2008 Woodie Awards
National News
Courtney Roy
Issue date: 2/8/06 Section: News
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Utah's Senate Bill 96, formally known as the Origins of Life Bill, which would require teachers to preface lessons on evolution with a disclaimer saying that not all scientists agree on the origins of life, caused a deep split in the Legislature, where roughly 90 percent of its members are part of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Leaders from both parties have announced opposition to the bill, and with less than a month left until the end of the session, it is still unclear if the bill will pass.
State Representative Stephen H. Urquhart, the Republican whip announced that he was opposed to the bill because he believes that God does not have an argument in science. He said that the bill raises questions about the validity of evolution and blurs the lines between faith and science.
Supporters of the bill, which passed in the Senate 16-12, claim that it is not about religion and predict that it will also pass in the House.
BUSH TO ATTEND KING'S FUNERAL
In a change of plans the White House announced that President Bush will attend Coretta Scott King's funeral in Atlanta, postponing a trip to New Hampshire.
The president, who had a scheduled trip to New Hampshire on Tuesday to speak about the federal budget , but will instead speak on Wednesday so that he may attend the funeral, where he is expected to speak.
According to the New York Times, the White House press secretary Scott McClellan said in an e-mail that the change was made because the funeral plans were only recently finalized and that the White House was not ready to make an announcement until all plans for the funeral were set.
Bishop Eddie Long, who will officiate the services, which will take place at New Birth Missionary Baptist Church, said that the King family told him that the president would not be attending, and that his parents would attend in his place. Long welcomed Bush's attendance and the change of plans, saying to the New York Times, "I don't have the slightest idea why it changed. I'm glad he's coming. It was an important role that Coretta Scott King played in the history of this nation."
ATTORNEY GENERAL TO FACE SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE
Alberto Gonzales, the US Attorney General is set to face the Senate Judiciary Committee on February 6 to answer questions about President Bush's controversial domestic spying program.
According to the prepared opening remarks obtained by CNN Gonzales will say, "Congress and the American people are interested in two fundamental questions: Is this program necessary and is it lawful? The answer to both questions is yes."
He also plans to say that the program will provide the necessary early warning system that "we so desperately needed on September 10 (2001)."
The program, which was authorized by the president shortly after September 11, allows the National Security Agency to conduct electronic surveillance of communication between the US and other countries, without a warrant from a secret court set up for this reason.
According to CNN, Gonzales will say that Congress, including the leaders of intelligence committees in both houses, have been briefed on this program dozens of times since 2002. He will also say that the program is "firmly grounded in the president's constitutional authorities."
The most important question that Gonzales will face Monday will be why the White House chose to bypass the established process of obtaining warrants before conducting surveillance.
WEAPONS DUMP OFF HAWAII OUTLINED BY REPORT
According to an analysis of Army archives released last week, the military discarded large quantities of mustard gas and other chemical weapons in the oceans off of Hawaii from 1944 to 1946. More than 2,000 conventional weapons and munitions were dumped in a seabed in an area known as Ordnance Reef, which is about a half mile off Waianae, Oahu.
After learning of a 2001 Army report that said chemical weapons had been dumped in Hawaii waters in 1944, Hawaii's representatives asked for accounting. Hawaii Democrats Representatives Neil Abercrombie and Ed Case, released the report. According to the New York Times, Case said that it was good news that the chemicals dumped in the waters did not pose the biggest threat, but was concerned about the conventional weapons because they are located in relatively shallow water that is easily accessible by people. Case called for the military to finish its investigation and clean up any dumping spots.
Abercrombie plans to introduce legislation to require an underwater survey of any sites where chemical munitions may have been dumped and Senator Daniel K. Akaka, a Democrat from Hawaii, said that he would introduce similar legislation in the Senate.