes . Bush says fund is a place for people to make sure their donations are well-spent .

Washington (CNN) -- Frustrated Democrats went to the Senate floor Friday to seek Republican approval for a long list of administration nominees currently blocked by controversial secret holds placed by GOP senators. But a Republican senator objected to each of them as they came up. "Most of the people on the list, we don't know why they're sitting there. We don't even know who's making them sit there," complained Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Missouri, who is spearheading Democratic efforts to banish secret holds. "Enter stage left, the anonymous hold. Or as I like to call it, nobody can blame me cause they don't know who I am." McCaskill said the delay in approving these nominees is particularly agonizing because most of them passed out of committee with little or no opposition. "If there is a legitimate complaint or grievance against any nominee, I think any senator has a right to be heard and appeal to the body for a vote," Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, the number two Democrat, said Thursday. "But secret holds, I think, have become a reprehensible part of the process here and need to end." Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Oklahoma, was the lone Republican on the floor Friday during the nearly two-hour debate on the issue. He objected to Democratic requests to approve the nominees not because he personally opposes them but "as courtesy to people on my side of the aisle who have problems with some of these nominees." Coburn said Republicans have a right to a public debate on nominees they oppose and Democrats are trying to get around that by seeking unanimous consent to quickly confirm them. In fact, Coburn won praise from McCaskill because she said he is the only Republican senator who has made his holds public. Democrats are especially upset because they think most Republicans are getting around a Senate rule adopted three years ago that requires senators to make public their holds once they've had them in place for six legislative days. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-Rhode Island, called the practice "hold-laundering," which is when senators rotate a secret hold off to one another before hitting the six-day trigger for making their names public and thereby keep a hold in place indefinitely. Republicans don't deny using the method but argue it's allowed by Senate rules which could be changed if Democrats want. "If they think the rule needs to be tightened up they can offer to change the rule," suggested a GOP leadership aide. In fact, Democrats said an effort is under way to offer an amendment to the financial regulations bill currently on the floor to shorten the six-day window to two days. Democrats complain the secret holds keep the Obama administration from being able to effectively govern and point to one nominee, Michael Huerta, to be the No. 2 official at the Federal Aviation Administration, as an example of a key appointee stalled by an anonymous senator. At a news conference on Thursday, Durbin said that Republicans that day had finally lifted a hold and approved the nomination of a top National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration official only after feeling pressured because of the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. "If they're going to move this appointee ... because of an oil spill, what does it take to move the deputy administrator of the FAA in charge of air safety," Durbin asked. "Fill in the blanks." Asked about Democratic concerns over the issue earlier this week, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky acknowledged, "We've always had a challenging environment in the Senate with regard to the confirmation of executive branch appointments. This administration's been treated about the same as previous administrations in terms of the pace of confirmations." Democrats disputed that notion and cited figures suggesting Obama's nominees are moving slower than George W. Bush's at this time in his presidency. A top Republican senator accused Democrats also of using rotating holds. "What I have run into in trying to get a bill or an amendment in the Senate in the past is the

Senate Democrats seek approval of nominees they say GOP is blocking . Republicans don't deny holding up process, argue it's allowed by Senate rules . Democrats say secret holds keep Obama administration from being able to effectively govern . Republicans say Democrats use the same tactic .

Washington (CNN) -- Full-body imaging machines that see through clothes have significantly improved security in airports where they are deployed, and have revealed more than 60 "artfully concealed" illegal or prohibited items in the past year, the Transportation Security Administration says. To date, no explosives have been detected by the machines, but their ability to spot even small concealed objects demonstrates their effectiveness as a security tool, officials said. "It is absolutely a tremendous improvement of what we can detect at the checkpoints," TSA Acting Administrator Gale Rossides said this week. "It is an excellent piece of technology that will significantly improve our detection capabilities." As evidence of the machines' capabilities, the security agency released five photos of drugs or suspected drugs that airport screeners found after scans revealed anomalies on the ghost-like images of people's bodies. The agency said metal detectors would not have revealed the items. Screeners using the technology also found a knife hidden in the small of a person's back at the Richmond, Virginia, airport, a concealed razor blade on a passenger in Phoenix, Arizona, and other concealed items such as large bottles of lotion, which are prohibited as carry-on items. In addition, the machines have revealed numerous prohibited items that passengers evidently inadvertently left in pockets. Those items are confiscated but are not counted in the tally, a TSA spokesman said. U.S. to implement new airport security measures The agency field-tested the full-body imagers for more than a year before announcing last month the deployment of machines to 11 airports nationwide. Today, 46 machines are in place in 23 airports, and the agency is stepping up deployments and plans to have about 1,000 set up by the end of 2011. Interest in the machines has heightened since the Christmas Day incident in which a man allegedly attempted to detonate an explosive concealed in his underwear. In an appearance before Congress last month, Rossides declined to say whether the machines could have detected the underwear bomb. But to illustrate the machines' effectiveness, Rossides showed a packet of white powder smaller than a tea bag, saying it was identical to a concealed bag detected by an imager. "The amazing thing is that our officers, as they get more and more familiar with this technology, are actually finding very, very small things that are being secreted on the body," she said. But some passengers say the machine's capabilities are presenting new Fourth Amendment questions about the government's searches, saying the machines -- in detecting very small objects -- are subjecting passengers to scrutiny beyond what is needed to safeguard the plane. "I can't imaging an explosive that is powerful enough in that [tea-bag size] quantity to endanger an aircraft," said John Perry Barlow, a former Grateful Dead lyricist who once took the TSA to court after a search of his checked luggage revealed a small amount of drugs. "Every time technology makes another leap forward, we have to reclaim the Fourth Amendment, and often we have to reclaim the entire Bill of Rights, because technology gives us powers that were not envisioned by the Founding Fathers," Barlow said. The security agency said that it searches only for prohibited items -- not illegal items such as drugs. When it finds illegal items during a search, it refers the item to local law enforcement officers, it says. "What we're trying to resolve is the anomaly that we're seeing on the body," said Rossides. "If it's drugs, then we call in local law enforcement and they handle it from there." Barlow predicted that the body scanner will lead to another court case to clarify the extent it can be used to search the body. "Eventually they're going to bust somebody for something that was clearly and obviously not a threat to the aircraft, and any reasonable person would have known that [while looking at the] body scan. And at that point somebody is going to make it an issue," he said. Rossides said the body imagers are especially useful because they can expose contraband

60 "artfully concealed" illegal or prohibited items discovered in past year, TSA says . No explosives have been detected by the machines . Found items include drugs, knife, bottle of lotion bigger than allowed .

Washington (CNN) -- GOP presidential candidate Herman Cain faced a new claim of sexually inappropriate behavior Monday as a Chicago woman told reporters the former head of the National Restaurant Association groped her after a dinner together in 1997. Sharon Bialek, who worked at the restaurant group's education foundation until shortly before the alleged groping incident, said Cain unexpectedly put his hand on her leg beneath her skirt "toward my genitals." She also said he pushed her head toward his crotch. Cain stopped when she protested, Bialek told a news conference. Looking into the television cameras, Bialek said: "I want you, Mr. Cain, to come clean. Just admit what you did." Gloria Allred a girl's best friend The accusation follows the disclosure last week that the restaurant association provided payments to two women who left the group after alleging sexual harassment by Cain, also in the late 1990s. Cain has denied all accusations of sexual harassment, and his campaign put out a fresh denial after Bialek made her accusations on Monday. "All allegations of harassment against Mr. Cain are completely false," a campaign statement said. "Mr. Cain has never harassed anyone." Earlier accuser's attorney talks to CNN Since becoming public on October 30 in a report by Politico, the sexual harassment accusations have overwhelmed the bid by the former pizza company executive to win the Republican presidential nomination. Cain, a favorite of tea party conservatives, has risen to the top of the polls following strong performances in several debates and the release of his "9-9-9" tax plan that sets flat 9% rates for corporate and income taxes and also creates a 9% national sales tax. However, Bialek's accusation raises fresh questions about whether Cain has been candid about the allegations that he sexually harassed women at the restaurant association when he headed the group from 1996-99. Bialek said she started to work at the group's foundation in 1996 but was laid off in 1997. The association confirmed Bialek's employment dates as December 30, 1996, to June 20, 1997. Shortly after getting let go, Bialek said, she contacted Cain -- whom she had met at the group's Chicago convention -- to seek help in finding a job. She traveled to Washington, where Cain worked, and found he had upgraded her hotel room to a luxury suite without telling her. They had dinner at an Italian restaurant, she said, and then Cain asked if she had been to the association offices in the capital. Cain made his advances on the way, according to Bialek. "He said, 'You want a job, right?' " she told reporters at the news conference organized by celebrity attorney Gloria Allred. Bialek took no questions from reporters, but Allred said Bialek had told two people at the time about what happened. Bialek filed no complaint with the restaurant association because she no longer worked there, Allred said. Asked why Bialek was coming forward now, Allred said it was in solidarity with Cain's other accusers and harassed women everywhere. Cain has previously complained the sexual harassment allegations amount to a baseless media onslaught against his campaign. Polls have yet to indicate any significant effect on his support -- in fact, the campaign reported a spike in donations Monday. Cain spokesman J.D. Gordon told CNN the campaign raked in $2 million during the past week. By comparison, Cain raised $2.8 million between June and October. On Sunday, one of Cain's rivals called for keeping the issue alive, saying the necessary scrutiny of presidential candidates requires Cain to answer all questions about what happened. On Saturday, Cain scolded reporters who asked about the issue following a debate with fellow conservative Newt Gingrich in Texas. "Don't even go there," Cain told one questioner who'd asked about the allegations. Asked again later, he responded: "What I'm saying is this -- we are getting back on message, end of story. Back on message. Read all of the other accounts, where everything has been answered -- end of story.

NEW: Cain camp reports $2 million haul since allegations broke . Chicago woman says Cain made an unwanted sexual advance in 1997 . "Just admit what you did," Sharon Bialek says of Cain . Cain's campaign denies any sexual harassment on his part .

Washington (CNN) -- Gregg Keesling chooses his words carefully when he talks about the death of his son, Spc. Chancellor Keesling. As far as he's concerned, the soldier didn't "take his own life" or "commit suicide." His son "died by suicide," Keesling insists -- and he has his reasons why. When 25-year old Chancellor Keesling shot himself in Iraq on June 19, his family received much support from the military and local officials. Gregg Keesling's son was given the honor afforded to a fallen service member. The Keesling family went to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware to watch as his body was flown back to Indiana six days later. At his burial, seven rifles fired three times each, in true military tradition. Later, the soldier's aunt created a memorial wall in the family's Indianapolis living room. On the wall hangs Spc. Keesling's uniform, the U.S. flag that was handed to his mother, Jannett, after the service and the Indianapolis flag that flew over the state Capitol in his honor. Yet there's an empty spot on the wall for an honor that never arrived: a letter from the president. Gregg Keesling wanted to know why, especially after hearing President Obama talk about how he struggled to write letters to the families of each and every soldier killed in the war. After pressing for an answer, the family found out the truth: There would be no condolence letter. It's a matter of policy dating to the Clinton era, according to the White House. The commander in chief sends such letters to the families of troops who have died in combat, but not if they committed suicide, Gregg was told. The policy felt wrong to Gregg and Jannett Keesling. Their son was a hero, and his country should be proud of him, they said. So Gregg Keesling wrote to Obama and Army Chief of Staff Gen. George W. Casey Jr., imploring them to rethink the policy. "The recognition of the president could have profound impact on the family of the suicide victim," Keesling wrote in August. Read the letters to President Obama "The lack of acknowledgment and condolences from the President, who our family admires greatly, leaves us with an emotional vacuum and a feeling that we his family have somehow [made] less of a sacrifice," he wrote in another letter to Casey. A White House spokesman said the administration is reviewing the "inherited" policy. "The President's thoughts and prayers are with every military family who has lost a loved one in service to our country. As Commander-in-Chief, he has worked with Secretary Gates and Admiral Mullen to address the mental health needs of our service members," spokesman Tommy Vietor wrote in an e-mail. Spc. Keesling completed two tours of duty in Iraq. When he enlisted in 2003, the family struggled with his decision. But the young soldier was convinced that he made the right decision, telling his family, "We must have a military, and somebody's got to be in it." Before he deployed 2005, he was anxious but excited, his mother remembered. However, toward the end of his deployment, the stress of a failing marriage and the shock of war "began to wear on him terribly," Gregg Keesling said. In anger, he threw his wedding ring into the Tigris River, his parents said. He was put under suicide watch, and his ammunition was taken away for several days. At home, though, he was "back to his old self," his father said, adding that his son found a job at FedEx and a new girlfriend. He was treated at the Veterans Affairs clinic for a shoulder injury and burn he suffered during his deployment. His parents assumed he was being treated for everything he needed. In 2009, he received new deployment orders . His family suggested that he move to his mother's native Jamaica to avoid service, but the soldier insisted that it was his obligation to see it through

Family of Spc. Chancellor Keesling, 25, wants condolence letter from President Obama . Parents believe suicide brought on by stress of war, distance from loved ones . White House: "Inherited" policy lets president write only families of fallen soldiers . Family hopes Obama would want to thank them for their sacrifice .

Washington (CNN) -- Health care reform advocates inched closer to victory Wednesday as a high-profile liberal Democrat switched his position and announced his intention to vote for a sweeping $875 billion plan under consideration in the House of Representatives. Rep. Dennis Kucinich, D-Ohio, said he believes "health care is a civil right." He had previously characterized the bill, which cleared the Senate in December, as little more than a boondoggle for private insurers. Kucinich was publicly lobbied for his vote by President Barack Obama during the president's visit this week to Kucinich's congressional district in Ohio. He told reporters he's had four meetings with Obama to discuss the bill. "The president's visit to my district ... underscored the urgency of this vote," Kucinich said. "I have doubts about the bill ... [but] I've decided to cast a vote in favor of the legislation." He said he ultimately had "to make a decision on the bill as it is, not on the bill as I'd like to see it." Kucinich is a backer of a single-payer health care system under which the government would fund all costs billed by doctors and hospitals. Kucinich's decision to change his vote is "a good sign," Obama told reporters in the Oval Office. "I told him thank you." House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-California, said she thought Kucinich's switch would make a difference with a large number of liberal activists. "He's been a supporter of health care for all Americans for a long time," she said. "He has a constituency, and many of those people still don't understand why there isn't a public [option]." Pelosi has repeatedly expressed confidence that she will have enough support to pass the bill when it comes to the floor for a final vote. Read more about how votes are lining up Maryland Rep. Steny Hoyer, the No. 2 House Democrat, indicated Wednesday the vote could come at some point this weekend. He said the leadership is still waiting for final cost estimates from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office on a package of changes to the measure. Asked if the release of the CBO numbers was imminent, Pelosi said, "I would have said ... half an hour ago, hopefully any minute. I think it's going to take a little more time." She said she had no explanation for the delay. "I don't know the calculation," she said. "I don't know how they do it. Whatever it is, they're the gospel and we have to live by it." Later, Pelosi spokesman Nadeam Elshami said that the CBO estimates would not be released Wednesday night. Since the Democrats have said the bill will be available for reading for 72 hours before a vote, the vote can take place no sooner than Sunday, provided the CBO numbers are posted Thursday. Pelosi needs 216 votes from her 253-member caucus to pass the Senate bill. No Republicans are expected to back it. A number of House Democrats have refused to state their voting intentions publicly. Twenty-seven House Democrats, however, have indicated they will join Republicans in opposing the Senate plan. That puts opponents of reform 11 votes shy of the 216 needed to prevent Obama from scoring a major victory on his top domestic priority. Meanwhile, GOP leaders continued to pound away at the legislation on Wednesday, slamming House Democratic leaders for considering the use of a controversial legislative maneuver to pass the Senate bill. Pelosi may try to help House Democrats unhappy with the Senate bill by allowing them to avoid a direct vote on the measure. She is considering pushing for a vote on a rule that would simply "deem" the Senate bill to be passed. The House then would proceed to a separate vote on the more popular package of changes to the Senate plan. "I've never seen anything like the plan that House Democrats hatched this week to jam their health care bill through Congress," Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky

Democratic leaders say timing of vote will depend on CBO figures, which are delayed . Rep. Dennis Kucinich, D-Ohio, on Wednesday said he intends to vote for health care bill . Kucinich previously had characterized the bill as a boondoggle for private insurers . The apparent defection improves chances for the bill's passage .

Washington (CNN) -- Health care reform backers won a key victory Saturday night as the Senate voted to move ahead with a floor debate on a sweeping $848 billion bill. The 60-39 vote to prevent a Republican filibuster against the start of debate on Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's legislation broke down along strict party lines. All 58 Senate Democrats -- along with independent Sens. Joe Lieberman of Connecticut and Bernie Sanders of Vermont -- supported bringing the measure to the floor. Thirty-nine of the 40 Senate Republicans opposed the motion. Sen. George Voinovich, R-Ohio, didn't vote. "Tonight's historic vote brings us one step closer to ending insurance company abuses, reining in spiraling health care costs, providing stability and security to those with health insurance and extending quality health coverage to those who lack it," White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said in a statement. The polarized vote set the table for a holiday season now virtually certain to be marked by acrimonious deliberations on President Obama's top domestic priority. Top Senate Democrats, who are trying to pass a bill before the end of the year, spent much of the day tarring their Republican colleagues as defenders of a broken status quo benefitting rich insurance companies at the expense of ordinary American families. Republicans, in turn, slammed Democrats for pushing a bill that conservatives insist will force millions of Americans to drop insurance plans they like while boosting premiums, raising taxes and leading to government rationing of care. Read the health care bill (PDF) "Today we [decide] whether to even discuss one of the greatest issues of our generation," Reid, a Nevada Democrat, said shortly before the vote. "Whether this nation will finally guarantee its people the right to live free from fear of illness and death, which can be prevented by decent health care for all." The Republicans "are frightening people," said Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa. "Now is not the time to go wobbly in the knees. Now is the time to stand strong ... and move this country forward." "This bill... is a massive monument to bureaucracy and spending," replied Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky. It "imposes punishing taxes on almost everyone. ... A vote in favor of proceeding to this bill is a vote in favor of adding to the tax burden of the American people in the midst of double digit unemployment." The bill "does worse than nothing," said Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa. It "threatens the economic recovery. ... Changes to the health care system must be responsible and not break the backs of the taxpayers." The procedural vote represented another milestone in what has become an epic battle over the future of America's health care system. The House of Representatives narrowly passed a more than $1 trillion bill this month. If the Senate also manages to pass a bill, a congressional conference committee will then need to merge the House and Senate proposals into a consensus version requiring final approval from each chamber before moving to Obama's desk to be signed into law. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office has projected that Reid's 2,074-page bill would extend health insurance coverage to 31 million additional Americans. The agency estimates that the proposal would reduce the federal deficit by $130 billion over the next 10 years, through 2019. Any effect on the deficit in the following decade would be "subject to substantial uncertainty," but probably would result in "small reductions in federal budget deficits," according to budget office analysts. A minimum of 60 votes is required to break a filibuster in the 100-member Senate. The outcome of the Senate vote was unclear before Saturday afternoon, when Sen. Blanche Lincoln, D-Arkansas, announced her intention to back a floor debate on the measure. Lincoln, a key moderate probably facing a tough re-election campaign in 2010, said the issue deserved further debate and consideration. She made clear, however, that she opposes several aspects of Reid's bill, including a controversial government-run public option.

"Tonight's historic vote brings us one step closer," White House press secretary says . All 58 Democrats, two independents clinch vote . Democrats rip into Republicans as defenders of status quo . GOP decries "massive monument to bureaucracy and spending"

Washington (CNN) -- Homegrown terrorism will be part of the United States' National Security Strategy for the first time, according to President Barack Obama's chief counterterrorism adviser, who called it a new phase of the terrorist threat. When the Obama administration unveils its National Security Strategy on Thursday, it will be the first time any president "explicitly recognizes the threat to the United States posed by individuals radicalized here at home," National Security Adviser John Brennan said Wednesday. The strategy acts as a blueprint for how a White House administration intends to protect Americans. In the past, it has focused mostly on international threats. But a spate of terror-related plots in the United States recently prompted the Obama administration to include homegrown terrorism in the document, Brennan said. Earlier this month, Pakistani-American Faisal Shahzad was charged with trying to detonate a car bomb in New York's bustling district of Times Square. U.S. Army Major Nidal Malik Hasan is suspected of fatally shooting 13 people at Fort Hood in November. Colorado resident Najibullah Zazi, an Afghan national, pleaded guilty in February for conspiring to detonate explosives in the New York subway system. And David Headley, an American citizen from Chicago, Illinois, is accused of providing surveillance in the Mumbai, India, terrorist attacks that killed 160 people. "We've seen an increasing number of individuals here in the United States become captivated by extremist ideology or causes," Brennan said. "We have seen individuals, including U.S. citizens armed with their U.S. passports, travel easily to extremist safe havens, return to America, their deadly plans disrupted by coordinated intelligence and law enforcement." Brennan, who made his comments at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, said that as the United States has strengthened its defenses against massive attacks like 9/11, al Qaeda has shown itself to be a "resilient, resourceful and determined enemy." Brennan said al Qaeda is recruiting individuals with little training, attempting relatively unsophisticated attacks and seeking people living in the United States to launch such attacks. "They are seeking foot soldiers who might slip through our defense," Brennan said. "As our enemy adapts and evolves their tactics, so must we constantly adapt and evolve ours." Brennan did not provide any specific details about the president's strategy for combating al Qaeda and its affiliates, but said it "will require a broad, sustained and integrated campaign that harnesses every tool of American power, military and civilian, kinetic and diplomatic."

National Security Strategy acts as blueprint for how White House plans to protect Americans . Inclusion of homegrown terrorism comes after a spate of terror-related plots in the U.S. National Security Adviser John Brennan calls al Qaeda a "resilient, resourceful and determined enemy . Strategy will require a "broad" and "sustained" campaign against terrorist groups .

Washington (CNN) -- House Republican leaders will unveil a 21-page "Pledge to America" on Thursday that presents a "governing agenda" for what Republicans would do if they win control of Congress in November. CNN obtained a copy of the document (PDF) Wednesday. The plan focuses primarily on jobs and the economy, with a short reference in the "preamble" to the party's position on social issues. According to the document, House Republicans want to permanently extend all the tax cuts due to expire at the end of this year, give small businesses a tax deduction equal to 20 percent of their income and require Congress to review any new federal regulations that add to the deficit. The document lacks, however, a pledge against unrelated pet projects that members of Congress insert in spending bills to bring funding to their home districts -- known as earmarks. Banning earmarks is typically a staple of Republican policy. Some provisions matched positions of the conservative Tea Party movement that has helped defeat mainstream Republican candidates in several primary elections this year. For example, the document calls for a federal hiring freeze on nonsecurity employees and requiring all legislation to include a clause showing that it is authorized under the Constitution. Other items would cancel unspent funding authorized by the economic stimulus bill, roll back spending to levels before the stimulus bill and earlier federal bailout legislation and repeal the health care reform bill passed in March. The document also calls for permanently prohibiting taxpayer funding for abortion. Several Republican sources said there was no intention to directly address social issues because the electorate is so heavily focused on jobs and spending. Republican leaders settled on a line that states: "We pledge to honor families, traditional marriage, life, and the private and faith-based organizations that form the core of our American values." This language was a late addition, according to a GOP source, after conservative Rep. Mike Pence of Indiana argued that social issues should be included in the document representing the agenda of House Republicans. House Democratic leaders said the document showed that Republicans want to return to what they called failed policies of the past. A statement from House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer's office mocked the GOP positions, saying they showed that Republicans pledged allegiance to hedge fund managers on Wall Street, insurance companies, the "wealthiest of the wealthy," oil companies and big corporations that outsource jobs, "with a recession and huge deficits for all." The GOP document represents an updated version of the 1994 "Contract with America." That much shorter, 10-item document, with specific bills attached to each item that would be passed with a Republican victory, was rolled out on the steps of the U.S. Capitol and signed by GOP members of Congress and candidates. The 2010 version has more than 20 items, including changes to how Congress works and broad policy goals such as tougher sanctions against Iran. While it does contain legislative proposals, it does not include specific bills that would be introduced and passed if Republicans gain control of the House. Introduced at roughly the same time as the previous contract, several weeks before midterm congressional elections, the "Pledge to America" will be unveiled at a hardware store in Sterling, Virginia, outside Washington. A GOP lawmaker involved in putting together the document said House Republicans realize that voters are angry with both Democrats and Republicans. The agenda contained in the "Pledge to America" is intended to convince such voters that their concerns are taken seriously by Republicans, who will act differently if returned to power than they did when controlling Congress during parts of the Bush administration, the legislator said. CNN's Tom Cohen contributed to this story.

NEW: Unlike 1994 "Contract with America," "Pledge" has no specific legislation . NEW: No pledge to ban earmarks . Ban on federal funding for abortion, support for "traditional marriage" included . Democrats call the GOP positions a pledge to special interests .

Washington (CNN) -- Human error and system lapses, rather than deliberate concealing of information, allowed a terror suspect with explosives to board a U.S.-bound airplane on Christmas Day, President Obama's terrorism czar said Sunday. John Brennan, the assistant to the president for homeland security and counterterrorism, said on CNN's "State of the Union" that the security breakdown in the failed bombing of the Northwest Airlines flight was different from the September 11, 2001, terror attacks. "It's not like 9/11," Brennan said, adding that the "system didn't work as it should have" due to "lapses" and "human error." "There wasn't an effort to try to conceal information," he said, referring to the well-chronicled competition and turf wars among security agencies prior to the 2001 attacks, which was later blamed for the failure to prevent them. "There is no smoking gun piece of intelligence out there," Brennan said of the failed Christmas bombing, allegedly planned by a Nigerian man who boarded the flight from Amsterdam, Netherlands, to Detroit, Michigan, with explosives in his underwear. Meanwhile, the Transportation Security Administration announced Sunday new security measures to be implemented by domestic and international air carriers on flights bound for the United States, effective Monday. The suspect's father, a leading banker in Nigeria, warned U.S. authorities before the attack that his son might be involved with Islamic extremists. Brennan said the father's information was part of "bits and pieces" of information that were never connected by intelligence officials to properly target the suspect. "That was certainly an alert that came to our attention," Brennan said of the father's warnings. "He said, 'He's consorting with extremists in Yemen.'" However, Brennan rejected another potential warning sign -- that the suspect purchased the airline ticket with cash in Ghana before traveling to Nigeria for the first leg of his journey. "A lot of people buy their tickets in Africa with cash. That is the way, in fact, things are done, because there's so much fraud there. So that wasn't a necessary [warning] bell," Brennan said. "People in the Amsterdam airport didn't even know that he had bought the ticket for cash. He did bring on carry-on luggage. So there were a lot of things that were out there." At the same time, Brennan conceded "there was information that was in the system that should have allowed us to stop it." "A number of pieces were out there that weren't brought together," Brennan said. On the same program, however, the Republican chairman of the 9/11 commission said Brennan was "wrong when he says this wasn't like 9/11." Thomas Kean, a former governor of New Jersey, said both events occurred because the U.S. intelligence community failed to piece together various bits of information it already possessed in the weeks and months prior to the attacks. If the information had been properly shared and analyzed, "then this guy would've never have gotten on a plane" on Christmas Day, Kean said. In announcing the new security measures Sunday, the TSA stressed in a statement that "effective aviation security must begin beyond our borders." As a result, any individual flying into the United States who is "traveling from or through nations that are state sponsors of terrorism or other countries of interest will be required to go through enhanced screening," the statement said. "The directive also increases the use of enhanced screening technologies and mandates threat-based and random screening for passengers on U.S. bound international flights."

John Brennan: "System didn't work as it should have" due to "lapses" and "human error" Suspect's cash payment for airfare "wasn't a necessary [warning] bell," says Brennan . Thomas Kean of 9/11 panel says Brennan "wrong when he says this wasn't like 9/11" CNN iReport: Tell us about your airport security experiences .

Washington (CNN) -- Ibrahim Hooper knows the drill. When news first broke Thursday that a shooting at Fort Hood, Texas, killed and injured U.S. soldiers, the national communications director for the Council on American-Islamic Relations wrote a statement of condemnation. He only sent it out later, when reports emerged that the alleged shooter's name was Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan. "As soon as we saw what appeared to be a Muslim name, we issued our statement," Hooper said. "Until that time, we were praying that no Muslim would be involved." That's the reality of crisis management for the Muslim-American community, said Hooper, who handles communications for the nation's largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy group. Even without confirmation that the alleged gunman was Muslim -- there was no immediate determination of any religious affiliation for Hasan -- the mere reporting of a possible Muslim name required an immediate comment, he said. "That's unfortunately the world we live in nowadays," Hooper said. "So often, Muslims are accused of not condemning these kind of acts." The CAIR statement said: "No political or religious ideology could ever justify or excuse such wanton and indiscriminate violence. The attack was particularly heinous in that it targeted the all-volunteer Army that protects our nation. American Muslims stand with our fellow citizens in offering both prayers for the victims and sincere condolences to the families of those killed or injured." In a separate statement, the Muslim Public Affairs Council, based in Los Angeles, California, condemned what it called the "heinous incident." "We are in contact with law enforcement and U.S. federal government officials to gain more facts from this tragic incident and work together in dealing with its aftermath," the group said. Its statement called on "all members of American Muslim communities to be in contact with local law enforcement for the safety and security of their communities and their institutions." The Islamic Information Center also issued a statement "in conjunction with all the major Muslim organizations nationwide" that condemned the attack. "While several news reports have cited one of the gunmen to be Army Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, IIC strongly emphasizes that this attack and its perpetrator are in no way representative of the Muslim people or the peace-loving religion of Islam," the statement said. "The individuals who perpetrated this attack blatantly acted against the teachings of Islam and humanity," it added. After the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States, Muslim-Americans reported increased attacks and threats by revenge-minded non-Muslims. "We've seen this before," Hooper said of a possible backlash. "Whenever there's an incident of this type, there's always the possibility this will happen." Even non-Muslims could be targeted, he said, noting that Sikhs who wear turbans or Hispanic-Americans can be mistaken as being of Middle Eastern descent. On Thursday night, CAIR Executive Director Nihad Awad told a news conference the alleged Fort Hood attacker's motive remained unknown. "We urge all Americans to remain calm in reaction to this tragic event and to demonstrate once again what is best about America -- our nation's ability to remain unified even in times of crisis," Awad said. "We urge national political and religious leaders and media professionals to set a tone of calm and unity. "Unfortunately, based on past experience, we also urge American Muslims, and those who may be perceived to be Muslim, to take appropriate precautions to protect themselves, their families and their religious institutions from possible backlash."

Slain Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan accused in Fort Hood shootings . His religion, if any, isn't known, but American Muslims condemn his actions . "American Muslims stand with our fellow citizens," one group says . Some fear backlash against Muslims and people who are thought to be Muslim .

Washington (CNN) -- If criminal suspects fail to invoke their right to remain silent, they have waived that right, a divided Supreme Court ruled Tuesday. The high court upheld the murder conviction of a man who did not verbally assert his right to remain silent during his police interrogation. In a 5-4 ruling, the court said a suspect must explicitly tell officers he or she is asserting that right, known as Miranda rights. The famous constitutional "right to remain silent" and the "right to talk to a lawyer before answering any questions" are among the well-known warnings all criminal suspects must be given upon arrest. The conservative court has generally been supportive in recent years, when police challenges to Miranda rights have been raised. "A suspect who has received and understood the Miranda warnings, and has not invoked his Miranda rights, waives the right to remain silent by making an uncoerced statement to police," said Justice Anthony Kennedy, writing for the court. Van Chester Thompkins was convicted of a January 10, 2000, murder outside a shopping mall in Southfield, Michigan. He fled the scene, but was as arrested about a year later in Ohio. Local police began what turned out to be a three-hour interrogation, with Thompkins at first forced to read aloud part of a copy of "constitutional rights" derived from the original Miranda case that went before the Supreme Court in 1966. The five rights included the warning "anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law," and "the right to decide at any time before or during questioning to use your right to remain silent." Thompkins refused to sign the form and there was strong disagreement over whether he verbally confirmed he understood them. He remained mostly silent during questioning, but later implicated himself in the shooting. He was later convicted of first-degree murder and other offenses. The court majority sided with the police's version of the events. "Thompkins did not say that he wanted to remain silent or that he did not want to talk to police," Kennedy concluded. "Had he made either of these simple, unambiguous statements, he would have invoked his 'right to cut off questioning.' Here he did neither, so he did not invoke his right to remain silent." Kennedy's views were supported by Chief Justice John Roberts, along with Justices Antonin Scalia, Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito. A federal appeals court in Cincinnati agreed with Thompkins his confession should be thrown out, but the high court reversed that decision. In a sharp dissent, Justice Sonia Sotomayor called the court's ruling a "major retreat" from protections against self-incrimination guaranteed by the original Miranda ruling. "Criminal suspects must now unambiguously invoke their right to remain silent -- which counterintuitively requires them to speak," she said. "At the same time, suspects will be legally presumed to have waived their rights even if they have given no clear expression of their intent to do so. Those results, in my view, find no basis in Miranda or our subsequent cases and are inconsistent with the fair-trial principles on which those precedents are grounded." Sotomayor said the Thompkins ruling "turns Miranda upside down." Justices John Paul Stevens, Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Stephen Breyer backed her conclusions. Thompkins had implicated himself after police asked if he believed in God. After replying yes, officers then asked, "Do you pray to God to forgive you for shooting that boy down?" asking about victim Samuel Morris. The court transcript said Thompkins replied "Yes," and turned away, but later refused to make a written confession. The case is Berghuis v. Thompkins (08-1470).

Court: Suspects who don't explicitly invoke right to remain silent have waived it . Upholds murder conviction in Michigan case . In sharp dissent, Sotomayor says ruling is a 'major retreat' from self-incrimination protections .

Washington (CNN) -- If the government does not take drastic steps, another deepwater oil spill like the BP spill in the Gulf of Mexico could devastate the coastal areas of the United States, an oversight commission warned Tuesday in a long-awaited report to the president. More research, funding and oversight are needed to help prevent another disaster, concluded the National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling. "As drilling pushes into ever deeper and riskier waters where more of America's oil lies, only systemic reforms of both government and industry will prevent a similar, future disaster," said William K. Reilly, the commission co-chairman. Halliburton criticized the report's conclusions, saying the commission selectively omitted information it submitted. The disaster "was almost the inevitable result of years of industry and government complacency and lack of attention to safety," Reilly said. The disaster led to the worst maritime oil spill in U.S. history. That was "indisputably the case" with BP; Transocean, which owned the Deepwater Horizon oil rig; and Halliburton, which installed a cement casing for drill operations, he said. It also was the case with the government agency charged with regulating offshore drilling, Reilly said. The report, "Deep Water: The Gulf Oil Disaster and the Future of Offshore Drilling," proposed "comprehensive" government and industry actions "to overhaul the U.S. approach to drilling safety and greatly reduce the chances of a similar, large-scale disaster in the future." Over the past 20 years "we became lulled into a sense of inevitable success," which masked the heightened risk in deepwater drilling, said the commission's co-chair, former Sen. Bob Graham. Advances in science, both in drilling offshore safely and in containing a spill, are vastly inadequate and must be improved, Graham said. The commission faulted the government for passivity, saying regulators were outmatched, underfunded and had conflicting responsibilities that kept them from effective oversight. They called for a new regulatory office headed by a scientist with a fixed term that would be created under the Interior Department. The position would be designed to remain more immune to industry pressures than current oversight agencies. Since the spill, there have already been reforms and new rules requiring companies to strengthen safety practices and modernize equipment, said Kendra Barkoff, deputy communications director for the Interior Department. "Over the last eight months, the Department of Interior has undertaken an aggressive overhaul of the regulatory agency responsible for overseeing offshore oil and gas operations, increasing safety and ensuring oil and gas development is conducted responsibly," she said. The commission, convened by the president this summer, cited a systemic failure in the oil industry, blaming all three companies -- BP, Transocean and Halliburton -- involved in constructing the Deepwater Horizon rig. "The industry needs to pick up its own game," said Reilly, who said the industry was already considering the commission's charge that it form a self-policing "safety institute." Halliburton spokeswoman Cathy Mann criticized the report's conclusions, saying the commission "selectively omitted information provided to it by Halliburton in response to its numerous inquiries." Mann specifically noted what she described as a mischaracterization of the February and April foam stability tests related to the cement pumped at the deepwater well, according to a company statement Tuesday. Transocean spokesperson Samantha Cohen blamed BP for the incident, lauding the Transocean crew who "took appropriate actions to gain control of the well." She added that "it would be premature to draw final conclusions at this juncture," according to a written statement. In contrast, Sierra Club Executive Director Michael Brune said his organization commends "the oil spill commission for its thorough and thoughtful examination of the worst environmental disaster in our nation's history." "This report is very timely, following a severe Alaskan pipeline leak this past week that reinforced the need for us to take a hard look at safety standards and our nation's addiction to oil," he said in a written statement. To help fund some recommendations, the commission

NEW: Halliburton says the report unfairly criticizes them . Government regulators were outmatched and underfunded, report says . Years of industry and government complacency is cited .

Washington (CNN) -- If you're on your way to some of the nation's airports this holiday season and have a feeling there are fewer people schlepping their suitcases and looking for long-term parking spaces, it's not your imagination. The estimate for the upcoming winter holiday travel period predicts there will be fewer fliers than a year ago. A projected 43.3 million air travelers will fly on U.S. carriers for both domestic and international routes during a 21-day period, according to Airlines for America (A4A), the industry trade organization for the leading U.S. airlines. That's a 1% drop from the same period last year which translates to about 20,000 fewer travelers on average per day. However, travelers will not find that translates into more leg room once they board planes. On the busiest days, flights will be filled to at least 85% capacity, according to the forecast. "Passengers still should expect to see full flights as many airlines have reduced capacity to match the decline in travel and increased cost of operations. Capacity reduction is one of the steps the industry is taking to preserve profitability," said A4A Chief Economist John Heimlich. Lingering economic concerns, higher energy prices and less disposable income have all contributed to the slight decrease this winter, officials said. The large weather system currently blasting parts of the West and Midwest is making driving through the southern Rockies dangerous but forecasters say to this point, it has not had a major impact on large airline hubs. However, forecasters are watching it closely. "All hands are on deck and ready to go," said Tom Hendricks, A4A senior vice president for Safety, Security and Operations. In the event winter weather causes problems, the FAA may open up Defense Department airspace not regularly available to commercial flights on an as-needed basis to help ease congestion. Daily passenger volumes are expected to range from 1.6 million to 2.3 million during the holiday. The busiest days are expected to be between December 21 through December 23, December 26 through December 30 and then January 2 and 3 as travelers fly home. The airline organization recommends passengers check airline websites before they leave for the airport, pack gifts unwrapped to lessen security delays and review carry-on rules for liquids, gels and aerosols.

A projected 43.3 million air travelers will fly on U.S. carriers . That's a 1% drop from the same period last year . On the busiest days, flights will be filled to at least 85% capacity .

Washington (CNN) -- In Latin America, Cuba stands out as one of the most effective deployers of soft power. Rather than exporting revolution, Cuba today exports doctors -- with more than 30,000 Cuban doctors working in more than 100 underdeveloped countries around the world. Cuba has become a marquee provider of catastrophe-related medical assistance around the world, particularly after tsunamis, hurricanes and earthquakes -- and no doubt will send large contingents of medical personnel to earthquake-ravaged Haiti in coming days and weeks. Moving beyond the still active Cold War stasis in U.S.-Cuba relations is an Obama administration foreign policy priority, and the devastation in Haiti provides a platform not only to provide relief for a nearby nation in desperate circumstances, but also to build confidence between Cuban and American authorities in a potential collaboration of effort in a third country. Many great American voices -- from Brent Scowcroft and George Shultz to Jackson Browne and Bill Richardson -- have said that the U.S. embargo on Cuba makes no sense as foreign policy, that the right of Americans to travel anywhere in the world should not be suspended in the case of Cuba, and that Cuba's exports of doctors rather than arms should be more than enough reason to strike Cuba off of America's state sponsors of terror watch list. But change in a relationship as charged and historically toxic as between Fidel Castro's Cuba and 11 U.S. presidents will take narratives to move. One such narrative could evolve from tying American resource coordination and financial support in a regional multilateral effort with other Latin American nations -- particularly Cuba's deep bench of natural disaster-experienced medical corps. After Hurricane Katrina pounded New Orleans and southern Mississippi, Castro offered relief support from a 1,600-person medical team called the Henry Reeves Brigade, named after an American doctor who fought in Cuba's war of independence. The U.S. predictably turned down the offer in September 2005. Shortly after, in October 2005, the Reeves Brigade was dispatched to help provide much-needed medical relief after the devastating Kashmir earthquake that tore through the Himalayan mountain region along Pakistan and Kashmir. The United States and Europe each sent teams of doctors to Pakistan, each with one base camp deployed for a month. The Cubans deployed seven major base camps and 30 field hospitals in the fundamentalist Islamic region of Pakistan, a nation with which Cuba did not have diplomatic relations at the time. Today, the Cubans and Pakistanis have embassies in each other's capitals. Bruno Rodriguez, the new foreign minister of Cuba, who was then the deputy, headed the mission and lived in Pakistan's rugged mountains for that full year. The Cuban medical teams reportedly worked constructively and positively with personnel from the U.S. and Europe -- and this kind of collaboration, even if informal, could be the kind of confidence-building narrative to move U.S.-Cuba relations out of the gridlock they have been in for decades. As a step in the direction of pushing reset in this relationship, on Friday the White House announced that Cuba will allow US aircraft into its airspace for medical evacuations. The United States could take another step and offer to airlift Cuban doctors to Haiti. Haiti is in trouble today -- the 7.0 earthquake devastating the capital city of Port-au-Prince and highlighting what was already a human development disaster. The UN Development Program's offices have been destroyed, with hundreds unaccounted for. Notwithstanding any casualties among its own citizens in Haiti, Cuba has 408 doctors providing services there. Now is the time for the U.S., Cuba and other major Latin American nations to throw their weight into stopping a worse human tragedy in Haiti than already exists -- and to potentially unite American and Cuban soft power efforts in a way that creates greater positives for Haiti and for longer-term, 21st century U.S.-Cuba relations. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Steve Clemons.

Steve Clemons says Cuba has exported medical help for nations grappling with disasters . He says the United States refused Cuban aid during the Katrina rescue operation . The Haiti quake is an opportunity for U.S. and Cuba to work together, he says .

Washington (CNN) -- In a major blow to the Republican leadership, the U.S. House on Wednesday defeated a temporary spending measure that would have required spending cuts to offset additional money for federal disaster relief efforts. The vote was 195-230, with 48 Republicans joining all but a handful of minority Democrats in opposing the short-term spending plan that would keep the government funded for seven weeks after the end of the fiscal year on September 30. After the result, House Republican leaders met in Speaker John Boehner's office to decide if they would revise the measure and hold another vote on Thursday. Options under consideration included removing or changing the spending offsets opposed by Democrats, or reducing the total amount of spending to appease conservative Republicans. At issue was a short-term bill to fund government agencies through November 18 that would allocate fewer resources to the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Army Corps of Engineers for disaster response than the Democratic-led Senate approved last week. Additional funds are needed because of recent major floods from Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee along the East Coast, and wildfires in Texas that required emergency responses exceeding the amount the agencies have left in their coffers to support recovery and rebuilding efforts. The House measure included a total of $3.6 billion in disaster relief money -- $1 billion in emergency funds available when the bill is enacted and another $2.6 billion to be budgeted for those federal response agencies for the 2012 fiscal year that begins October 1. In addition, House Republican leaders are insisting that the $1 billion in immediate disaster funding be offset with $1.5 billion in cuts to a loan program that helps automakers retool their operations to make more fuel-efficient cars. Democrats objected to cutting spending for disaster funding, calling it unprecedented and politicizing emergency relief for Americans. Conservative Republicans, including House Majority Leader Eric Cantor of Virginia, argued that the nation's expanding deficits require as much spending restraint as possible. Earlier this month, President Barack Obama asked Congress for a total of $5.1 billion in additional disaster aid --- $500 million of which was for immediate relief. Last week, the Senate bill that passed with bipartisan support included $6.9 billion for FEMA and other federal agencies for immediate disaster relief and for relief in 2012. The Senate version required no spending offsets. The impasse could leave the government without funding after September 30 if Congress fails to authorize further spending, which would cause a partial shutdown. Cantor, however, said no shutdown would occur. "Suffice it to say there's not going to be a shutdown," Cantor told reporters. "I think everybody needs to relax. We're trying to affect change in a way that we spend taxpayer dollars - that's what this whole thing is about. No one is denying anyone disaster aid if they need it, and we're trying to be responsible and to do the right thing." Meanwhile, Rep. Steny Hoyer of Maryland, the chamber's No. 2 Democrat, said his party would support the measure if the offset provision was removed. "They put something in that was clearly, we think, a job killer," Hoyer said of the offset that would eliminate the loan program for manufacturing fuel-efficient vehicles. During floor debate on the measure, Hoyer and other Democrats complained that any kind of offset would be unprecedented for emergency funding to help Americans in need. "Even if they had the best offset in the world, I still think it's wrong" to require equivalent spending cuts when getting money to disaster victims, said House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-California. To Hoyer, the defeat of the GOP measure "says that we are continuing to struggle to do things in a bipartisan fashion." If House Republicans "expect our votes, they have to work with us," he said. "They can't just give us something and say ... their way or the highway." -- CNN's Ted Barrett, Deirdre Walsh, Kate Bolduan and Tom Cohen contributed to this report.

NEW: Remove the offset and Democrats will support it, Rep. Hoyer says . NEW: House Republican leaders consider revising the measure . The short-term spending measure falls on a 195-230 vote . 48 Republicans join Democrats in opposing it .

Washington (CNN) -- In a move that could improve security and keep airport lines moving, the Transportation Security Administration early next year will begin testing machines that match a traveler's boarding pass with his or her government-issued ID, while verifying that both documents are authentic. The machines will assist the TSA "travel document checkers," who now conduct checks assisted only by ultraviolet flashlights and magnifying loupes. In 2006, an Indiana University doctoral student created a website allowing people to create fake boarding passes to demonstrate how a known terrorist on the "No Fly" list could use a fake boarding pass to get past a checkpoint. Once on the other side, the terrorist could use a real boarding pass acquired under an alias to board a plane. And in June, a Nigerian man was arrested after he flew across the country allegedly with a false boarding pass. Authorities said they found several other phony boarding passes in his luggage. The new technology would authenticate government-issued IDs by comparing written information on the card with information encoded in the ID's bar codes, magnetic strip or computer chip. It would also match the ID to the boarding pass. The system will alert screeners if either document does not pass validation. If the issue is easily rectifiable, such as misspelling of the passenger's name, the TSA may allow the person to proceed. If not immediately resolved, the passenger will be directed to a TSA supervisor. "This technology will help facilitate risk-based security, while making the process more effective and efficient," TSA Administrator John S. Pistole said. The TSA has awarded contracts of $79 million each to three companies: BAE Systems Information Solutions, NCR Government Systems and Trans Digital Technologies, LLC. Each company will provide 10 machines for testing at U.S. airports. The TSA has not disclosed which airports will get the machines. In August, the TSA's chief privacy officer issued a report saying the machines have minimal privacy implications because only a limited amount of personal information is collected by the machines and because this information "is deleted after use." A TSA spokeswoman said earlier versions of the technology were tested at two Washington-area airports in 2009.

The TSA will test machines that match a boarding pass with the passenger's ID . The TSA has not disclosed which airport will get the test machines . The machines will be tested starting early in 2012 . The machines could improve security and traffic flow in airports .

Washington (CNN) -- In the Army you live by the Warrior Ethos, which states, "I will always place the mission first. I will never quit. I will never accept defeat. I will never leave a fallen comrade behind." I am alive today because my helicopter crew lived by these words. When our aircraft was shot down in November 2004, the injuries I sustained were devastating. The amount of blood I had lost in a matter of minutes was so vast that my crew thought I was dead. They could have left me in that dusty field in Iraq, but they didn't. Instead, they stood their ground in the face of approaching enemy, risked their lives, and carried me to safety. They did this regardless of whether I was dead or alive, because the American warrior does not leave a fallen comrade behind. My crew and all the men and women in the U.S. armed forces know what it means to be a part of something greater than themselves. They are America's finest sons and daughters, and we made a promise to care for them after they serve. It is our job in the Department of Veterans Affairs to make sure that promise is kept. We at VA stand at a historic time with great opportunities to further our mission in caring for the nation's 23.4 million veterans and their families. With the largest one-year percentage increase in VA's budget in over three decades, President Obama has made it very clear that serving our nation's veterans is a top priority in his administration. He wants to increase funding for VA by $25 billion above our current baseline over the next five years. He launched a new initiative to expand eligibility for veterans' health care to as many as 500,000 Priority Group 8 Veterans who were previously denied care. And he wants us to invest in better technology to deliver services and benefits to veterans with the quality and efficiency they deserve. As commander in chief, President Obama has charged Secretary Eric Shinseki and all of VA's leadership with a new mission: to transform VA into a 21st-century organization. Secretary Shinseki has begun to do just that by making VA a more veteran-centered, results-oriented and forward-looking department. It will be a different organization from the one that exists today. It will be accessible, responsive and transparent. To achieve the president's vision, we must leverage new technologies to serve the various demographics and needs of today's veterans, while also renewing our commitment to the older generation of veterans. These technologies will carry us well into the 21st century as we maintain our mission to serve our nation's veterans for the rest of their lives. Tonight, 131,000 veterans will sleep on the streets of our cities. These are the same men and women who allowed us to have the opportunities to go to school, get a job and buy a home. We are all dishonored anytime a veteran is forced to sleep on the streets, and President Obama, Secretary Shinseki and the VA leadership team will not stand for this. Within the next five years, we aim to eliminate veteran homelessness by providing grants to community-based organizations assisting homeless veterans and by attacking all the areas that often lead to homelessness. Our veterans deserve better, and we are determined to provide them the best care and most timely benefits possible to end homelessness in their ranks. We will improve medical care to minority veterans, including female veterans, who are enrolling in VA at historic rates. We will also improve access to VA for veterans who live in rural areas. All our veterans deserve the best care possible regardless of race, gender or where they live. And we are working with the Department of Defense to build a fully interoperable electronic records system that will provide each member of our military with a Virtual Lifetime Electronic Record. For VA, this will revolutionize our claims process by making it faster with higher-quality decisions and with fewer errors. Five years from now, we intend to make VA the provider

American warrior doesn't leave a fallen comrade behind, VA official says . L. Tammy Duckworth: VA funding increase will improve care and benefits . Goal is to have zero veterans homeless in five years, Duckworth says . Duckworth: Electronic records system will speed claims and reduce errors .

Washington (CNN) -- In the largest alleged BP oil spill-related scam uncovered to date, federal authorities on Thursday charged two Floridians with taking $340,000 in funds intended for victims of last year's environmental disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. Justice Department officials said Joseph Harvey, 51, and Anja Kannell, 41, of Delray Beach, Florida, appeared in federal court in Miami on Thursday to face indictments for mail fraud, wire fraud and aggressive identity theft. Prosecutors said the defendants claimed the money from a $20 billion fund set up to help legitimate victims of the spill recover lost income. Justice officials said they have brought charges in at least 30 cases in which individuals tried to recover funds to which they were not entitled. This was the biggest case yet, according to the Justice Department. Harvey and Kannell are accused of filing phony claims using 34 assumed identities of actual Florida residents. These claims were complete with names and Social Security numbers, though they had fictitious addresses in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and the Florida Panhandle. Officials say the defendants instructed that all the funds be sent to an account they controlled in Texas. A magistrate judge on Thursday ordered Harvey and Kannell to remain in custody, pending further court proceedings next week. The charges carry 10-, 15- and 20-year prison sentences upon conviction.

Joseph Harvey, 51, and Anja Kannell, 41, appear in federal court . They allegedly assumed 34 false identities to file oil-spill claims . Prosecutors say the two claimed $340,000 intended for victims of the Gulf spill .

Washington (CNN) -- In the tight circle that surrounds President Obama, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs is in the inner bubble. He's the 3 a.m. wake-up call when North Korea fires a test missile, or when the Nobel committee picks the president for the top award. "Trust me, it is a job I would gladly give to anybody who would volunteer," Gibbs said. Or would he? After all, he's an adviser, a friend and a mouthpiece for the administration with more access than recent press secretaries. "I can walk in and ask him a question at any given time, pick up the phone and talk to him about anything at any given time. I think [that] makes my job easier," Gibbs said in an exclusive interview with CNN. The president and the press secretary first connected in 2004 when Obama was a virtual unknown outside of Chicago, Illinois, and was campaigning for the U.S. Senate. They clicked and grew close, leading Obama to tell the Wall Street Journal in a 2008 interview, "Robert is the guy I want in the foxhole with me during incoming fire. If I'm wrong, he challenges me. He's not intimidated by me." Gibbs chuckled while recalling the comment and quipped, "That is when we called him 'Senator' or by his first name." While challenging Obama when he was on a campaign bus is much different than pushing back in the Oval Office, Gibbs insists that Obama still seeks opposing opinions and dislikes an atmosphere where everyone tells him he's right. Ten months into his job in the White House, Gibbs, who grew up in Auburn, Alabama, says he's finally starting to get more comfortable, even though he admits that the 24/7 pace "is certainly a challenge. It can wear you down." Especially when it comes to the daily main event. Gibbs briefs the White House press corps, usually for about 45 minutes. He rarely shows up on time, but he's always ready to spar. The mouthpiece for the president often uses humor or sarcasm to deflect a tough question. In one exchange about the tit for tat over cable chatter and radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh, Gibbs uttered, "I'll plead guilty to counterproductivity." In another about managing the message, Gibbs said, "Is there any evidence currently going on that I'm controlling the press? Poorly, I might add!" Is this an effective strategy to handle the media? "You tell me," Gibbs said. "Look, there's no doubt that using a little humor to get out of a series of bad questions isn't an altogether bad technique." Watch Gibbs talk about his job Especially since he's involved in a daily high-wire act, as he calls it. The cameras are always rolling. A bad day for the White House spokesman usually means a bad day for the administration. "My father likes reminding me he always thought my mouth would get me into sizable trouble, which it can on any given day," Gibbs said. Before starting his job, Gibbs studied former press secretaries and sought out their advice. He still relies on their guidance "fairly frequently," he said. For example, Gibbs revealed that just last week he reached out to former Clinton spokesman Mike McCurry to get "feedback on a question that was sort of nagging me a little bit." When probed on what that question was, Gibbs replied, "I'm not going to get into that, but good try." Even with the major policy issues the White House is juggling, from Afghanistan to health care to the economy, Gibbs says he's still having fun. "If you didn't enjoy the job that I have, it would be the worst job in all of Washington," he said. What he doesn't like, he said, is the fact that he's now a celebrity. "People that I don't know recognize you walking down the street.

White House spokesman has more access to president than recent predecessors . Robert Gibbs says he can walk in or call Obama any time he has a question . Obama has praised Gibbs' willingness to challenge him, tell him he's wrong . Gibbs known for using humor to deflect tough questions from media .

Washington (CNN) -- In the wake of the Christmas Day attempt to blow up a U.S. airliner, most Americans remain confident the Obama administration can protect the country from terrorism, according to a new national poll. A CNN/Opinion Research Corp. survey released Monday also indicates the vast majority of Americans believe that full-body scanners should be used in airports across the country. Nearly two-thirds of people questioned in the poll said they have a moderate or great deal of confidence in the administration to protect the public from future terrorist attacks, up 2 percentage points from August. Thirty-five percent said they have not much or no confidence, down 1 percentage point from August. Read the full poll results (PDF) A number of Republicans have criticized President Obama over his handling of the attempted bombing of Northwest Airlines Flight 253 from Amsterdam, Netherlands, to Detroit, Michigan. But according to the survey, 57 percent approve of the way Obama has responded, while 39 percent disapprove of how he handled the situation. "Only a third of Republicans have a positive view of Obama on this matter, but the key for the administration is the 55 percent of independents who approve of how the president responded to the incident on Christmas Day," said Keating Holland, CNN's polling director. The poll also indicates no increase in overall concern about terrorism. "In October, about a third said they were worried that a family member would become a victim of terrorism, and that number is unchanged in the wake of the attempted attack in December," Holland said. "The public seems to react calmly to individual incidents, possibly because most Americans believe that the government cannot prevent every single terrorist plot from occurring." Six in 10 said terrorists always will find a way to launch an attack, no matter what the government does, he added -- identical to the number who felt that way during the Bush administration. The poll indicates a majority, 57 percent, think suspect Umar Farouk AbdulMutallab should be tried in military court and not a civilian criminal court. Forty-two percent back handling the case in civilian court. According to the survey, Americans also are split on whether heads should roll as a result of the attempted bombing of the airliner. Forty-six percent questioned feel that top officials in the federal agencies responsible for handling the issue of terrorism should be fired, while 51 percent said no. The poll indicates that nearly eight in 10 believe full-body scanners should be used in U.S. airports, while 15 percent said they would refuse to go through one of the machines if asked to do so. "Most Americans don't see full-body scanners as a health risk, and more than seven in 10 say they would be unconcerned if asked to go through one at an airport," Holland said. "Women in particular seem to prefer the idea of a full-body scanner to being frisked by a security guard, even when the question makes clear that the guard doing the manual pat-down would also be a woman." The CNN/Opinion Research poll was conducted Friday through Sunday, with 1,021 adult Americans questioned by telephone. The survey's overall sampling error is plus or minus 3 percentage points. CNN deputy political director Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.

Nearly two-thirds have moderate or great deal of confidence in president's handling of terrorism . Majority in survey say full-body scanners should be used in airports . Poll indicates no increase in overall concern about terrorism . Findings come after Christmas Day attempt to blow up a U.S. jet .