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NPR's Mara Liasson reports that President Clinton held a press conference today to talk about his decision to launch a cruise missile attack against Iraq. The President said the military strike sends a message to Saddam Hussein that he will pay a price for his aggression. The White House says there were several goals for the attack, including maintaining military credibility...proving that when the United States issues an ultimatum, it is prepared to back up its threats with action.

This week the Congress and White House were at odds over whether the cap damages in product liability cases. To discuss what kind of products injure consumers, and to find out how often such injuries lead to litigation, Danny speaks with David Pittle, Vice President & Technical Director of Consumer's Union (he was also once commissioner of the Consumer Products Safety Commission); and with Paula Mergenhagen, a writer for American Demographics magazine. It turns out that only five percent of consumer injuries resulting from damaged products (not including automobiles) trigger lawsuits.

The main issue that's been holding up the Kassebaum-Kennedy health insurance bill is medical savings accounts, which allow people to set up tax-free savings accounts for medical care. Republicans want MSAs in the bill and have settled on a plan...they are now in negotiations with the White House for approval. NPR's Joanne Silberner looks at why MSAs are such a contentious issue, whether they'll sink the health system or save it by making consumers more cost-conscious.

In a commencement address at the Coast Guard Academy today, President Clinton attacked Republican proposals for an anti-missile defense system. Senate Majority Leader and presidential candidate Bob Dole is a strong proponent of such a system, and introduced a bill to create it. House Republicans were to have begun debate on their version of the bill today, but have postponed the vote because a new report shows the system would be much more expensive than previously anticipated. NPR's Mara Liasson reports.

Today President Clinton sent a letter to Congress endorsing a Republican bill that would allow a tax credit for parents adopting children, and would discourage states from holding up interracial adoptions. The President is moving towards Republican positions on other family issues as well. This weekend, Mr. Clinton said he would not allow states to give welfare benefits to teenage mothers unless they live with their families and attend school. NPR's White House correspondent Mara Liasson reports.

in damage, this winter's floods out west have restarted the debate between environmentalists and the construction industry. To accommodate a population boom in California, people are building houses everywhere...in many places they shouldn't be...on fault lines, in flood plains and on hill sides.

Noah talks with Kris Merschrod (MERSH-rod), an American working in Peru for PACT (Private Agencies Cooperating Together). Merschrod says that he and the other guests at the Japanese Ambasador's house did not know that the compound had been seized until they heard an explosion as rebels entered the building firing their guns into the air. Merschrod does not know why he was included in the group of 225 hostages released Sunday, but says that the rebels collected a written roster every evening including the name and age of each hostage.

- In his first public remarks since his reprimand and fine by the House Ethics Committee, Speaker Newt Gingrich lashed out at the media and the Democrats for following a "double-standard" when dealing with conservatives who make ethical mistakes. NPR's Kathy Lohr reports Gingrich's unrepentent remarks received applause from the audience in his Georgia district, but the speaker still faces the question of how he will pay his $300,000 fine and possibly more questions from the IRS over possible tax violations.

President Clinton sent Congress a one-point-69 trillion dollar budget proposal today, which he says will lead to a balanced budget in 2002. The President also said the spending plan will create surpluses to carry the country through the baby boomer retirement years. The House and Senate Budget committee chairmen say the overall proposal is not bad, but is not bold enough, and would not balance the budget by 2002 as Mr. Clinton claims it would. NPR's Brian Naylor has a report.

NPR's Ann Cooper reports on this week's Washington visit by new U-N Secretary General Kofi Annan (KOH-fee AN-nan). Washington's choice to replace former Secretary General Boutros Boutros-Ghali will lobby the White House and Congress to pay the one-point-three BILLION dollars the United States' owes to the U-N. Washington previously has refused to pay on grounds that the United Nations is poorly managed, fiscally irresponsible and often does not act in U-S interests.