Washington in brief

Lawmaker: VA health care system reeling, 'in crisis'

WASHINGTON -- The Veterans Affairs health care system doesn't have enough money, has trouble recruiting doctors and nurses, makes some veterans wait months for an appointment and cuts others off from enrolling.

A war with Iraq could only worsen the problems, lawmakers and officials said Wednesday.

"Clearly VA health care is in crisis and at a crossroads," Rep. Christopher Smith, R-N.J., chairman of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee, said at a hearing.

Bush to propose savings accounts for retirement

The Bush administration, amid criticism that its dividend tax cut proposal won't benefit most Americans, is developing a new retirement savings approach that would let people withdraw earnings tax free with other benefits.

The new lifetime savings account is expected as part of a sweeping retirement savings package that makes major changes to tax laws governing 401(k)s, individual retirement accounts, or IRAs, and other plans.

The package is to be included in President Bush's 2004 budget, which he will send to Congress on Monday.

SPENDING BILL PASSED: Congress voted Wednesday to keep the government open for an additional week as lawmakers and the White House struggle to finish spending bills due last October.

By voice vote, Senate sent the legislation to President Bush for his certain signature. The House passed the measure Tuesday.

Police chief in sniper hunt signs book, movie deals

Montgomery County, Md., police Chief Charles Moose, who became a reluctant celebrity leading the search for the Washington-area serial snipers, will tell his story in a book to be released next fall and has agreed to consult for a TV movie, his agent announced Wednesday.

The book is tentatively titled Three Weeks in October: The Manhunt for the D.C. Sniper and will be published by Dutton. Two TV production companies bought the rights to Moose's life story, but there is no guarantee the movie will be made. Moose, who earns $160,000 as police chief, would not say Wednesday how much the deals will pay him.

In confirmations . . .

TREASURY SECRETARY: John Snow's nomination to head the Treasury Department hit an unexpected speed bump Wednesday, with Senate Democrats threatening to block a floor vote over the agency's proposed changes to retirement plan regulations.

Sens. Dick Durbin of Illinois and Tom Harkin of Iowa are among the senators expected to announce their intent today to try to hold up President Bush's nomination, congressional aides said.

The senators are seeking a promise from the Bush administration that workers will be protected if the Treasury Department lets companies convert traditional pension plans to "cash balance" plans. Critics say the cash balance plans hurt older workers.

The Senate Finance Committee was scheduled to vote today. Snow's nomination still must clear the full Senate.

NEW PROCEDURE FOR JUDGES: Senate Republicans adopted a new procedure on Wednesday to hasten the confirmation of President Bush's judicial candidates: Instead of separate hearings, they simply lumped several nominees together to make it more difficult for opponents to take aim at them.

The committee held a single hearing featuring three appeals court nominees, each of whom had drawn opposition: Jeffrey Sutton and Deborah Cook, both nominated to the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, based in Cincinnati; and John Roberts, named to the appeals court for the District of Columbia Circuit.

The departure from past practice drew complaints of unfairness from Democrats, which were dismissed by Republicans.

Postal Service wants to offer early retirement

The U.S. Postal Service is seeking authority to offer early retirement to workers whose jobs are eliminated by automation.

In a letter to the Office of Personnel Management, the agency said that it expects automation to eliminate about 16,000 jobs by the end of the fiscal year.

The offer would cover crafts such as mail sorters and clerks covered by the American Postal Workers Union.

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