Frank Lautenberg

Lovesick man who caused Newark airport breach pleads guilty to misdemeanor, apologizes. A lovesick graduate student from China who slipped under a rope barrier at Newark Liberty International Airport to say goodbye to his girlfriend, prompting a security breach and leading to worldwide flight delays, pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge Tuesday and apologized publicly for the first time.

Massachusetts Senator John Kerry presses FDA for scientific data used to justify its lifetime ban on blood donated by gay men. After failing to get a response from the Food & Drug Administration (FDA), Massachusetts Senator John Kerry has drafted a second letter asking the agency to justify its lifetime ban on blood donated by gay men. Seventeen Democratic lawmakers joined Kerry last Thursday in asking FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg to reverse the policy. Instead, the agency quickly issued a statement to the press, stating that the ban ?is based on current science and data.? Kerry said he was ?surprised to discover that, rather than respond to our letter, the FDA apparently immediately released a statement to the press dismissing our call for a review,? in his second letter to Hamburg issued Tuesday. ?We did not write to the FDA to defend the people's desire to donate blood,? he added. ?Please share with us the current science and data referenced in your statement used to continue t

The time has come to change a policy that imposes a lifetime ban on donating blood for any man who has had gay sex since 1977, 18 senators said Thursday.

Senators: Lift lifetime ban on gay men donating blood. The time has come to change a policy that imposes a lifetime ban on donating blood for any man who has had gay sex since 1977, 18 senators said Thursday.

Massachusetts Senator John Kerry Thursday called on the FDA to end its lifetime ban on blood donated by gay men. Massachusetts Senator John Kerry Thursday called on the FDA to end its lifetime ban on blood donated by gay men. Seventeen Democratic lawmakers joined Kerry in asking FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg to reverse its policy. ?Not a single piece of scientific evidence supports the ban,? said Kerry in a statement. ?A law that was once considered medically justified is today simply outdated and needs to end, just as last year we ended the travel ban against those with HIV.? In the letter, the lawmakers argue that the ban specifically singles out gay men and is ?scientifically unsound.? ?Prospective donors who have engaged in heterosexual sexual activity with a person known to have HIV are deferred for one year. At the same time, male donors who engaged in protected homosexual sexual activity with a monogamous partner 26 years ago are deferred for life.? ?The ban also does not di

US lawmakers ended a third marathon hearing into Toyota's woes still angry at the Japanese auto giant's handling of defects blamed for 52 US deaths and pushing tough new safety rules.

US lawmakers ended a third marathon hearing into Toyota's woes still angry at the Japanese auto giant's handling of defects blamed for 52 US deaths and pushing tough new safety rules.

US lawmakers ended a third marathon hearing into Toyota's woes still angry at the Japanese auto giant's handling of defects blamed for 52 US deaths and pushing tough new safety rules.

US lawmakers ended a third marathon hearing into Toyota's woes still angry at the Japanese auto giant's handling of defects blamed for 52 US deaths and pushing tough new safety rules.

US lawmakers on Wednesday ended a third marathon hearing into Toyota's woes still angry at the Japanese auto giant's handling of defects blamed for 52 US deaths and pushing tough new safety rules.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Support grew for changes to vehicle braking systems, as a congressional hearing into unintended acceleration confronted Toyota Motor Corp executives with a 2006 internal document warning of quality problems.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Support grew for changes to vehicle braking systems, as a congressional hearing into unintended acceleration confronted Toyota Motor Corp executives with a 2006 internal document warning of quality problems.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Support grew for changes to vehicle braking systems, as a congressional hearing into unintended acceleration confronted Toyota Motor Corp executives with a 2006 internal document warning of quality problems.

NJ Sen. Frank Lautenberg returns to work in Washington after treatment for cancer. U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg (LOW'-tuhn-burg) of New Jersey has returned to work on Capitol Hill after being diagnosed with lymphoma and receiving his first chemotherapy treatment last week.

Following 10-day hospital stay, NJ Sen. Lautenberg plans to return to work Tuesday. New Jersey Sen. Frank Lautenberg says he will return to work in Washington this week after being hospitalized with curable lymphoma of the stomach.

The US Senate on Wednesday approved a 15-billion-dollar package to spur job growth, drawing support from 13 Republicans who broke party ranks, in a major coup for Democratic President Barack Obama.

With strong White House support, the US Senate voted Monday to advance a roughly 15-billion-dollar package aimed at spurring job growth amid election-year worries about high unemployment.

With strong White House support, the US Senate voted Monday to advance a roughly 15-billion-dollar package aimed at spurring job growth amid election-year worries about high unemployment.

Scott Brown helps Democrats advance 'jobs' bill past GOP filibuster. A Democratic "jobs" bill has advanced past a GOP filibuster in the Senate, helped along by the vote of the chambers newest Republican. Scott Brown of Massachusetts was joined by several other Republicans to help Democrats defeat a filibuster orchestrated by GOP leaders by a 62-30 tally. The tally sets up a vote on Wednesday to actually pass the measure.

Mass. Sen. Scott Brown breaks with fellow GOP senators to support Democratic jobs bill. The Senate's newest member says he will break ranks Monday with fellow Republicans and support a Democratic jobs bill in an important procedural vote.