WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A member of the royal family of Abu Dhabi who was captured on videotape torturing an Afghan grain dealer has reportedly been detained, a senior U.S. State Department official told CNN Saturday. Sheikh Issa bin Zayed al Nahyan, pictured here, allegedly tortured a business associate on videotape. The official said the government of the United Arab Emirates, which includes Abu Dhabi as one of its seven emirates, told the State Department that Sheikh Issa bin Zayed al Nahyan is under house arrest pending an investigation, but that the United States has not independently confirmed the development. The videotape emerged last month in a federal civil lawsuit filed in Houston, Texas, by Bassam Nabulsi, a U.S. citizen, against the sheikh. Former business partners, the men had a falling out, in part over the tape. In a statement to CNN, the sheikh's U.S. attorney said Nabulsi is using the videotape to influence the court over a business dispute. The tape of the heinous torture session is delaying the ratification of a civil nuclear deal between the United Arab Emirates and the United States, senior U.S. officials familiar with the case have said. The senior U.S. officials said the administration has held off on the ratification process because it believes sensitivities over the story can hurt its passage. On Saturday, Human Rights Watch called the sheikh's reported detention "a significant development" but said the UAE government needs to do more to restore confidence in its judicial system. "The videotape of this episode shocked the world," said Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East director at Human Rights Watch. "The report of the arrest was reassuring, but now the government needs to make the details public. Secretive prosecutions will not deter further abuses and torture." On the tape, Sheikh Issa appears to burn with rage. Apparently believing he was cheated in a business deal, the sheikh was trying to extract a confession from the Afghan grain dealer. With a private security officer assisting, Sheikh Issa is seen stuffing sand in the Afghan's mouth. As the grain dealer pleads and whimpers, he is beaten with a nailed board, burned in the genitals with a cigarette lighter, shocked with a cattle prod and led to believe he would be shot. Salt is literally poured on his wounds. The 45 minutes of torture appears on a nearly three-hour-long videotape shot in late 2004 in the desert outside Abu Dhabi. It was made at the direction of the sheikh himself. The tape has been viewed by CNN.  Watch portions of the tape and Nabulsi tell his story » After international concerns over the tape mounted in late April, Abu Dhabi's government issued a statement saying it deplored the contents of the video and planned an immediate and comprehensive review of it. The sheikh, who holds no official government position, is the half-brother of the UAE's ruler, President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Human Rights Watch sent a April 28 letter to the president imploring him to form "an independent body" to probe both the torture and and the "failure" of the UAE's Interior Ministry "to bring those involved to justice." The group reiterated that call Saturday. As for the grain dealer, UAE officials say he survived the ordeal, and said the sheikh and the grain dealer settled the matter privately by agreeing not to bring formal charges against each other. However, Nabulsi's attorney, Anthony Buzbee, said the grain dealer can't be located and it is not known whether he is alive.

Question: What does the State Department say?

Question: What did a videotape show a sheikh doing?

Question: Who did a state department official say was reportedly detained?

Question: When did the videotape emerge?

Question: What does videeotape show

Question: who was detained

Question: who  reportedly detained?

Question: Who was reported detained?

Question: Who was detained?

Question: What did the U.S. senior say?

Question: what emerged last month in federal civil lawsuit?

Question: When did the videotape emerge?

Answer: an Afghan grain dealer has reportedly been detained, a senior U.S. State Department

Answer: tortured a business associate

Answer: Sheikh Issa bin Zayed al Nahyan,

Answer: emerged last month in a federal civil lawsuit filed in Houston, Texas, by Bassam Nabulsi, a U.S. citizen, against the sheikh.

Answer: an Afghan grain dealer

Answer: A member of the royal family of Abu Dhabi

Answer: A member of the royal family of Abu Dhabi

Answer: A member of the royal family of Abu Dhabi

Answer: Sheikh Issa bin Zayed al Nahyan

Answer: an Afghan grain dealer has reportedly been detained,

Answer: The videotape

Answer: last month

Summary:
State Department official says member of Abu Dhabi royal family reportedly detained .
Investigation continuing after videotape shows sheikh torturing grain merchant .
Videotape emerged last month in federal civil lawsuit filed in the United States .
U.S. senior officials say case is holding up a U.S. nuclear deal with the UAE .


WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A mother suspected of killing her four children, whose decomposing bodies were found in her home, told police they were possessed by demons, according to court records. Banita Jacks, 33, is charged with three counts of felony murder and one count of first-degree murder while armed. The victims, who range in age from 5 to 17 years, are thought to be her daughters. Their bodies were found when U.S. marshals served an eviction notice at Jacks' apartment in southeast Washington, D.C. Court documents say Jacks identified the victims as her daughters Brittany Jacks, 17; Tatianna Jacks, 11; N'kiah Fogle, 6; and Aja Fogle, 5. Earlier Thursday, Mayor Adrian Fenty said the bodies' decomposition has hindered their identification, although they were believed to be Jacks' children. Marie Pierre-Louis, Washington's chief medical examiner, said all four of the girls had been dead for at least 15 days. Jacks is being held without bail. Her next court appearance is scheduled for February 11. If convicted, she could receive a maximum sentence of life in prison. Jacks told police that her daughters were possessed by demons and that each died in her sleep during a seven- to 10-day period, court documents said. Aja died first, she told police, then N'kiah, Tatianna and Brittany. "She said that as the first three younger children died, she placed them side by side in the room in which they died," according to court documents. She reported that all the deaths occurred sometime before the electricity in her house was disconnected, which records show was September 5, 2007, documents said. Jacks said she never tried to call authorities to remove the bodies "because she didn't trust either agency and because she thought if she notified emergency personnel, that would cause her more problems," the documents said. She also said she had not fed her daughters food "for a substantial period of time prior to their deaths." No one besides herself or the children had been in the home since May 2007, Jacks said. Pierre-Louis ruled the deaths homicides, according to a court document.  Watch Pierre-Louis describe the condition of the bodies » Preliminary findings are that Brittany was stabbed to death and that Aja died from blunt-force impact to the back of her head and possible ligature strangulation. Both Tatianna and N'kiah also had "apparent ligature evidence" on their necks that was "somewhat more defined than that noted on Aja Fogle's neck," court documents said. However, the documents said, further tests are needed to confirm the causes of the deaths. All four children were wearing white T-shirts and were discovered in unfurnished bedrooms -- three in one and a fourth in another, the documents said. "What appeared to be a metal steak knife" was found next to the fourth. Also, the fourth body was found in a bedroom with hardwood floors, and a T-shirt with duct tape was found at the bottom of the bedroom door, filling the gap between the floor and the bottom of the door when it was closed. A witness told police they saw Jacks treat Brittany differently from her other children, sometimes withholding food from her while feeding the others, court documents said. In addition, the witness said Jacks once drove Brittany to Jacks' mother's home in Waldorf, Maryland, and left her there. Jacks' mother was not home, the witness said, and Brittany was left on the porch unattended for more than 10 hours. City officials are trying to determine how the children could have been dead for at least two weeks without anyone noticing their absence. Fenty said the city had determined that Jacks' children were "in and out of the public school system" and that the child welfare caseworkers and the metropolitan police had each had at least "one contact" with the family.  Watch Fenty explain how a "routine" eviction became a death investigation » "There may be other contacts with the government ... in

Question: How many counts of felony murder does Jacks face?

Question: How old is Jacks?

Question: What is the number of counts of felony murder Jacks faces?

Question: What are the counts facing the mother?

Question: What are officials trying to determine?

Question: What did Mother Banita Jacks tell police?

Question: Who is the mother?

Question: What is the name of the mother who told police her children died in their sleep?

Question: What is the age of the mother?

Question: Who told police that children died in their sleep?

Question: How many children were stabbed to death?

Answer: three

Answer: 33,

Answer: three

Answer: first-degree murder while armed.

Answer: how the children could have been dead for at least two weeks without anyone noticing their absence.

Answer: they were possessed by demons,

Answer: Banita Jacks,

Answer: Banita Jacks,

Answer: 33,

Answer: Banita Jacks,

Answer: four

Summary:
NEW: One child appeared to be stabbed to death, another strangled .
Mother Banita Jacks, 33, told police her children died in their sleep .
Jacks faces 3 counts of felony murder, 1 count of first-degree murder while armed .
Officials trying to determine how kids' deaths, absences went unnoticed .


WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A new policy sets guidelines for how long U.S. border officials can hold computers and downloaded information seized at checkpoints, and with whom they can share that information. New rules announced Thursday specify border searches to be conducted "as expeditiously as possible." The policy, announced Thursday by Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, continues to give border officials the authority to search files in travelers' laptop computers, mobile phones, Blackberrys and similar devices with or without suspicion that a crime has occurred. That is in keeping with long-standing court rulings that say the federal government's powers of search and seizure are greatest at the border to protect the country. But the new policy also attempts to address complaints from travelers that border officials are needlessly perusing confidential information, downloading it and keeping devices and information indefinitely without any explanation. The policy gives travelers the right to be "present in the room" during searches, although they are "not necessarily ... permitted to witness the search itself." It says searches should be conducted "as expeditiously as possible." And Customs and Border Protection officers should keep devices no longer than five days unless there are "extenuating circumstances." Officers with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the investigative branch of the Homeland Security Department, can keep devices up to 30 days. It also requires border officers to document searches and conduct them in the presence of a supervisor. And it says they should take steps to prevent the unauthorized disclosure of information and share it only with federal agencies "that have mechanisms in place to protect" the data. Border officers have long had to deal with issues pitting privacy versus security. But with the proliferation of laptop computers, travelers increasingly are traveling with sensitive information, including confidential legal documents, medical records, credit card and bank information and trade secrets. "Keeping Americans safe in an increasingly digital world depends on our ability to lawfully screen materials entering the United States," Napolitano said in a written statement. "The new directives ... strike the balance between respecting the civil liberties and privacy of all travelers while ensuring DHS can take the lawful actions necessary to secure our borders." The American Civil Liberties Union said the new rules are a "welcome first step," but said they do not go far enough. "There are two key aspects of this new policy worth applauding -- the limitations on the time that electronic devices can be held by customs officers and requirements that information from electronic devices only be retained if there is probable cause that a crime has been committed," said ACLU attorney Christopher Calabrese. "These procedural safeguards recognize that the old system was invasive and harmed many innocent travelers." "But unless and until the government requires agents to have individualized suspicion before reviewing such sensitive information as medical records, legal papers and financial information, even the most elaborate procedural safeguards will be insufficient," he said. The ACLU this week filed suit seeking records about the Customs and Border Protection's policy of searching travelers' laptops. The Homeland Security Department's statement said its new policies "enhance transparency, accountability and oversight of electronic media searches at U.S. ports of entry." "Searches of electronic media ... are vital to detecting information that poses serious harm to the United States, including terrorist plans, or constitutes criminal activity -- such as possession of child pornography and trademark or copyright infringement," the statement said. The department said it searches electronic media "on a small percentage of international travelers." The border protection agency said that between October 1, 2008, and August 11, it conducted about 1,000 laptop searches while processing more than 221 million travelers at U.S. ports of entry. Just 46 searches were in depth, it said.

Question: What do the rules enhance?

Question: what its the new rules?

Question: What right have travelers been given?

Question: What have travelers given right to?

Question: What have travelers complained about?

Question: What do the new rules say?

Question: What has attempted to address travelers' complaints?

Answer: The policy,

Answer: specify border searches to be conducted "as expeditiously as possible."

Answer: "present in the room" during searches, although they are "not necessarily ... permitted to witness the search itself."

Answer: be "present in the room" during searches,

Answer: that border officials are needlessly perusing confidential information, downloading it and keeping devices and information indefinitely without any explanation.

Answer: how long U.S. border officials can hold computers

Answer: new policy

Summary:
New policy attempts to address travelers' complaints about privacy at borders .
Travelers given right to be "present in room," but not necessarily view searches .
Homeland Security: New rules "enhance transparency, accountability"


WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A pair of Republican congressmen ripped Congressional Black Caucus members for ignoring Cuba's "myriad gross human rights abuses" Thursday, saying this week's caucus trip to the island nation ignored the plight of political prisoners under the Castro regime.

Rep. Chris Smith, R-New Jersey, blasts members of the Black Caucus on Thursday for their trip to Cuba.

They also urged the Obama administration to refrain from easing trade embargo or travel restrictions until the Cuban government releases all "prisoners of conscience," shows greater respect for freedom of religion and speech, and holds "free and fair" elections.

The call from Reps. Chris Smith, R-New Jersey, and Frank Wolf, R-Virginia, came three days after the administration signaled that new rules on family travel and remittances to Cuba may be announced before President Obama goes to the Summit of the Americas on April 17.

It also followed statements from several Black Caucus members Tuesday arguing for consideration of an end to the trade embargo and other diplomatic restrictions placed on Cuba for five decades.  Watch CNN's Ed Hornick discuss the story »

"Yes, we have history -- we have good history and not-so-good history," said Rep. Laura Richardson, D-California. "But the point is it's history, and we need to move forward."

Three members of the caucus were visiting the Latin American School of Medicine, where students from nations including the United States study, when they received an invitation to Fidel Castro's home for a meeting.

"Former President Fidel Castro is very engaging, very energetic," said CBC Chairwoman Barbara Lee, also a from California Democrat. "Our conclusion is, given the new direction in our foreign policy, that it's time to look at a new direction in our policy toward Cuba.  Watch Lee discuss her visit to Cuba »

"The 50-year embargo just hasn't worked," she said.

The caucus members, who also visited current Cuban President Raul Castro, "did nothing to publicly show any concern for the myriad gross human rights abuses perpetrated by the Cuban government or the tragic fate of hundreds of Cuban democracy and human rights activists," Smith said.

"Yet they held press conferences at which they heaped and lavished praise and affection for a government the United States Department of State only six weeks ago called 'totalitarian.' "

A 2008 State Department human rights report cited, among other things, numerous accounts of beatings of Cuban political prisoners, harsh and life- threatening conditions for dissidents, and severe restrictions on freedom of movement and religion, Smith said.

"Over the past 50 years, the Castros and their secret police have been directly responsible for killing thousands of nonviolent, courageous pro-democracy activists and for jailing and torturing tens of thousands of others. And they continue to this day to perpetrate their brutal crimes," he said.

"Before the Obama administration even thinks about permitting further travel to Cuba, or altering the trade embargo on Cuba, both the White House and Congress have a moral obligation, a duty, to ensure that the Cuban dictatorship releases all prisoners of conscience, makes substantial progress in respecting freedom of religion, speech and, press and assembly, and holds free and fair elections."

Lee responded Thursday that it made no sense to continue what she characterized as a failed policy.

"Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but by any objective standard our current policy toward Cuba just hasn't worked. Simply put, it's time to open dialogue and discussion with Cuba," she said in a statement.

"I am convinced, based on the meetings which were held, that the Cubans do want dialogue, they do want talks, and they do want normal relations with the United States of America. And I believe that it's in the United States' best interest to do that."

On Monday, the White House adviser for the Summit of the Americas, Jeffrey Davidow, refused to be pinned down about when the administration might announce its easing of the restrictions on

Question: till when should trade restrictions continue

Question: what did GOP reps do

Question: who did members visit?

Question: by whom was Cuba visited

Question: who did reps blast?

Answer: until the Cuban government releases all "prisoners of conscience," shows greater respect for freedom of religion and speech, and holds "free and fair" elections.

Answer: ignored the plight of political prisoners under the Castro regime.

Answer: Latin American School of Medicine,

Answer: Black Caucus

Answer: members of the Black Caucus

Summary:
NEW: Black Caucus Chairwoman responds to GOP criticism on Thursday .
Members of the CBC recently visited Cuba, met with Fidel and Raul Castro .
GOP reps blast trip, citing Havana's "myriad gross human rights violations"
N.J. congressman: Travel, trade restrictions should continue until Cuba reforms .


WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A proposed health-care compromise by the powerful chairman of the Senate Finance Committee lacks a government-run insurance option favored by Democrats and would tax the most expensive health insurance plans, a source close to the discussions told CNN Monday. Sen. Max Baucus, D-Montana, is the powerful chairman of the Senate Finance Committee. As expected, the proposal from Sen. Max Baucus, D-Montana, excludes the public insurance option to compete with private insurers. However, it would allow for the creation of nonprofit health care cooperatives -- an idea that some moderate Democrats and Republicans have expressed possible interest in supporting. The potential compromise proposal was sent to key Finance Committee negotiators Saturday night. It is considered a last-ditch effort to secure Republican votes for a health-care bill as President Obama pushes the issue with a planned speech to a joint session of Congress on Wednesday night. So far, none of the three Republican senators involved in talks with Baucus on the compromise have indicated whether they support the version he is proposing. Congressional liberals are pushing strongly for inclusion of a public option; conservatives are sharply opposed. Obama has said he supports a public option but has not clearly indicated he will veto a bill that fails to include it. On Monday, Obama reiterated his support for a public option in a Labor Day speech to a union gathering in Cincinnati. He outlined Democratic health-care proposals that include a public option as part of a menu of insurance choices, including private health-care plans, that the legislation would create. "I continue to believe that a public option within that basket of insurance choices would help improve quality and bring down costs," Obama said to loud cheers. The president also indicated he would push hard for the House and Senate to move forward on passing health-care legislation in his upcoming address to Congress. "The Congress and the country have been engaged in a vigorous debate for many months," Obama said. "And the debate has been good, and that's important because we have to get this right. "But every debate at some point comes to an end," he continued, to growing applause. "At some point, it's time to decide. At some point, it's time to act. And Ohio, it's time to act to get this done." Baucus' bill would cost less than $900 billion over 10 years, according to the source who spoke to CNN. The price tag is at least $100 billion less than any other health-care reform bill under consideration by Congress, the source said. As with other reform proposals, the bill would bar insurance companies from dropping a policyholder in the event of illness as long as that person has paid his or her premium in full. It adds new protections for people with pre-existing conditions and establishes tax credits to help low and middle-income families purchase insurance coverage, the source noted. It creates health insurance exchanges to make it easier for small groups and individuals to buy insurance. The bill would be paid for, in part, by a new tax on health insurance companies that provide high-end "Cadillac" insurance plans, the source added. Supporters of such a tax -- initially proposed by Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry and other Democrats several weeks ago -- say will it help curb the cost of health care by discouraging employers from offering such plans. They also argue that consumers, in turn, will be discouraged from overusing the health care system.  Watch senators discuss health care talks » Critics claim the new tax will cause insurance companies to raise rates on all of their customers, even those without more expensive plans. The so-called "Gang of Six" Senate negotiators -- a group of three Democrats and three Republicans on the Finance Committee -- is scheduled to meet Tuesday to discuss the proposal. The source, while stressing that the proposed bill is not a final product, said it closely reflects the group's work and areas of agreement. Obama's planned speech to

Question: Who's proposal to negotiators would allow nonprofit cooperatives instead?

Question: what is favored by some Democrats?

Question: Where would the funding come from?

Question: where would some funding come from?

Question: how much would the bill cost?

Question: How much would the bill cost over 10 years?

Question: Where would some of the funding come from?

Answer: Sen. Max Baucus,

Answer: government-run insurance option

Answer: new tax on health insurance companies

Answer: new tax on health insurance companies

Answer: less than $900 billion over 10 years,

Answer: less than $900 billion

Answer: new tax on health insurance companies

Summary:
Compromise lacks a government-run insurance option favored by some Democrats .
Max Baucus' proposal to negotiators would allow nonprofit cooperatives instead .
Source says bill would cost less than $900 billion over 10 years .
Some funding would come from new tax on companies with high-end plans .


WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A retired U.S. Army colonel pleaded guilty Tuesday to awarding contracts in Iraq to a Kuwait-based firm in exchange for gifts. Levonda Selph of Virginia admitted accepting $4,000 in cash and a $5,000 vacation to Thailand from the unidentified contractor, which was awarded $12 million in contracts to operate Defense Department warehouses in Iraq. She pleaded guilty to charges of bribery and conspiracy. She was secretly indicted on those charges in October; the charges weren't disclosed until her court appearance Tuesday. Under terms of a plea agreement, Selph could receive up to 33 months in jail. She promised to repay the government $9,000 and to cooperate in an ongoing investigation. Prosecutors said Selph was a lieutenant colonel at Camp Victory in Iraq in 2004 and 2005 when she led a committee that awarded the warehouse contracts. The Justice Department said she will be free until her sentencing October 14 but will not be allowed to leave the country.

Question: what did selph exchange for gifts?

Question: What did he plead guilty to?

Question: What did he accept to steer contracts?

Question: Where are the Defense Department warehouses?

Question: Who pleads guilty?

Question: who admits accepting cash and vacation?

Question: who pleads guilty to bribery and conspiracy?

Question: Who has pleaded guilty?

Answer: contracts in Iraq

Answer: awarding contracts in Iraq

Answer: Thailand

Answer: Iraq.

Answer: Levonda Selph

Answer: Levonda Selph

Answer: Levonda Selph

Answer: A retired U.S. Army colonel

Summary:
Former U.S. Army colonel pleads guilty to bribery and conspiracy .
Levonda Selph admits accepting cash, vacation from contractor .
Prosecutors: In exchange for gifts, Selph steered contracts to firm .
Contracts let company operate Defense Department warehouses in Iraq .


WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A rush-hour collision Monday between two Metro trains north of downtown Washington, D.C., killed at least six people and injured scores, Mayor Adrian Fenty said. One train was stationary when the crash happened, according to Metro General Manager John Catoe. He called it the deadliest crash in the history of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, known as Metro. One of the dead was the female operator of one of the trains, Metro officials said. "The scene is as horrific as you can imagine," Fenty said in a news conference. "One car was almost squeezed completely together." Seventy-six people were treated for injuries, including two with life-threatening injuries, said Chief Dennis Rubin of Washington's Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department. Two of the injured were emergency responders, Rubin said.   See location of crash » The crash happened just before 5 p.m. on an above-ground track on the Red Line in the District of Columbia near the border with Takoma Park, Maryland. Both trains were on the same track, and one of them was stationary when the crash happened, said John Catoe, Metro general manager. Watch woman say she, fellow passengers "went flying" » Video footage of the scene showed two cars of one train lying atop the cars of the other train. Emergency personnel carried injured passengers, some on stretchers, from the wreckage.   Watch injured passengers limp from the scene » "Metro officials do not know the cause of the collision and are not likely to know the cause for several days as the investigation unfolds," a Metro statement said. Fire department personnel cut through the trains to help people from the wreckage, officials said at a press briefing. Some three hours after the accident, fire department sources said rescue operations had ceased, with ongoing work focusing on recovery.  See pictures of crash site » President Obama issued a statement saying he and his wife Michelle were "saddened by the terrible accident," and thanking the first responders to the scene "who arrived immediately to save lives." A survivor, Jodie Wickett, described feeling a bump on the track, and then being flung forward when the train suddenly halted a few seconds later. She said she hit her head, but managed to get out and go to where the collision occurred a few cars up, where one subway car lay atop another. "There was debris, and people pinned under in-between the two cars," Wickett said. "We were just trying to get them out and help them as much as possible, pulling back the metal." People were badly injured, she said. "Ones that could speak were calling back as we called out to them." One car was "about 75 percent compressed," and recovery workers aren't sure if any more bodies are inside, Fenty told CNN's "Larry King Live" on Monday night. "We just haven't been able to cut through it to see if there's bodies in there," Fenty said. A certified nursing assistant who was on one of the trains told CNN affiliate WUSA she was trying to help those in severe condition after the crash, including a lady who appeared to be in her 20s. "She is very, very torn in her legs -- the muscles and everything are torn, ripped through. She had metal pieces in her face," said the nursing assistant, who said her name was Jeanie. Other witnesses described seeing more blood than they had seen before. Tom Baker, who was in the train that hit the stationary train, told WUSA that after the collision, he looked toward the front of the car, and when the smoke cleared, "all you could see was sky." Jasmine Gars, who also was on the moving train, told CNN's "Larry King Live" that the collision "was like nothing I've ever felt before." "It was like we hit a concrete wall," Gars said. "Almost immediately

Question: What time did the crash happen?

Question: who was the fire chief?

Question: was anybody killed?

Question: Where did the trains collide?

Question: How many people were treated for injuries?

Question: How many trains collided?

Question: How many trains were stationary when the crash happened?

Answer: just before 5 p.m.

Answer: Dennis Rubin

Answer: at least six people

Answer: north of downtown Washington,

Answer: Seventy-six

Answer: two

Answer: One

Summary:
One train was stationary when crash happened, Metro official says .
76 people treated for injuries, fire chief says .
Two Metro trains collide north of downtown Washington .
Crash happened just before 5 p.m. on above-ground track .


WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A senior administration official said Henry Louis Gates Jr. and Sgt. James Crowley of the Cambridge, Massachusetts, Police Department will be visiting the White House Thursday. President Obama will meet Thursday with a Harvard professor and the officer who arrested him. The meeting among the three men will take place at 6 p.m. Thursday. Last week, Obama said he called Crowley and "there was a discussion about he and I and Professor Gates having a beer here in the White House." Gibbs said: "I think it was Sgt. Crowley's suggestion about the beer, and I think the president thought it was a good idea." Obama said he hoped the incident in Cambridge, which quickly spiraled into a national and racially charged controversy, "ends up being what's called a teachable moment" for the country. The president acknowledged that he had contributed to "ratcheting it up" by declaring the Police Department had "acted stupidly" even though he didn't know all the facts of the case and is a personal friend of Gates. Cambridge police called on Obama to apologize for the remark. Obama did not apologize, but in the phone call with Crowley he said his choice of words was "unfortunate." Gates, a top African-American scholar, was arrested July 16 for disorderly conduct outside his home after police responded to a report of a possible burglary. The charge was later dropped. Gates called himself the victim of a "rogue" officer. But he said Friday he looks forward to meeting with Obama and Crowley, and to making the experience "a teaching moment to improve racial relations in America." Crowley said Gates accused him of racism when he was at the home simply trying to do his job and assuring that Gates was safe and alone in the home. Cambridge police officials have praised Crowley, who in recent years had been selected by a black police officer to teach a police academy course on how to avoid racial profiling. Officials said they take pride in their relationship with the diverse community in the area. Cambridge Police Commissioner Robert Haas said he "deeply regrets" the arrest, but stands by the procedures his department followed. iReport.com: Share stories, concerns on racial profiling Meanwhile, authorities in Cambridge announced Monday that they have created a panel to advise police on racial issues. "Today is the day to move forward," City Manager Robert Healy said at a news conference. The committee, led by "nationally recognized experts," will not investigate the arrest of Gates, nor will it "make any judgments" on the officers involved, Healy said. The committee "will identify lessons to be taken from the circumstances surrounding the incident" and will advise the police department on how "those lessons can be applied" to its policies and practices. CNN's Dan Lothian contributed to this report.

Question: What issues are the police advised of?

Question: Who create panel to advise police on racial issues?

Question: Officials of which city create panel to advise police on racial issues?

Question: Who said the police acted "stupidly"?

Question: Who said police acted stupidly?

Question: Who was arrested?

Question: Who poured fuel on fire by saying police acted "stupidly"?

Question: What turned into a racial incident?

Question: What was the race of the arrested professor?

Answer: racial

Answer: authorities in Cambridge

Answer: Cambridge, Massachusetts,

Answer: The president

Answer: The president

Answer: Harvard professor

Answer: The president

Answer: Gates, a top African-American scholar, was arrested July 16 for disorderly conduct outside his home after police responded to a report of a possible burglary.

Answer: African-American

Summary:
Arrest of black professor by white officer turned into racial incident .
President Obama poured fuel on fire by saying police acted "stupidly"
Cambridge officials create panel to advise police on racial issues .


WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A sharply divided House of Representatives narrowly passed a White House-backed climate change bill Friday after hours of cajoling and arm-twisting by Democratic leaders among members worried about the legislation's potential economic and political fallout. The House of Representatives passes an energy bill that includes a "cap-and-trade" program on emissions. The bill passed 219-212, with virtually no Republican support. The bill would reduce nationwide greenhouse gas emissions 17 percent by 2020 and 83 percent by 2050 through a so-called "cap-and-trade" program under which companies would buy and sell emissions credits. Among other things, the bill would also require utilities to generate an increasing amount of power from renewable sources. Even before daybreak Friday, consternation over the bill brewed anew. The Democrats released a 301-page amendment to the bill at 3:09 a.m. Friday, drawing protest from Republican Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio. "This is the biggest job-killing bill that has ever been on the floor of the House of Representatives. Right here. This bill," Boehner said. The leaders of the House are customarily granted unlimited speaking time, but when the Boehner's speech went more than 2½ hours, Democrats objected. "Is this an attempt to try to get some people to leave on a close vote?" asked Rep Henry Waxman, D-California, the bill's lead sponsor. Also Friday, the House of Representatives phone switchboard went down as conservative radio hosts and congressmen made direct pleas for voters to dial the Capitol to voice their opposition to the bill. "Phone traffic has increased to a level where some callers are receiving an 'all circuits are busy now, please try back again later' message," communications director Jeff Ventura said via e-mail. Congressional sources said Democrats were hoping their constituents would also attempt to match phone calls opposed to the bill with phone calls for the bill. "Call your congressman, right now!" urged Rep. Mike Pence, R-Indiana, from the House floor as the chamber seemed near a vote. Ventura said the bill was likely behind the phone-line crash. "The suspected cause ... is believed to be interest and inquiries regarding the expected vote on the climate bill," he wrote. The House vote came one day after President Obama made an urgent plea for congressional approval in what could be an early make-or-break test of his young administration. "Now is the time for us to lead," Obama said during an appearance Thursday in the White House Rose Garden. "We cannot be afraid of the future. We cannot be prisoners to the past." The president said the bill will spark a "clean energy transformation" of the U.S. economy and "make possible the creation of millions of new jobs." "Make no mistake," he emphasized. "This is a jobs bill." Several moderate and conservative Democrats indicated that they received heavy constituent pressure in the final hours to buck their party leadership and vote against the bill. "I can't begin to tell you how many calls we've received," said Rep. Charles Gonzalez, D-Texas. "And it's disproportionately vote 'no.'" Gonzalez, who voted "yes," believes special interest groups generated many of the calls on both sides, including the late surge of negative feedback. However, Gonzalez also said Obama tried to counter much of that pressure by personally reaching out to swing members since Thursday night. Republicans have argued the bill would have the unintended consequence of devastating the country's battered industrial base while pushing polluting industries to countries with lower environmental standards. Having cleared the House, the bill now faces an unclear future in the Senate, where Democratic leaders have held off on introducing their own version of the legislation. CNN's Evan Glass contributed to this report.

Question: which has not been introduced?

Question: What got passed?

Question: What faces unclear future in the Senate?

Question: What would reduce nationwide greenhouse gas emissions 17 percent by 2020?

Answer: climate change bill

Answer: climate change bill

Answer: an energy bill

Answer: The bill

Summary:
Democratic leaders, Obama twist arms to get politically dicey bill passed .
Bill would reduce nationwide greenhouse gas emissions 17 percent by 2020 .
GOP says bill would drive polluting companies to less-regulated countries .
Bill faces unclear future in Senate, where it has not been introduced .


WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A slim majority of Americans think churches should stay out of politics, according to a new survey. John McCain, the Rev. Rick Warren and Barack Obama together for a CNN broadcast forum on faith. The survey suggests that for the first time in more than a decade, there has been a shift away from the view that religious groups should influence social and political issues. Fifty-two percent of poll respondents said churches should stay quiet, while 46 percent said churches should express political views. The biggest shift has come among Republicans, one of the authors of the poll said. "Overall, the number of people who say churches should not endorse political candidates is up slightly, but among Republicans it is up 11 points, and among white evangelical Republicans it is up 19 points," said Greg Smith, a research fellow at the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life. "There is a slight uptick, from 40 percent to 46 percent, among people who are uncomfortable to have politicians talking about religion, but it is up 10 points among Republicans," he added. Four years ago, seven out of 10 conservatives approved of religious institutions expressing political views. But five out of 10 conservatives in Thursday's poll said it was appropriate. It seems that the more important social issues are to conservatives, the more likely they were to say that religion and politics should not mix. Among people who said gay marriage was a very important issue, the number saying houses of worship should keep out of politics doubled, from 25 percent to 50 percent. Among those who said it was not important, the number was essentially unchanged. Respondents were also more likely to say houses of worship should not meddle in politics if they considered the major political parties to be hostile to religion. The new figures bring Republican views into line with those of Democrats and independents. A 14-point gap between Republican and Democratic views on the subject in August 2004 fell to one point in the new survey. But Smith cautioned against reading the survey to mean basic conservative philosophy was changing. "It appears to be frustration with the contemporary political landscape more than an underlying philosophical shift," he said. "It is not the case the conservatives are uncomfortable with a political role for religion, but we do see increasing discomfort with churches getting involved with politics." "Voting intentions among white evangelicals have not changed at all," Smith added. Republican candidate Sen. John McCain "has a huge lead even among younger evangelicals." But social conservatives are lukewarm about McCain as compared to President Bush. Nearly seven out of 10 white evangelical Protestants and conservatives said they supported McCain; the number was slightly higher for Bush in August 2004. But four years ago, 57 percent of them said they backed Bush strongly. The number is 28 percent for McCain this year, with 40 percent saying they backed him, but not strongly. The number of people who think religious groups have too much influence over political parties grew -- for both Republicans and Democrats -- as did the percentage of people who are uncomfortable hearing politicians talk about how religious they are. Americans continue to see the Republican Party as more friendly to religion than the Democrats, although the Democrats closed the gap somewhat since reaching a low point in 2006. Other survey results showed little change from the past. Two out of three Americans continue to say churches should not endorse candidates for president, and most still feel a president should have strong religious beliefs. The survey was conducted by the Pew Research Center for People & the Press and the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life by interviewing 2,905 adults nationwide by phone between July 31 and August 10. On Saturday, Obama and McCain answered questions that had religious overtones at a forum hosted by the Rev. Rick Warren. The pastor of Southern California's Saddleback Church is author of the best-selling book "The Purpose-Driven Life." Asked when life begins, McCain was quick to say "at the moment of conception." McCain's response was met with huge

Question: Who thinks  Survey doesn't mean basic conservative philosophy is changing?

Question: what did the researcher SAY

Question: What do they change views on?

Question: what does the Small majority of Americans think

Question: What do the small majority believe?

Question: What does the survey mean?

Answer: Smith

Answer: "Overall, the number of people who

Answer: that religious groups should influence social and political issues.

Answer: churches should stay out of politics,

Answer: Americans think churches should stay out of politics,

Answer: A slim majority of Americans think churches should stay out of politics,

Summary:
Survey: Republicans change view more than others on church and politics .
Small majority of Americans think churches shouldn't endorse candidates .
Researcher: Survey doesn't mean basic conservative philosophy is changing .


WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A smiling Pope Benedict XVI arrived in the United States on Tuesday afternoon to start the six-day, two-city journey that will take him from the White House to the halls of the United Nations. The papal plane, Shepherd 1, touched down at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland to cheers from a crowd of invited guests gathered for the event. After he stepped off the plane, Benedict did not kiss the ground, as his predecessor, Pope John Paul II, often did during visits. The pontiff was greeted by President Bush, first lady Laura Bush and their daughter Jenna, each of whom shook his hand.  Watch the arrival » It was believed to be the first time an American president has greeted a world dignitary on arrival at Andrews. "It had the look and feel of a monumental and historic event," CNN's Brian Todd reported. This is the first U.S. papal visit since the attacks of September 11 and Benedict's first visit to the United States. There will be a welcoming ceremony for the pope on the South Lawn of the White House on Wednesday. Benedict is to speak before meeting with U.S. cardinals and bishops.  Where will the pope be? » One of the stated goals of the pope's visit is to energize the U.S. Catholic community, which has an estimated 70 million members. Three years after succeeding Pope John Paul II, Benedict is likely to address the sex scandal within the Catholic Church, the church's relationship with other faiths, the U.S.-led war in Iraq and the upcoming U.S. presidential election, said John Allen, a CNN Vatican analyst. The fallout from the sex scandal has had a serious impact on the U.S. Catholic Church in terms of its finances, its moral authority and the demoralization of Catholics. During the flight from Rome to Washington, the pope told reporters aboard that he was ashamed of the problem.  Watch the pope express his shame about the scandal » 'Intense' security Meanwhile, security preparations were under way in the air, on land and in the water. Twenty-seven state, local and federal agencies will protect the pope as he meets with religious leaders, celebrates Mass at a baseball stadium and makes his way around the capital in his distinctive "popemobile." There are no specific threats against Benedict, according to the FBI, but a March audio message from Osama Bin Laden mentioned the pontiff. The centerpiece of the Washington leg of the U.S. visit will be Thursday's Mass at Nationals Park, a new baseball stadium where 46,000 people will gather to watch the pope. Everyone will go through metal detectors on their way in, and nearby roads and bridges will be closed. Temporary flight restrictions will be in place over the stadium.  Watch how Washington is preparing for papal visit » A 1½-mile section of the adjacent Anacostia River will be closed during the Mass. The Coast Guard will patrol the river in boats with machine guns mounted on their bows. "I am worried about a terrorist attack," said Lt. Lynda LeCrone of the Coast Guard. "We are here to detect, deter and defend against waterborne attack on this highly publicized event. ... We can use force." The pope will be making his way around parts of Washington in the popemobile, a Mercedes Benz modified with bulletproof glass surrounding a seating area from which the pope can wave to bystanders along his route. The vehicle, one of three popemobiles in the Vatican motor pool, arrived in the United States last week. It will be driven by a Secret Service agent. The agents have been training with the vehicle. "We try best-case scenarios and also try worst-case scenarios so our staff will know how to react," said Secret Service Special Agent Renee Triplett, who oversees Secret Service training. Benedict will travel to New York on Friday and address the U.N. General Assembly, linking the visit to the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. He'll celebrate Mass Sunday morning at Yankee Stadium. Still a mystery Despite three

Question: Who visits U.S. for six days?

Question: Who greeted the pontiff?

Question: Who greets the pontiff?

Question: What is this the first papal visit since?

Question: What else will he visit?

Question: Where did Pope Benedict XVI arrive?

Question: Who greets the pope?

Question: Who arrives in washington?

Answer: Pope Benedict XVI

Answer: President Bush, first lady Laura Bush and their daughter Jenna,

Answer: President Bush,

Answer: the attacks of September 11

Answer: White House to the halls of the United Nations.

Answer: in the United States

Answer: President Bush, first lady Laura Bush and their daughter Jenna,

Answer: Pope Benedict XVI

Summary:
NEW: Pope Benedict XVI arrives in Washington for six-day U.S. visit .
NEW: President Bush, first lady Laura Bush and daughter Jenna greet pontiff .
Security tight for first papal visit since September 11 attacks .
Benedict will also visit New York; will celebrate Mass in both cities .


WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A soldier who reported for duty with her children in tow has been granted her request for a discharge, her lawyer said Monday. Lisa Pagan was recalled to the Army after being honorably discharged four years ago. Lisa Pagan, of Davidson, North Carolina, reported for duty Monday morning at Fort Benning, Georgia, with her two preschool children. She had been honorably discharged from active duty at the rank of specialist nearly four years ago but was recalled as part of the Individual Ready Reserve program. The former Army truck driver asked for a reprieve from deployment because her husband travels for business and they would have no one to care for their children if she was sent overseas. Until Monday, her request had been denied. Late Monday afternoon, Pagan's lawyer told CNN the Army would grant her request and begin the process of discharge again, this time for good. "We are definitely heading in the right direction for Lisa and her family and her children," said Mark Waple, Pagan's attorney. "She has been told by her chain of command they plan on doing everything they can within reason to do this as expeditiously as possible." Pagan enlisted in 2002 and was honorably discharged from active duty in June 2005. She was never deployed. Before she left for Fort Benning, Pagan, 27, told CNN affiliate WCNC that her relatives weren't able to care for her children for various reasons, including her relatives' health. She said her family couldn't afford having her husband give up his job. They would lose their house, she told the Charlotte, North Carolina-TV station. "I'm a human being. I need to take care of my children. They don't have anybody else," Pagan told WCNC. Since September 11, 2001, the Army has recalled about 25,000 soldiers. Nearly half requested a delay or a full exemption. Some just wanted to finish their school semester before reporting. Others had financial or medical problems that made it difficult to report for duty. The Army says it granted nearly nine out of 10 delay requests and six out of 10 requests for exemption.

Question:
Who else could have cared for the kids?
what did the soldier report
When did she leave?
What did the soldier say?
Where does the woman live?

Answer: no one

Answer: reported for duty

Answer: June 2005.

Answer: "I'm a human being. I need to take care of my children. They don't have anybody else,"

Answer: Davidson, North Carolina,

Summary:
Soldier reported for duty in Georgia on Monday with her two preschool children .
She had been discharged four years ago, but was recalled .
Lisa Pagan argued no one would be able to care for kids if she was sent overseas .
Lawyer: Army granted request for reprieve, and she will be discharged for good .


WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A soldier who survived a Taliban attack that killed nine U.S. troops in Afghanistan last month described a scene of "pure chaos" in which he watched buddies die. Army Spc. Tyler Stafford is recovering from wounds he suffered in the July 13 attack. Army Spc. Tyler Stafford and fellow soldiers in the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team were establishing an outpost near the village of Wanat when about 200 Taliban militants attacked July 13. "They had 200-plus guys all shooting at us -- I mean, pure chaos," Stafford said. "You could hear guys screaming." Nine Americans were killed and 12 -- including Stafford -- were wounded in the deadliest attack on U.S. forces in Afghanistan in three years. Afghan sources said that up to 100 militants were killed in the attack. Stafford, who is recovering at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center, said he and his fellow soldiers were facing Taliban fighters on three sides when the attack began. The Americans were outmanned and outgunned. A NATO spokesman said the defense of the outpost was "heroic." Once he was wounded, Stafford called out to his friend, Cpl. Matthew Phillips. "I yelled to him, I was like, 'Phillips, man I need help. I'm hit.' ... I looked at him and I called him about four or five times. I was like, 'Phillips. Phillips. Are you all right, Phillips?' And he never moved. "That's the first one of my buddies I've ever seen die." A short distance away was Cpl. Jonathan Ayers. "He never once stopped shooting," Stafford said. "I thought that was completely amazing. He never, I mean, he finally was killed by [rocket-propelled grenades] and gunfire, but he never once stopped shooting back at them." Lt. Jonathan Brostrom and Cpl. Jason Hovater were killed when they ran through a hail of Taliban gunfire in an attempt to carry more ammunition to their fellow soldiers, Stafford said. "They knew our guys were in trouble, and when the Airborne's in trouble, you don't leave them to die; you go help them," Stafford said. "They brought what they could." The Americans were running low on ammunition, and some of them were so badly wounded they were unable to move, Stafford said. Help did not come for an hour, he said. Stafford eventually was helicoptered to safety. He said he looked back at the scene below while aboard the chopper. "It's like one of the those movies out of like Vietnam that you see with all these special effects and everything's on fire," he recalled. "Smoke in the air, and that's all you see is tracer rounds going back and forth ... just, 'boom, boom, boom.' " The other Americans who died were Sgt. Israel Garcia, Cpl. Gunnar Zwilling, Spc. Sergio Abad, Cpl. Pruitt Rainey and Cpl. Jason Bogar. "The way they served each other -- you're fighting for the guy on your back, the guy that's in the foxhole next to you, when that kind of stuff happens. We all love each other very much," Stafford said.

Question: How many solders died in the attack?

Question: In what country were they killed?

Question: What is the survivor quoted as saying?

Question: The attack was the deadliest on U.S. forces in how many years?

Question: What is the number of soldiers dead?

Answer: nine

Answer: Afghanistan

Answer: "They had 200-plus guys all shooting at us -- I mean, pure chaos,"

Answer: three

Answer: Nine

Summary:
Survivor of attack that killed nine U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan recalls "chaos"
Army Spc. Tyler Stafford, wounded in July 13 attack, says he watched buddies die .
Soldier recalls calling out to friend during battle, not knowing friend had died .
Incident was deadliest attack on U.S. forces in Afghanistan in three years .


WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A top congressional Republican on Sunday criticized President Barack Obama's expected decision to reverse the Bush administration's limits on embryonic stem-cell research, calling it a distraction from the country's economic slump. U.S. Rep. Eric Cantor also says the policy reversal could lead to embryo harvesting, which "shouldn't be done." "Why are we going and distracting ourselves from the economy? This is job No. 1. Let's focus on what needs to be done," Rep. Eric Cantor, the Republican whip in the House of Representatives, told CNN's "State of the Union." Obama's move, scheduled for Monday morning, is part of a broader effort to separate science and politics and "restore scientific integrity in governmental decision-making," White House domestic policy adviser Melody Barnes said Sunday. The Bush administration's 2001 policy bars federal funding for research on embryonic stem cells beyond the cell lines that existed at the time. Cantor, R-Virginia, has been among the leaders of GOP opposition to Obama's economic policies. In a conference call with reporters, Barnes said funding research is also part of the administration's plan to boost the plunging U.S. economy. "Advances with regard to science and technology help advance our overall national goals around economic growth and job creation," she said, adding, "I think anytime you make an effort to try and separate these pieces of the puzzle, you're missing the entire picture." Because stem cells have the potential to turn into any organ or tissue cell in the body, research advocates say they could yield cures to debilitating conditions such as diabetes, Parkinson's disease and spinal injuries. But because work on embryonic stem cells involves the destruction of human embryos, many conservatives supported the limits former President George Bush imposed by executive order in 2001. "Frankly, federal funding of embryonic stem-cell research can bring on embryo harvesting, perhaps even human cloning that occurs," Cantor said. "We don't want that. That shouldn't be done. That's wrong." The Bush policy limited federal funding to work on 60 existing stem-cell lines, but only 21 of those have proven useful to researchers. Congress voted to roll back those limits in 2006 and 2007, but Bush vetoed the legislation both times, leading to Democratic charges that he had put politics over science. Dr. Harold Varmus, president of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and co-chairman of Obama's science advisory council, said Sunday that Obama will "endorse the notion that public policy must be guided by sound, scientific advice." Obama's order will direct the National Institutes of Health to develop revised guidelines on federal funding for embryonic stem cell research within 120 days, said Varmus, who joined Barnes in the conference call with reporters. "The president is, in effect, allowing federal funding of human embryonic stem cell research to the extent that it's permitted by law -- that is, work with stem cells themselves, not the derivation of stem cells," he said. Supporters of the ban said researchers could still obtain private funding or explore alternatives such as adult stem cells. Opponents said the research could be carried out using embryos left over in fertility clinics, which otherwise would be discarded. Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Missouri, told reporters that reversing the Bush ban would "once again say to the rest of the world that we will be the beacon for cures and for hope." She credited her support for federal funding in part for her 2006 election. "I think it's a great moment, and I'm proud of [Obama] for reversing that executive order," McCaskill said. Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Alabama, said the Bush policy imposed ethical limits on science. "My basic tenet here is I don't think we should create life to enhance life and to do research and so forth," Shelby said. "I know that people argue there are other ways. I think we should continue our biomedical research everywhere we can, but

Question: Who says a policy reversal could lead to embryo harvesting?

Question: What does Cantor think the policy reversal can lead to?

Question: What is distracting from the economy?

Question: What does Rep. Cantor say the reversal could lead to?

Question: What is going to be reversed?

Question: Which Bush-era policy is being reversed?

Question: What policy topic should be reversed?

Question: Which president issued a policy on embryonic stem cell research?

Answer: U.S. Rep. Eric Cantor

Answer: embryo harvesting,

Answer: embryonic stem-cell research,

Answer: embryo harvesting,

Answer: the Bush administration's limits on embryonic stem-cell research,

Answer: limits on embryonic stem-cell research,

Answer: the Bush administration's limits on embryonic stem-cell research,

Answer: Bush

Summary:
NEW: White House adviser: Move part of effort to separate politics, science .
Bush-era policy on embryonic stem cell research to be reversed, officials say .
President's expected decision on stem cells distracting from economy, Cantor says .
Rep. Cantor, R-Virginia, also says policy reversal could lead to embryo harvesting .


WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A watchdog group critical of pork barrel spending released its latest findings Wednesday targeting the top Congressional "porkers." Some of the pork projects, according to the group, include a Lobster Institute; the Rocky Flats, Colorado, Cold War Museum; and the First Tee, a program to build young people's character through golf. Members of Congress requested funds for all these pet projects and thousands of others last year, according to the latest copy of the annual "Pig Book" released by Citizens Against Government Waste. "Congress stuffed 11,610 projects" worth $17.2 billion into a dozen spending bills, the group said in the report released Wednesday. The "Pig Book" names dozens of what the citizens group considers the most egregious porkers, the lawmakers who funnel money to projects on their home turf.  Interactive: Pork barrel spending » Sen. Thad Cochran of Mississippi, the top Republican on the Senate Appropriations Committee, requested the most money, $892.2 million, according to the group. In a statement to CNN, Cochran said he doesn't "accept the premise" of the group's claim that "any and all federal spending not specifically requested by the Executive Branch is wasteful and irresponsible." "The Congress is vested with the power to appropriate funds to be spent by the federal government by the U. S. Constitution. We will continue to carry out that responsibility with care and a commitment to serve the public interest," he said. "There were several candidates for the Narcissist Award," Tom Schatz, the president of the group said. Read the group's 2008 report "But this one went to House Ways and Means Chairman Charlie Rangel for the Charles Rangel Public Service Center at the City College of New York -- $1,950,000 [for a project] that he named after himself." Rangel, a Democrat from New York, said last summer he was "honored that City College chose to have my name attached to what is an important project, not just for the residents of my congressional district, but for New York City and this nation." Some lawmakers defended their earmarks, such as Rep. Mike Thompson, D-California, who channeled $742,764 to olive fruit fly research. "The olive fruit fly has infested thousands of California olive groves and is the single largest threat to the U.S. olive and olive oil industries," he said. Schatz responded that his organization is criticizing the way lawmakers direct money to specific projects, not the projects themselves. "There are existing programs for virtually everything in the 'Pig Book.' If members [of Congress] believe they should be given additional funding, give them to the agencies rather than to specific projects," he said. The problem with earmarks, he said, is that "we don't know if [the projects] are valuable or not." Rep. Jim Clyburn, D-South Carolina, the third ranking Democrat in the House, defended his earmark for a program that funds a youth golf program for children on U.S. military bases. "It's a character building program, that seems to be working well for low income kids and that's why we do it throughout the United States of America. I just feel that children living on military installations ought to have this program as well," Clyburn told CNN. Clyburn also defended the practice of earmarking federal funds. "I can name earmark after earmark, there's absolutely nothing wrong with congresspeople responding to their constituents and funding programs that they feel are necessary to improve the quality of life of the people who live in their districts." Clyburn also raised questions about the group releasing the "Pig Book" saying, "they're not telling the truth about this earmark no more than them telling the truth about where they get their money from. The committee against government waste isn't against government waste." He cited press reports from the St. Petersburg Times that the Committee Against Government Waste received money from the tobacco industry and other private groups to lobby Congress. Both parties came

Question: Which government group releases the annual pork spending report?

Question: who releases report

Question: What is one of the biggest pork projects?

Question: Citizens against Who?

Question: who responds to report

Answer: Waste.

Answer: A watchdog group critical of pork barrel spending

Answer: include a Lobster Institute; the Rocky Flats, Colorado, Cold War Museum; and the First Tee, a program to build young people's character through golf.

Answer: Government Waste.

Answer: Rep. Jim Clyburn,

Summary:
NEW: GOP Sen. Thad Cochran, Democrat Rep. Jim Clyburn respond to report .
Citizens Against Government Waste releases annual pork spending report .
Some of the biggest pork projects, according to the group, include a Lobster Institute .
Democrats were behind 5,199 projects, while Republicans were behind 3,408 .


WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A weekend incident with racial overtones at a high school for deaf students could result in criminal charges with "enhanced penalties for a hate crime," Metro Police Chief Cathy Lanier said Wednesday. A black student was held against his will and then released with "KKK" and swastikas drawn on him in marker at the Model Secondary School for the Deaf on Sunday, she said. No charges have been filed, and no names have been released, Lanier said. The incident began when a group of black students and a group of white students were in a dorm. "My understanding is the two groups engaged in friendly horseplay," she said. But, she said, the groups got "angry with each other." The two groups separated, she said, but later, six white students and one black student -- all between the ages of 15 and 19 -- took one of the black students into a dorm room and "held him there against his will." "They used markers to write 'KKK' and draw swastikas on the student," Lanier said. The student was released after about 45 minutes. He notified dorm and school authorities, who called police. Lanier said police have identified and interviewed the students involved and the "investigation is ongoing." "The support we've received from the campus and from the school employees has been tremendous," Lanier said. "And I think they're supporting us in making a very strong statement that this investigation may lead to charges that could have enhanced penalties for a hate crime." The school is a residential high school on the campus of Gallaudet University, a higher education facility for deaf and hard of hearing people. The high school is administered as a division of the university's Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center. Dean of Clerc Center Katherine A. Jankowski said the seven students who participated in the incident were sent home. Gallaudet provost Stephen Weiner said the school does "not tolerate any action, behavior of this type." "We are taking action," he said. "We are looking at programs to help students understand we are a school with a diverse population." "This incident is intolerable," he said. "That's why the Metro police are involved. That's how serious we are about this incident." Jankowski said the school has also hired a consultant to work with the school and its students on diversity issues. On Monday, teachers and staff hosted a school-wide assembly with students related to the incident, said Jankowski. Individual and group counseling services were also available to students, teachers and staff. "We are committed to ensuring MSSD is a safe and supportive learning environment," she said. E-mail to a friend

Question:
What charges could teens face?
How many have been charged so far?
where was the argument
What charges could the student face?
Have the police not charged anyone?
Where did students argue?
what did the police say

Answer: criminal

Answer: No charges

Answer: Model Secondary School for the Deaf

Answer: criminal

Answer: No charges

Answer: in a dorm.

Answer: result in criminal charges with "enhanced penalties for a hate crime,"

Summary:
Groups of white, black students argued on Gallaudet University campus .
Police: White students and one black student later assaulted black student .
Teens could face criminal charges, including hate crimes, police said .
None have been charged yet, said police .


WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A wide-open presidential race and a willingness by candidates, interest groups, unions and corporations to buy TV time will lead to historic spending for political and issue-advocacy advertising in the 2008 election cycle, an analysis shows.

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney has spent the most on TV advertising so far among presidential contenders.

The cost to try to influence the 2008 election could exceed $3 billion, according to TNS Media Intelligence/Campaign Media Analysis Group, CNN's consultant on political television advertising.

This is nearly twice as much than what was spent in 2004 when political and issue-advocacy television advertising rang in at $1.7 billion. In 2006, $2.3 billion was spent on political and issue-advocacy TV commercials.

Just about every candidate running for an office from dogcatcher to president is spending the money, said Evan Tracey, CMAG's chief operating officer.

The costs to produce a TV commercial are no longer prohibitive for local and state candidates, who are turning more and more to the airwaves to reach voters.  See how spending breaks down for this year »

And interest groups have spent $6.2 million on TV ads so far this year for state and local ballot measures.

On the national level, the cost of issue-advocacy television ad spending was $270 million in the first nine months of this year. Subjects ranged from the Iraq war to telecommunications reform. Television ads on health care alone total $60 million.

CMAG estimates more than $3 million of the $270 million spent to air issue-advocacy ads this year has gone for commercials in states and districts that are likely to have competitive House and Senate races in 2008.

Tracey said he thinks this is just the beginning of interest groups "pivoting from legislative advocacy mode to political mode."

"What we expect to see between now and the end of the primaries, and through the general election, is groups will take a more aggressive stance on their advertising and actually target candidates," he said.

With 17 Democratic and Republican candidates running for president, CMAG predicts that more than $800 million will be spent on TV ads in the battle for the White House.

Up to now, the political commercials have been largely focused on the early states of Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina. Voters in some of the 20-plus states holding nominating contests on February 5 will start seeing ads in the coming months.

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney leads all candidates in TV spending, having aired his commercials more than 11,000 times this year at a cost of nearly $8.6 million. This is a record for the number of airings at this point in a presidential election cycle.  Watch how Romney is way ahead in ad spending »

In contrast, one of Romney's chief rivals for the GOP nomination, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, has spent nothing on television ads, but Giuliani leads in the national polls and is within striking distance of the lead in several state surveys.

Giuliani enjoys widespread national name recognition, while Romney does not.

In the race for the Democratic nomination, Illinois Sen. Barack Obama has spent more than $2.3 million on television commercials, while New York Sen. Hillary Clinton has spent $1 million less and leads in both national and early state polls.

New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson has probably benefited the most in the Democratic contest from the $2 million he has invested in his television commercials.

Richardson's humorous TV ads effectively stated his experience as a lawmaker, diplomat and executive, and positioned him as a solid second-tier candidate.

Romney used his $8.6 million in television ads to introduce himself as a social and fiscal conservative to Republican voters. These voters might otherwise not know much about him other than that he was the governor of the traditionally liberal Massachusetts.

Romney is leading polls in the early voting states of Iowa and New Hampshire.

Further evidence of how Romney's television commercials have helped is in South Carolina.

An American Research Group poll of South Carolina Republicans in August showed Romney registering at 9 percent with

Question: Who leads the TV spending?

Question: What did the analyst say?

Question: Which year is the amount spent double of?

Question: Whom are helping them advertise

Question: What % more was spent on this election compared in 2004

Question: What helps candidates advertise?

Question: What can be done to help more candidates advertise?

Question: What can help  help more candidates advertise?

Question: What was doubled from the 2004 election cycle?

Question: Which helps more candidates advertise?

Question: Who is the leading presidential candidate in TV spending?

Question: Who  leads presidential candidates in TV spending?

Answer: Mitt Romney

Answer: groups will take a more aggressive stance

Answer: 2004

Answer: interest groups

Answer: nearly twice as much

Answer: unions and corporations

Answer: buy TV time

Answer: to the airwaves to reach voters.

Answer: political television advertising.

Answer: TV

Answer: Mitt Romney

Answer: Mitt Romney

Summary:
Amount almost double what was spent in 2004 election cycle .
Lower TV production costs help more candidates advertise .
Mitt Romney leads presidential candidates in TV spending .
Advertisers face challenge of cutting through clutter of ads, analyst says .


WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A woman asked Rep. Allen Boyd at a town hall meeting the other day if health care reform proposals would force people to let the government access their bank accounts. False rumors about health care have been aired at town hall meetings, like this one in Maryland last week. "That's not true," the Florida Democrat responded. "When someone sends you something on the Internet that sounds crazy, how about just checking it a little bit?" The CNN Truth Squad, which fact-checks political claims, has debunked the bank-access rumor as false. Yet that claim, and others that have been disproved, keep coming up in the national debate on health care reform, inflaming an already emotional issue. Heated protests have disrupted town hall meetings nationwide, with people shouting at legislators and venting anger at President Obama. While the anger is genuine, some of it is based on misunderstandings of the actual proposals, said Kenneth Thorpe, a health policy expert at Emory University. "People are freaked out because there's a lot of bad information and misinformation being ... put out there by opponents of health care reform," Thorpe told CNN. Obama and the Democrats say misleading information sows fear and anger, particularly among senior citizens who are worried about how changes in health care could affect Medicare. The White House and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi have set up Web campaigns to refute what they describe as provably false information. "It is now evident that an ugly campaign is under way not merely to misrepresent the health insurance reform legislation, but to disrupt public meetings and prevent members of Congress and constituents from conducting a civil dialogue," Pelosi and House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer wrote in a recent commentary. Republican opponents respond that the emotional reaction is due to Democratic efforts to rush through legislation that amounts to a government takeover of the health care system. They say the proposals eventually will lead to a system that rations treatment based on an individual's ability to contribute to society. "We've actually started a national debate about exactly what is at stake here," Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele said Wednesday. Speaking on MSNBC, Steele said the town hall meetings across the country are reflecting that debate. However, when asked directly about one of the most controversial statements by some Republicans -- that a House bill would create "death panels" to decide who gets treatment -- Steele refused to acknowledge that such language was misinformation. The CNN Truth Squad determined the "death panel" claim was false, along with others spread by conservative commentators and activist groups who say Democratic proposals would promote euthanizing elderly Americans and mandate free health insurance for illegal immigrants. One of the most disputed provisions, contained in a House health care proposal, would pay doctors for consultations with patients on end-of-life issues, such as living wills. The proposal is similar to one originally written by Republican Sen. Johnny Isakson of Georgia. Opponents have implied or said outright that consultations would be required -- even though the proposal says they would be voluntary. Some Republicans and Democrats have rejected the "death panel" language, but the issue keeps coming up. At a town hall meeting Tuesday night in Dartmouth, Massachusetts, powerful House Democrat Rep. Barney Frank called the notion that health care legislation required killing elderly people "the single stupidest thing I've heard." Obama says the misinformation confuses people over an already complex issue that requires public understanding. "The notion that somehow I ran for public office or members of Congress are in this so that they can go around pulling the plug on grandma ... when you start making arguments like that, it's simply dishonest," the president recently said. Wendell Potter, a former insurance company communications executive, told CNN that the insurance industry deliberately spreads false information with the goal of disrupting the debate. The insurance industry hires public relations firms that create front groups to try to "destroy health care reform by using terms like 'government takeover of the health care system' or we are heading down a 'slippery slope toward socialism' or

Question: What continue to pop up at town hall meetings?

Question: What has been debunked?

Question: What do the Dems say?

Answer: False rumors about health care

Answer: False rumors about health care

Answer: "When someone sends you something on the Internet that sounds crazy, how about just checking it a little bit?"

Summary:
Claims that have been debunked continue to pop up in town hall meetings, protests .
Dems say "ugly campaign" under way to misrepresent proposals, disrupt debate .
GOP says Dems trying to rush through a bill that eventually would lead to rationing .
End-of-life provision that sparked "death panel" rumor dropped from Senate version .


WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A woman who helped raise a child with her female partner in Vermont before the pair split can visit the girl in Virginia even though that state doesn't recognize same-sex unions, a court ruled Friday. Janet Jenkins with Isabella, the daughter she helped raise with former partner Lisa Miller. Virginia's Supreme Court ruled that Janet Jenkins and Lisa Miller's civil union in 2000 gave Vermont, and its law on same-sex unions, jurisdiction over their subsequent custody and visitation disputes. Miller moved to Virginia with the child in 2003, and a Vermont court granted Jenkins visitation rights. But Miller took the case to a Virginia court, which ruled that Jenkins had no such rights there. The case was considered by legal experts to be the first conflict between two state courts over a major legal question arising from same-sex unions. Jenkins' attorney, Joseph Price of the Washington law firm Arent Fox, said Friday's ruling "just affirms the old principle that when these kinds of custody and visitation disputes begin in one state, that's where they should remain." "You can't shop them around to another state," Price said. "Virginia really had no choice but to enforce judgments and judicial orders from Vermont." Vermont is one of the few states that allow same-sex partners to enter into a civil union. Two years after Vermont recognized Miller and Jenkins' relationship, Miller gave birth to a daughter, Isabella, conceived through artificial insemination. The relationship deteriorated, and Miller and the baby moved to Virginia. A Vermont court later granted Miller a dissolution of the civil union and granted custody of the child to her and visitation rights to Jenkins. Miller then asked the courts in Virginia -- which does not recognize same-sex unions or marriages -- to take jurisdiction of the dispute. A Virginia state judge eventually ruled that Jenkins had no "parentage or visitation rights." The Virginia high court ruling Friday returned the case to Vermont's control, meaning Jenkins can visit the girl, who is now 6. Miller's attorney, Mathew Staver, said he was "disappointed the state sidestepped the larger legal questions." "This case shows that one state is not an island in the same-sex marriage dispute, and underscores having state laws that protect traditional one-man, one-woman marriages," said Staver, chairman of Liberty Counsel, a law firm that fights on behalf of what it calls "traditional families." Miller said in 2005 that she was doing what was best for her daughter and was no longer a lesbian. "I am Isabella's mom. I did conceive her; I birthed her," she said. "I'm raising her. And in my opinion, Isabella needs to stay with me 100 percent of the time, because I am the only person that she identifies as a mom." Miller lives with Isabella in Winchester, Virginia. Jenkins did not offer an immediate reaction to the ruling but said in 2005 that she was only fighting for her rights as a parent. "Justice will be served for Isabella," she said. "I believe that. And I'll do whatever it takes. I'll be with her for as long as I can, or I'll be without her for as long as I have to, but I'm her mom. "She's born here [in Vermont]. She's always here." Price said Jenkins, who lives in Fair Haven, Vermont, was supposed to visit Isabella last weekend, but Miller didn't appear with the girl. Friday's ruling comes a week after the California Supreme Court's refusal to delay its recent decision legalizing same-sex marriage in the state. Massachusetts also allows same-sex marriages; Vermont and three other states permit civil unions, and 12 other states give gay and lesbian couples some legal rights. Virginia amended its constitution in 2007 to decree that marriage is defined as a union between one man and one woman.

Question: Who allowed visitation?

Question: What was the relationship between Janet Jenkins and Lisa Miller?

Question: Where did Miller move to?

Question: what did virginia ruling give vermon court?

Question: What did Miller get Virginia court to do?

Question: where did miller and vermont move?

Question: Who was allowed visitation of child?

Question: Who was involved in the case?

Question: Which state got jurisdiction over the case?

Question: Whit did the Vermont court allow Jenkins?

Question: Where did Jenkins and Miller live?

Question: Who did Virginia ruling give jurisdiction over case?

Answer: Vermont court

Answer: female partner

Answer: Virginia

Answer: jurisdiction over their subsequent custody and visitation disputes.

Answer: take jurisdiction of the dispute.

Answer: Virginia

Answer: Janet Jenkins

Answer: Janet Jenkins

Answer: Vermont,

Answer: visitation rights.

Answer: Vermont

Answer: Vermont,

Summary:
Virginia ruling gives Vermont court jurisdiction over case .
Janet Jenkins and Lisa Miller were in civil union in Vermont but later split .
Miller moved to Virginia with child; Vermont court allowed Jenkins visitation .
Miller got Virginia court to block visitation; Friday's ruling overturns that .


WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Accidents happen, said the Supreme Court, but the criminal penalties can still be tough, at least for one "bungling bank robber." The case involved Christopher Michael Dean, arrested after he and a partner robbed a bank five years ago. By a 7-2 vote, the justices ruled Wednesday that the sentencing for a felon who accidentally fired a gun during a crime should be the same as if he had fired intentionally. The case involved Christopher Michael Dean, arrested after he and a partner robbed a Rome, Georgia, bank five years ago. The masked Dean had waved a gun and ordered patrons and staff to get down. While grabbing bills in one hand, the gun he was carrying in his other hand went off. The bullet hit a partition, and no one was injured. After the shot, Dean cursed and immediately ran out of the bank. Witnesses later testified he seemed surprised the weapon had gone off. Dean was charged in federal court and admitted committing the robbery. His sentence included a mandatory 10-year prison term for "discharging" a weapon during a crime. He appealed, saying the sentencing enhancement required proof that he intended to discharge the firearm, and his actions were accidental. But in his majority opinion, Chief Justice John Roberts said federal law "does not require that the discharge be done knowingly or intentionally." In what has become a regular feature of his writing, the 54-year-old chief justice displayed a sense of creativity and sly humor in his conclusions. He openly called Dean the "bungling bank robber" and quoted one patron's reaction to the bank gunshot: "Melissa in the lobby popped up and said, 'Oh, my God, has he shot Nora?' " Nora turned out to be all right. Justice John Paul Stevens dissented in the case, noting, "Accidents happen, but they seldom give rise to criminal liability. Indeed, if they cause no harm they seldom give rise to any liability. The court nevertheless holds that petitioner is subject to a mandatory additional sentence -- a species of criminal liability -- for an accident that caused no harm." He was supported by Justice Stephen Breyer. Roberts, however, saved the best for last in his bench remarks, when summarizing the ruling. "An individual who brings a loaded weapon to commit a crime runs the risk that the gun will discharge accidentally," he said. "Those criminals wishing to avoid the penalty for an inadvertent discharge can lock or unload the firearm, handle it with care during the underlying violent or drug trafficking crime, leave the gun at home, or -- best yet -- avoid committing the felony in the first place," Roberts wrote That brought barely contained laughter in the audience of several hundred gathered in the courtroom.

Question: Who appealed the 10 year sentence?

Question: What did the robber appeal?

Question: What did he appeal?

Question: What did dean say?

Question: What did the Chief Justice call him?

Question: What is the best way to avoid a gun discharge sentence?

Question: What did he say happened?

Answer: Christopher Michael Dean,

Answer: mandatory 10-year prison term for "discharging" a weapon during a crime.

Answer: a mandatory 10-year prison term for "discharging" a weapon during a crime.

Answer: cursed and immediately ran out of the bank.

Answer: "bungling bank robber"

Answer: committing the felony in the first place,"

Answer: "An individual who brings a loaded weapon to commit a crime runs the risk that the gun will discharge accidentally,"

Summary:
Robber appealed 10-year sentence for discharging a gun in a bank .
Weapon went off accidentally, say attorneys for Christopher Michael Dean .
Chief Justice John Roberts called Dean 'the bunging bank robber'
Roberts: Best way to avoid sentence for gun discharge is to leave gun behind .


WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Activists say the U.S. is handing the enemy a victory the longer it allows the detention of enemy combatants at the U.S Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

"When we leave them at Guantanamo, in a military prison, we give them a status they don't deserve," said John Hutson, a former U.S. Navy judge advocate general. "We make them heroes and martyrs to their friends and colleagues back in terrorist camps," he said.

Ten years after the first detainees were brought to Guantanamo from what was considered the battlefield in Afghanistan after 9/11, constitutional and judicial experts held a news conference Wednesday to say the Obama administration needs to restore American values of human rights and the rule of law.

Hundreds of protesters rallied later outside the White House as part of the event, with organizers saying the rally was to "call on President Obama to keep his promise and shutter Guantanamo Bay now."

Under the Bush administration, the United States claimed that Guantanamo Bay detainees are not on U.S. soil and therefore not covered by the U.S. Constitution, and that "enemy combatant" status means they can be denied some legal protections.

President Barack Obama in January 2009 ordered the camp to be closed within a year, citing security concerns. But as of July of last year, 171 detainees remained at Guantanamo.

Their prolonged and murky circumstances were the focus of the Wednesday event.

"There is no case that is so important that we should sacrifice our dedication to human rights and rule of law," Hutson said. "It's not a rule of law unless it applies all the time, and it's not a human right unless it applies to all people."

Morris Davis, a former chief prosecutor for the military commissions at Guantanamo, said political interference from back home during the Bush administration blocked any basis for a fair trial.

"Initially I was probably the leading proponent for Guantanamo, and for military commissions," Davis, a retired Air Force colonel, said Wednesday. But he eventually resigned after he said the Bush administration pressured him to use evidence he felt was obtained through torture.

"I believed at the time that we were committed to having full, fair and open trials," Davis said. "I resigned when I lost confidence that that was our commitment."

Obama, in a 2009 speech delivered in Cairo, Egypt, acknowledged that the U.S. had acted "contrary to our ideals" in the time that followed the 9/11 attacks. After telling his Middle East audience he had "unequivocally prohibited the use of torture," Obama then said he had "ordered the prison at Guantanamo Bay closed," on a timetable that would have ended about a year ago.

"If we roll up the Constitution every time that there's a difficult factual situation, we might as well roll up the entire democracy," said Vincent Warren, executive director of the Center for Constitutional Rights.

Talat Hamdani, a Muslim American whose son died in the attacks on World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, spoke at the rally in front of the White House.

"We say we are not at war with Islam, yet actions do speak louder than words," Hamdani said. "Guantanamo is a shame -- a disgrace for our nation and we need to set the record straight by leading by example."

Despite a steady downpour of rain, the large group of protesters -- including some in orange jumpsuits symbolizing the Guantanamo Bay detainee uniforms, marched past the White House and on to the Supreme Court following the rally.

CNN's Lindy Royce-Bartlett contributed to this report.

Question: What former military JAG says detainees become heroes in terrorist camps/

Question: Who questions a decade of detentions at Guantanamo?

Question: The demonstration urged Obama to do what?

Question: What demonstration outside White House urges Obama to make good on the shutdown?

Question: Where did the demonstrations take place?

Question: Who said detainees became heroes and martyrs in terrorist camps?

Answer: John Hutson,

Answer: Activists

Answer: keep his promise and shutter Guantanamo Bay now."

Answer: large group of protesters

Answer: outside the White House

Answer: John Hutson,

Summary:
Legal activists question a decade of detentions at Guantanamo .
Former military JAG says detainees become "heroes and martyrs" in terrorist camps .
Demonstration outside White House urges Obama to make good on shutdown promise .


WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Actor Dennis Quaid told lawmakers Wednesday how his newborn twins came close to death after an overdose of blood-thinning medication, the fault of a drug company that did not recall easily confused bottles despite previous problems, he said.

Actor Dennis Quaid says that what is happening in the nation's courts "is no fiction."

The incident occurred last year at a Los Angeles, California, hospital, Quaid told members of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. In The actor also said the "infants nearly died because of a drug company's failure to put safety first."

The panel's hearing focused on the issue of "pre-emption," under which FDA approval guarantees immunity for drug companies against state lawsuits, because federal law supersedes state law.

The Supreme Court is mulling the issue in a Vermont case. Oral arguments are expected in early October.

"I am in the entertainment industry, but what happened to us, and what is happening in the courts of our country, is no fiction," Quaid said in a statement prepared for members of the House panel. "It is all too real. That is why I have decided to speak out and do something."  Watch Quaid say "Baxter's negligence was an accident waiting to happen" »

The actor's actual statement was abridged, as he and other witnesses were given a five-minute time limit on remarks.

Committee Chairman Henry Waxman, D-California, said, "This is exactly the wrong time for the FDA to say, 'Trust us.' As a result of chronic underfunding and weak leadership, FDA's ability to protect the public is plummeting."

He said the agency has believed that state liability helped the agency regulate drugs and devices but has changed its stance under the Bush administration.

In response to Quaid's testimony, the company that made the drugs involved -- Baxter Healthcare -- issued a statement saying human error was to blame, noting that the finding was supported by the California Department of Public Health.

In November, Quaid's 12-day-old twins, Thomas Boone and Zoe Grace, were undergoing intravenous antibiotic treatment for a staph infection at Los Angeles' Cedars-Sinai Hospital. According to standard procedure, nurses were supposed to clean the infants' IV lines with Hep-Lock, a drug containing a very small dose of the blood thinner heparin, to allow the lines to flow freely.

However, instead of the 10 units of heparin they were supposed to receive, the twins received 10,000 units, 1,000 times the prescribed amount. The babies survived, apparently with no permanent injury, Quaid told members of Congress, although no one knows whether they will show any long-term effects.

The actor grew emotional as he recalled a 41-hour ordeal in which his infants' blood was the consistency of water and their bodies bore bruises from internal bleeding.

"It made me feel that they had survived for a reason ... that maybe they were going to change the world in a little way," he said.

In researching the incident, Quaid told lawmakers he found that the bottles of 10-unit Hep-Lock and 10,000-unit heparin were "virtually indistinguishable." Both drugs are manufactured by Baxter Healthcare.

He also learned that the labels' similarity led to an overdose of infants at an Indianapolis, Indiana, hospital in 2006. Three babies died and three were injured. Four months after that incident, he said, Baxter sent a warning to hospitals regarding the potential for mistakes. Seven months after that, Baxter received permission to change the labels. However, Quaid said, Baxter failed to recall the previous bottles that were in hospitals.

"They recall automobiles; they recall toasters; they even recall dog food," Quaid said. "Although mistakes did occur at Cedars, the overdosing of our twins was a chain of events of human error -- and the first link in that chain was Baxter."

Baxter, meanwhile, said in its statement that its heparin vials "have been used safely more than 100,000 times a day, a fact

Question: What were newborns given?

Question: What is Baxter Healthcare saying?

Question: Baxter Healthcare said what?

Question: What was the newborns given?

Question: What caused the newborn twins to have a brush with death?

Question: Who testified before the house committee?

Question: Who said the incident resulted from humor error?

Answer: blood-thinning medication,

Answer: human error was to blame,

Answer: human error was to blame,

Answer: blood-thinning medication,

Answer: an overdose of blood-thinning medication,

Answer: Dennis Quaid

Answer: Baxter Healthcare

Summary:
Actor testifies before House committee on newborn twins' brush with death .
The newborns were given 1,000 times the normal dose of a blood thinner .
Quaid says pharmaceutical companies must be held accountable through lawsuits .
Baxter Healthcare said the incident resulted from human error .