NewsMax.com Wires
Monday, Nov. 19, 2001

The president returned to the White House from his Crawford, Texas, ranch where he held a three-day summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin. There the two leaders agreed to a bilateral reduction in nuclear armaments, forging what administration officials have described as a new relationship.

President Bush spent the last two weeks focused on foreign diplomacy, hosting six leaders committed to his anti-terrorism campaign in five days, making his first address to the United Nations General Assembly then hosting Putin and his wife on his Texas ranch for the first time. But this week, the president turns his attention back to his domestic agenda.

On Monday, the president is expected to sign into law the aviation security bill, which makes airport screeners federal employees. The president wanted legislation on his desk that he could sign before holiday travel season. Both the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives last week reached agreement on a bill, which was the subject of intense debate. The Senate had passed a version backing federalization of the airport workers, while the House supported retaining screeners as private employees under strict federal supervision.

Under the compromise, all airport screeners will become federal employees with the exceptions of a few airports that might be able to retain their own private companies under certain conditions. After three years, airports would be able to opt out of the federalized component.

An economic stimulus package remains in debate in Congress. Democrats favor measures that would help displaced workers while Republicans support tax relief.

Unemployment figures released during the first week in November showed the jobless rate rose to 5.4 percent, in the first Labor Department statistics released to reflect the economic impact of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. The unemployment figure -- number of people looking for but unable to find work -- increased by 732,000 to 7.7 million in October. The figure is considered a lagging indicator since even before the October jump in the unemployment number there had been a marked weakness in the U.S. job market.

In late October, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a $100 billion economic package backed by Republicans and the White House. That version of the bill has four key provisions. It would repeal the corporate alternative minimum tax, cut the 27 percent income tax rate to 25 percent in 2002 rather than 2006, and allow greater business equipment purchase write-offs. It would also provide tax rebates for low-income workers. Democrats want extended unemployment benefits and health insurance assistance for displaced workers.

Also on Monday, President Bush will bestow the traditional presidential pardon on a live Thanksgiving turkey. Later that night President Bush will make remarks during a traditional Muslim Iftaar dinner being held in the White House State Dining Room.

And on Tuesday, he greets Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to the Oval Office to continue his efforts in shoring up support for the war in Afghanistan as U.S. forces keep up their search for Osama bin Laden. Bin Laden is considered to be the mastermind behind the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks that killed some 4,500 people.

Copyright 2001 by United Press International. All rights reserved.

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