W E D N E S D AY | 1 2 . 1 8 . 2 0 1 3 | E X P R E S S | 3
Nation
Budget Deal Jumps Key Hurdle
Navy Investigator Pleads Guilty to Bribery Charges San Diego A senior U.S. Navy criminal investigator pleaded guilty Tuesday to bribery charges stemming from a multimillion dollar fraud probe targeting an Asian defense contractor. John Beliveau II entered his guilty plea in federal court in San Diego. Beliveau acknowledged keeping Malaysian-contractor Leonard Glenn Francis abreast of the investigation in exchange for trips and prostitution services. Francis has pleaded not guilty in the case. Beliveau could face a maximum sentence of 20 years. The conviction is a first for federal prosecutors in the massive scandal that has ensnared six Navy officials so far and could lead to an
expansion of the probe if Beliveau cooperates with authorities as part of his plea agreement. His attorney and prosecutors declined to say whether Beliveau had agreed to help. Prosecutors say Francis, 49, overbilled the Navy by at least $20 million. They said the scheme included giving bribes to Navy officers who would provide Francis with confidential ship route information or direct the movement of Navy vessels to Asian ports with lax oversight so the company could inflate costs by using phony port authorities. In exchange for the assistance from the Navy officials, Francis lined up prostitutes, hotel stays and tickets to shows, according to a criminal complaint. JULIE WATSON (AP)
$636M
The budget agreement combines short-term spending increases with longer-term deficit reduction. Here are some key details:
Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., is one of the architects of the budget agreement.
sure toward final approval was 67-33. But even as it was advancing, Republicans vowed that the requirement for curtailing the growth in cost-of-living benefits for military retirees under age 62 wouldn’t long survive. The Democratic chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich.,
Eases “sequester” cuts by $63 billion over two years, split between defense and domestic programs. Raises airline security fees from $5 to $11.20 for a typical round-trip ticket starting July 1. Increases the pension contributions paid by federal civilian workers hired after Jan. 1. Caps the maximum government payment for contract employees at $487,000, indexed to inflation. (AP)
has said the panel will review the change, estimated to trim some $6.3 billion in benefits, early next year. DAVID ESPO (AP)
DAVID ROYAL (MONTEREY COUNTY HERALD/AP)
Year-end legislation to ease Congress’ chronic budget brinkmanship and soften across-the-board spending cuts moved to the cusp of final passage Tuesday, a rare display of Senate bipartisanship that masked deep Republican misgivings about slicing military retirement benefits. The measure is expected to clear the Senate and go to President Barack Obama for his signature today, marking a modest accomplishment at the end of a year punctuated by a partial government shutdown, a near-default by the U.S. Treasury and congres-
What’s in the Bill?
A wildfire that started Monday in California was barely contained Tuesday. BIG SUR, CALIF.
Late-Season Wildfire Still Burning in California An unusual late fall wildfire fueled by drought conditions destroyed 15 homes and forced about 100 people to flee the mountains of the Big Sur region. The slow-moving fire had consumed about 550 acres and was only 5 percent contained Tuesday, said U.S. Forest Service spokeswoman Lynn Olson. (AP) SALT LAKE CITY
Wintry Weather Continues in Northeast
Utah Rep. Won’t Run Again U.S. Rep. Jim Matheson, Utah’s only Democrat in Congress, announced Tuesday that he will not seek re-election, easing the way for Republicans to pick up another House seat in a solidly red state. (AP) DECATUR, GA.
Incompetence Plea Filed In Ga. Shooting Case
BEBETO MATTHEWS (AP)
Washington
sional gridlock on issues ranging from immigration to gun control. “This bipartisan bill takes the first steps toward rebuilding our broken budget process. And hopefully, toward rebuilding our broken Congress,” said Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., who negotiated the compromise with Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis. The first major test of that is likely to come in February, when Congress faces a vote to raise the government’s debt limit. It had been clear for several days that the overall measure was headed for Senate passage, particularly after the Republican-controlled House had voted overwhelmingly last week to approve it. The party’s top leaders in the Senate both voted against advancing the legislation. Yet they made no attempt to organize an attempt to derail it. Tuesday’s vote to send the mea-
J. SCOTT APPLEWHITE (AP)
Bipartisan bill clears filibuster, is expected to be passed today
In Brief
SNOW FALLS on the streets of New York City on Tuesday as the Northeast
receives another dose of wintry weather. The National Weather Service predicted New York would get 2-4 inches and parts of New England would see up to 10 inches.
The estimated jackpot for Tuesday night’s Mega Millions drawing, which ended after Express’ deadline. The top prize had been estimated at $586 million, but lottery officials increased their prediction Tuesday morning because of strong ticket sales. It’s the second-highest lottery jackpot ever. (AP)
The lawyer for a man accused of firing a rifle outside a suburban Atlanta elementary school says her client is incompetent to stand trial. Police have said Michael Brandon Hill went to the school on Aug. 20 with an assault rifle and nearly 500 rounds of ammunition. (AP) RENO, NEV.
1 Slain at Reno Hospital A lone gunman shot four people, killing one, before taking his own life at a sprawling medical campus in Reno, Nevada, on Tuesday. Reno police said the man entered the Center for Advanced Medicine at Renown Regional Medical Center at about 2:45 p.m. with at least one gun and began shooting. The shooter turned the gun on himself before 3 p.m., police Lt. Tom Robinson said. (AP)