Boring but Important
Ethics disclosure 
More than 30 members of Congress are being scrutinized for possible ethics violations.
Giant rocket launched
NASA launched one of the world’s tallest rockets into space in a key test of the vehicle slated to return astronauts to the moon.
Body armor problems
The Army made serious errors when testing its newest type of body armor and the Pentagon said it would shelve the 240,000 plates it has already ordered.
A bigger bunker buster
The Pentagon has fast-tracked production of its largest non-nuclear bomb, a 30,000-pound model designed to destroy underground weapons bunkers.
Health-care moves
The Senate Finance Committee will delay its vote on health-care legislation until next week, while it awaits an analysis of the bill’s cost from the Congressional Budget Office.
Help for local housing
The Obama administration plans to commit as much as $35 billion to help cash-strapped state and local housing-finance agencies provide mortgages to low- and middle-income home buyers.
Border fence problems
The 600-mile-long fence being built along the U.S.-Mexico border is seven years behind schedule, millions of dollars over budget, and will cost taxpayers $6.5 billion to maintain during the next 20 years.
Flu vaccine is coming
A national vaccination program to prevent swine flu will begin in three weeks.
White House opens logs
The Obama administration announced that it will publish logs of visitors to the White House, though certain “sensitive” visits would remain secret.
Bailout profits for U.S.
The U.S. Treasury has earned a $14 billion profit from short-term loans it made to banks and securities firms during the financial crisis.
Vaccine shortfall
The Centers for Disease Control said it would have 45 million doses of H1N1 vaccine on hand when it begins its vaccination program this fall. It anticipated having 120 million doses.
Jet plan is grounded, and more
Congressional leaders have reversed course on a plan to buy four executive jets that would be used to transport congressional officials on foreign trips.
Treasury to cut borrowing, and more
The U.S. Treasury has scaled back its borrowing plans, as banks repay their bailout funds at a better-than-expected pace.
Texting while driving, and more
Drivers who send text messages while at the wheel are 23 times more likely to get into an accident.
Uranium mining halted, and more
The Obama administration declared nearly 1 million acres of Arizona land near the Grand Canyon off-limits to new uranium mining claims.
Surgeon general named, and more
President Obama nominated Dr. Regina Benjamin, a rural Alabama family practitioner, to be surgeon general.
Federal security faulted, and more
Investigators successfully smuggled bomb-making materials into 10 federal buildings.
California running out of time, and more
Faced with a $24 billion budget gap, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and the state legislature were weighing deep cuts to schools, welfare programs, and prisons.
Regulating finance, and more
As part of its financial-industry reform package, the Obama administration plans to create a new consumer-protection agency for investment and credit products.
Banks to repay U.S., and more
In a sign that strains on the U.S. banking system are easing, the Obama administration will allow 10 banks to repay $68.3 billion granted them under TARP.
