The Daily Spectrum from Saint George, Utah • 19

Thursday, December 21, 2006 The Spectrum Dally Newi C3 NATION Pentagon wants for Iraq, Afghan wars for the current budget year, which began Oct. 1. A description of the Pentagon request was provided by a person familiar with the proposal who asked for anonymity because the person was not authorized to release the information. The cost of the war has risen dramatically as the security situation has deteriorated and more equipment is destroyed or worn out in harsh conditions. The Army, which has borne the brunt of the fighting, would receive about half of the request, a reflection of the wear and tear that the war has had on soldiers $26.7 billion for replacing and repairing equipment damaged or destroyed in Iraq and Afghanistan.

$10 billion for body armor and other equipment to protect U.S. troops from attack. $2.5 billion to combat roadside bombs and other improvised explosive devices. $2.7 billion for intelligence activities. Whatever request emerges from the Bush administration will go to a new Congress controlled by Democrats highly critical of the Iraq war and Bush's handling of it.

and their equipment. An additional $9.8 billion is being sought for training and equipping Iraq's and Afghanistan's security forces. The administration's request for more Iraq money will be submitted along with Bush's budget in February for the 2008 budget year, which starts next Oct. 1. The White House can add or subtract from the Pentagon request as it sees fit, and the total could grow if money is added for reconstruction costs.

In a memo several weeks ago, Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England encouraged the services to include in their budget requests projects connected to the broader fight against terrorism, as opposed to costs strictly limited to Iraq and Afghanistan. Critics have said that could be interpreted to cover almost anything. Earlier requests submitted by service branches to Pentagon brass were considerably higher, but were trimmed back after meeting resistance at the White House and from key lawmakers. The budget request includes: $41.5 billion to cover the costs of ongoing military operations. thousands of more U.S.

troops there, although it was put together before the president said the troop surge was under consideration. Overall, the war in Iraq has cost about $350 billion. Combined with the conflict in Afghanistan and operations against terrorism elsewhere, the cost has topped $500 billion, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. The additional funds, if approved, would push this year's cost of the war in Iraq to about $50 billion over last year's record. In September, Congress approved an initial $70 billion law changing postal 0 By ANDREW TAYLOR Associated Press WASHINGTON The Pentagon wants the White House to seek an additional $99.7 billion to fund the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, according to information provided to The Associated Press.

The military's request, if embraced by President Bush and approved by Congress, would boost this year's budget for those wars to about $170 billion. Military planners assembled the proposal at a time when Bush is developing new strategies for Iraq, such as sending Bush signs By RANDOLPH E. SCHMID Associated Press WASHINGTON President Bush on Wednesday signed into law the first major changes in postal operations in decades, offering hope for reducing or delaying future rate increases. For now, people will not notice anything different at the post office. "This is a historic accomplishment and will help one of the most revered institutions in America survive and prosper in the electronic age," said Rep.

Henry Waxman, D-Calif. Sen. Susan Collins said the changes are the only way to avoid what congressional inves 11 9 9 1 Treasury. Many postal workers once served in the military. Unlike other federal agencies, the post office had to pay for retirement benefits earned during both the military and postal careers of those workers.

Benefits earned during military service will be charged to Treasury now, relieving the post office of having to pay bullions of dollars in the future. The measure also abolishes a requirement that the post office set aside about $3 billion annually in an escrow account. The law requires the agency to use that money to fund retiree medical benefits for 10 years. After that, the money may be available for mis Ukm 3 vmf- LLA President Bush signs the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act on Wednesday, at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building in Washington. From left are.

Postmaster General John Potter, Sen. Thomas Carper, Rep. Tom Davis, Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, the president, and Rep. John McHugh, FCC approves new cable rules I I operations other uses.

The escrow requirement pushed the post office into the red last year, forcing it to raise the price of a first-class stamp by 2 cents in January. A 3-cent increase is pending and probably will take place next spring. The law will not change the need for that increase, Potter said. After 1 8 months, the law limits any new increases to the rate of inflation. That will make rate changes easier to plan for, as large mailers have sought.

William Burrus, president of the American Postal Workers Union, said this cap will have a devastating effect on employee wages and benefits. ties to act on applications from competitors with access to local rights of way within 90 days, and to act within six months on applications from other new competitors. The FCC will also ban local governments from forcing new competitors to build out new systems more quickly than the incumbent carrier and to count certain costs required of new carriers to go toward the 5 percent franchise fee they are required to pay. Adelstein and fellow Democrat Michael Copps harshly criticized the measure, questioning the agency's evidence that there are barriers to entry by competitors. They also expressed concern over the loss of local control by franchise authorities and were unconvinced that the FCC has the legal authority to impose the new rules.

The cable pricing survey, the first released in 22 months, showed that competition from direct broadcast satellite competitors like DirecTV has little if Amish school shooting victim may go home soon V'7 ill Pi Haraz N. Ghanbari AP cawe prices UP The Federal Communications Commission voted Wednesday to impose new measures meant to encourage competition in the cable television market. Average number of channels 70.3 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 '97 '98 '99 '00 '01 '02 '03 '04 Average prices for service $28 '97 '98 '99 '00 '01 '02 '03 '04 NOTE: No channel data for 2002 SOURCE: Federal AF 1 Expanded 26 basic service -jf- 24 --J" 22 -y- 20 18 14 Basic service i 10 any effect on cable prices, while in areas where there are wireline competitors, such as municipal cable providers and overbuilders like RCN rates were 17 percent lower. Kyle McSlarrow, president and CEO of the National Cable Telecommunications Association, called the pricing survey "obsolete" because it failed to account for the "favorable impact" of bundling services on pricing and "the greatly increased value of cable services in a digital world. Telecommunications companies Verizon Communications Inc.

and Inc. have been lobbying aggressively to make it easier to obtain local franchises as each company sinks billions of dollars into its networks in order to deliver video programming. The approval came despite a warning from the incoming chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee questioning whether the FCC has the legal authority to issue the new rules. By JOHN DUNBAR Associated Press WASHINGTON A sharply divided Federal Communications Commission voted 3-2 along partisan lines Wednesday to impose new measures meant to ensure that local governments do not block new competitors from entering the cable television market. The vote came on the same day that FCC Chairman Kevin Martin released a report on cable prices that shows in 2004, average cable rates rose 5.2 percent.

The report also shows that from 1995 to 2005 rates increased a total of 93 percent. Wednesday's meeting was unusually rancorous with Democratic Commissioner Jonathan Adelstein challenging FCC staff on the assertion that localities are blocking access and Martin departing from what is usually a carefully scripted meeting to defend the measure. The new rules approved by the commission will require local cable franchising authori Dr- tigators referred to as a "death spiral" excessive and unpredictable rate increases that result in a lower volume of mail. Collins, R-Maine, noted that the Postal Service is the lynch-pin of a $900 billion mailing industry, providing 9 million jobs in fields such as direct mailing, printing, catalog companies, paper manufacturing and financial services. Postmaster General John E.

Potter said the law could not have come at a better time. "The Postal Service has never been stronger, and this law enables us to build on our successes," he said. In an important change, the law shifts responsibility for some retirement benefits to the Zook said. Daniel Stoltzfus, whose daughter Rachel is back at school after being shot, said he attended the Christmas party with mixed emotions. "She's doing good, we're doing good just trying to get back," he said.

The Nickel Mines Accountability Committee, which is coordinating receipt and distribution of donations, had collected about $3.6 million as of last week, said member Mike Hart, also the local fire department spokesman. The committee has already disbursed money to pay transportation' costs and lost wages to the families of victims, and for medical bills and counseling. It also made one payment to a fund for Roberts' widow and three children from money that donors earmarked for them. Shortly after the school's Christmas party ended, the grandfather of Roberts' widow, Marie, was securing a holiday decoration on the shooter's grave site that had blown over in the wind. Lloyd Welk said his family is struggling to cope with the pain.

Gaming Resort and Spa to build a casino, a luxury hotel and spa, and several restaurants a little more than a mile from a portion of the Gettysburg National Military Park. The plan divided neighbors, local business owners and preservationists. "We're very, very grateful," said Susan Star Paddock, chairwoman of the grassroots group No Casino Gettysburg. "The casino would have destroyed our history-based tourist economy." By MARK SCOLFORO Associated Press NICKEL MINES, Pa. The last of five Amish girls hospitalized after being shot nearly three months ago in a schoolhouse massacre is scheduled to go home before Christmas, according to a family friend.

Sarah Ann Stoltzfus was expected to be released from Children's Hospital of Philadelphia on Friday, said Leroy Zook, the father of Stoltzfus teacher, Emma Mae Zook, and a close friend of the victims' parents. Five other girls were killed in the Oct. 2 attack at West Nickel Mines Amish School, including Sarah Ann's 12-year-old sister, Anna Mae. The 32-year-old gunman, Charles Carl Roberts IV, committed suicide as police surrounded the one-room school. The schoolhouse was later razed.

Classes are being held in a temporary facility near where the school was located. On Monday, Sarah Ann visited the school to hear her classmates entertain their parents with Christmas songs, DAVID T- MAGNESEN Physician Surgeon New Hope For Painful Feet Developers lose Gettysburg By EMILY BAZAR USA TODAY The most recent fight for Gettysburg ended Wednesday when Pennsylvania gambling regulators rejected a proposal for a slot-machine casino near the Civil War battlefield. The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board awarded five licenses for casinos in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, the Pocono Mountains and Bethlehem. Among the 13 applications was a proposal by Crossroads Bunions are caused by longstanding alignment problems at the big toe joint. It often results in pain, and if left untreated, may result in degeneration and permanent joint damage.

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