Nation briefs 9/8/04

Second judge strikes down gay-marriage ban

OLYMPIA, Wash. -- Washington's ban on same-sex marriage was struck down Tuesday by a second judge, who ruled that marriage is a fundamental right that should be available to gay men and lesbians. The case in Thurston County, along with a similar ruling in King County, will be appealed to the state Supreme Court. One critic of the rulings said a drive to amend the state constitution to ban gay marriage is all but guaranteed.

GAO: Ex-Medicare chief should repay salary

WASHINGTON -- The former Medicare administrator should repay his government salary because of his efforts to keep higher estimates of the cost of a prescription drug plan from Congress last year, congressional investigators said Tuesday. The recommendation from the Government Accountability Office reignited the controversy over the passage of the Medicare overhaul and questions about whether the Bush administration intentionally concealed its own estimates of the cost -- $100 billion more than the $400 billion it acknowledged -- to win support from conservative Republicans.

Fresh firefighters make difference at wildfire

GEYSERVILLE, Calif. -- An infusion of fresh manpower helped firefighters gain the upper hand Tuesday on a wildfire that had burned across more than 12,500 acres and destroyed four homes in Northern California's wine country. Cooler, moist air that had been forecast for the region failed to materialize during the night, but the extra personnel more than compensated for the poor weather, said Janet Marshall, spokeswoman for the state Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

Sept. 11 commission ideas spur legislation

WASHINGTON -- Lawmakers in the House and Senate announced they would push for adoption of all the Sept. 11 commission's recommendations for revamping the intelligence community as a means to deter terrorist attacks. "This bill would enact bold and comprehensive reform that changes the status quo, because the status quo in intelligence and diplomacy has failed us," said Sen. Joe Lieberman, D-Conn., who introduced the 280-page legislation along with Democratic Sen. Evan Bayh of Indiana and Republican Sens. John McCain of Arizona and Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania.

-- From wire reports