Ways and Means' Chairman Thomas to retire

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — Rep. Bill Thomas, R-Calif., chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, announced Monday he will retire from Congress after serving for more than a quarter-century.

His resignation was widely expected because, under House Republicans' self-imposed term limits for committee chairmen, Thomas can no longer serve after this year as head of the powerful Ways and Means Committee.

For the past five years, Thomas, 64, has played a key role in shepherding President Bush's tax cuts and writing legislation on Medicare, Social Security and pensions.

Thomas' 22nd Congressional District is expected to stay firmly in GOP control. Republicans make up 52 percent of registered voters in the district at the southern end of California's Central Valley.

Bush seeks modified line-item veto

WASHINGTON — Seeking new power to weed hometown projects from legislation passed by Congress, President Bush on Monday asked lawmakers to give him a modified version of the line-item veto struck down by the Supreme Court eight years ago.

Like presidents dating back to Ulysses S. Grant, Bush wants the power to strike individual items from a bill without having to veto the entire measure. Congress granted President Clinton the line-item veto in 1996, but two years later the Supreme Court declared it unconstitutional because it allowed the president to amend laws passed by Congress.

Bush is now pressing for a modified, weaker version. Instead of being able to strike items from bills, he would send one or more items back to Congress for a vote. If majorities in both the House and Senate agreed with the president, the cuts would take effect.

Vulnerable DeLay not avoiding lobbyists

WASHINGTON — Rep. Tom DeLay, whose association with lobbyist Jack Abramoff has left him politically vulnerable, is spending Texas' primary night tonight at a fundraiser hosted by two Washington lobbyists.

DeLay faces three opponents in the Republican primary. For the first time in the 22 years he has held office, he is up against a serious challenge after being forced out of his job as House majority leader amid corruption and campaign-finance scandals.

The fundraiser is being held by lobbyists Bill Paxon and Susan Molinari, both former members of Congress from New York. The event will raise money for DeLay's re-election campaign.

DeLay's toughest primary challenger, attorney Tom Campbell, criticized the congressman's election-night plans. "I think it's amazingly ironic and callous he would be spending election night with a group of lobbyists," Campbell said. DeLay spokeswoman Shannon Flaherty said if DeLay were to go to Texas for the primary, he would be criticized for leaving Washington while Congress was in session.

Judge rejects lengthy delay for Abramoff

MIAMI — A federal judge Monday refused to allow a lengthy delay in the sentencing of lobbyist Jack Abramoff in a fraud case, even though lawyers for both sides said the move could jeopardize a federal corruption investigation involving Congress and the Bush administration.

U.S. District Judge Paul Huck agreed to delay sentencing from March 16 to March 29, but he rejected a joint motion by federal prosecutors and attorneys for Abramoff to hold off for at least 90 days.

Compiled from The Associated Press