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A sound montage of some of the voices in this past week's news, including House Minority Leader Dick Gephardt (Democrat, Missouri) on Missouri's late governor Mel Carnahan (Democrat); Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan; Texas Governor George W. Bush and Vice President Al Gore at the third and final presidential debate in St. Louis, Missouri; President Bill Clinton at the memorial service for the USS Cole in Norfolk, Virginia.

NPR's Brian Naylor reports on what's being accomplished in the last days of this Congressional session. A foreign aid bill, which includes more than four hundred million dollars for international family planning assistance, was passed yesterday and sent to the White House. It also includes more than four hundred million dollars in debt relief for poor nations. But immigration reform and tax relief remain in limbo.

NPR's Steve Inskeep reports on President-Elect George W. Bush's trip to Washington. Yesterday, he met at the capitol with leaders of both parties from the House and Senate. Bush says he still plans to send an education reform bill to Congress after he takes office, and he will also pursue a large tax cut, though some Republican leaders seem wary of it.

NPR's David Welna reports that the core of President Bush's tax cut plan has been approved by the House of Representatives. Ten Democrats broke ranks to join 220 Republicans in voting FOR the bill last night. But some supporters of the bill weren't altogether pleased -- they say it fails to address possible surplus shortfalls, and lacks a plan to pay off the national debt.

NPR's Religion Correspondent Duncan Moon reports on African-American churches around the country that are consolidating into large "mega-churches." The groups are channeling their combined wealth into an entrepreneurial spirit that fuels massive redevelopment projects such as constructing low-income housing, homeless shelters, day care centers, gyms, and job-training centers. The churches are wrestling with their missionary mandates to revitalize both individuals and the communities where they live.

NPR's Julie Rovner reports on the good news and bad news for Medicare. The good news is experts believe the program will remain solvent for an additional four years. The bad news is that though both Congress and the White House have pledged to reform Medicare, the task remains a monumental one. And as more baby boomers edge toward retirement, the longer lawmakers wait to act, the more difficult reform may become.

NPR's Vicky O'Hara reports on President Bush's White House meeting with visiting Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. Today, the president said he will not to try to "force peace," in the Middle East. Mr. Bush also said that America's role should be to facilitate talks and not dictate a timetable. For his part, Prime Minister Sharon said he wants an end to violence before he'll resume talks with the Palestinians.

NPR's Don Gonyea reports from the White House that German Chancellor Schroeder is expected to question President Bush today on his decision to back away from the global warming treaty. Germany and other U.S. allies in Europe support the Kyoto Treaty, which the United States hasn't ratified.

NPR's Don Gonyea reports as the American crew returned to U.S. soil in Hawaii, President Bush made a statement from the White House welcoming them home. He pointedly said that the incident had not advanced constructive relations with China. And Mr. Bush stressed that the U.S. had done nothing to cause the accident with a Chinese fighter that led the American plane to make the emergency landing on Hainan Island.

Noah Adams talks with NPR's Nina Totenberg about the Bush administration's reported decision not to submit judicial nominations to the American Bar Association for screening. The president of the ABA, Martha Barnett, met with White House Counsel Al Gonzalez and Attorney General John Ashcroft today. She says she was not told the ABA would be losing its traditional role. Barnett says Gonzalez and Ashcroft said the administration is still considering what to do.