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Show DAILY HERALD Bush urges eryto sign DailysHerald Established in 1873 - A Lee Newspaper CustomerService 375-5103 ASSOCIATED PRESS Newsroom 801-344-2540 SILVER SPRING, Md. — President Bush said Wednesdaythat he’s against extending Toll free 800-880-8075 FAX 801-373.5489 www.heraldextra.com the May 15 deadline to give the Street address; 1555 N. Freedom Bivd. , Provo, UT the new Medicare prescription drug program. elderly more time to sign up for Sendmail to: P.O. Box 717, Provo, UT 84603-0717 ExecutiveEditor Metro Editor News EDITORS Randy Wnght 3442913 rwright@heraldenracom 3e Pyrah 344-2586 jpyeh@heraldextracom City Editor Sports Editor Ame Rose Damell Dickson Life & Style Editor Editorial Page Editor Elyssa Andrus 344-2553 _eandrus@heraldextra.com Donald W. 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At a retirement community, Bush urged people who are beaoe by the program, to seek and enroll before the dead- oe ushersin higher premiums. “It can be confusing to people, but if you work throughthe op- tions in the end it is a really good deal,” Bush told seniors at Riderwood Village,a retirement community outside Washington. Underthe program,in effect since January, the government subsidizes the cost of prescription drugs for the elderly and disabled throughplans created byprivate insurers. Critics say the program is too complex with its numerous plans and coverage gaps, and some conservative Republicans» arguethatit’s a costly expansion of government spending. Lawmakersfrom both parties, particularly Democrats, havecalled for extending the deadline,citing reports of problems plaguing the program in HOME DELIVERY 375-5103 Delivery by 6 a.m. MonSat a.m. Sunday SUESCRIFOONS: News ns, restarts, delivery or ar5103 week SUBSCRIPTION PROGRAMS its early weeks. Elderly patients ADVERTISING CLASSIFIED RETAIL who miss the May 15 deadline 373-6450 INGFAX generally will face a penalty of 1 percentof the premium for each month they delay. The program is voluntary. TheDaily Herald (ISSN 0891:2777, USPS 143-060)is published mom: ings, Sundaythrough Saturday, by Lee Publications,a division of Lee Enterprises,Inc., 1555 N. FreedomBvd., Provo. Utah 84604. Periodicals postage paid at Provo, Utah. Postmaster: Send address changesto The Daily Herald, P.O. Box 717, Provo, Utah 84603-0717. “Holiday delivery “Democrats haveintroduced legislation calling for a sixmonth extension so we can correctthis bill, make prescrip- tion drugs more affordable and Ted Bridis otheruseis strictly prohibited with: out written permission. www.cougarblue.com WASHINGTON — A Dubaiowned company announced Wednesdayit would sell all its US.port operations within four to six months to an unrelated American buyer, completing a multimillion-dollar deal forced by congressional concerns over terrorism security. DISCOUNTS AT THESE STORES ONLY AMERICAN FORK 175 Northwest State Rd. WEST VALLEY CITY kmart 3330 S. 5600 West St. INCREDIBLE SAVINGS! CaeCREWaRS ” SHEETS & COMFORTERS PLUS CLEARANCE LUGGAGE & BACKPACKS CT FASHIONAPPAREL FOR THE ENTIRE FAMILY makethe plan less confusing so seniors have enoughtime to sign up for a clearer, improved plan,” House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said Wednesday. Bushdisagreed, saying, “There has got to be a fixed time for peopleto sign up.” This is the second dayin a rowthat Bush has been promot- States said they were satisfied by the new details from the company.Still, the'U.S. House was expected to vote, perhaps late Wednesday, formally expressingits opposition to DP World running any port terminals in America. DP World, the world's thirdlargest ports company,said thatuntil the saleis finalized its U.S. businesses will operate . The mentwas the first time it desores its plans for the newly ired U.S. operations as :‘eale” toa single American buyerandindicated it would retain no stake. Michael Seymour,the presi- s dent of DP World's U.S. subsidiary, said there was “already significant interest in the sale from American buyers.” Asked whethera foreignowned company withits own US.subsidiary might qualify, Seymour said: “An American buyeris exactly whatwesayit is; it’s an American buyer and weenvisageit will be a wholly owned American organization.” DP Worldsaidit would provide information about its business to “interested parties,” whichit did not identify. along the roadways inside this retirement community to cheer Bushtraveled to Canandaigua, N.Y., to publicize the drug ben- and welcome the president. But not all were there to fawn. efit in a conservative-leaning western New York community. Two seniors, bundled against “Nobody is making you do anything,” Bush said. “I'm just traveling aroundsaying take a the wind,sat on a park bench holding up a handwritten sign that said “Impeach George W. Bush.” and the global fight against 118,000, the lowest level since before the U.S.invasion of, Iraq COSMETICS & FFFRAGRANCES ne ;>. CUIyFINE & PRECIOUS JEWELRY ree eeedeeeddGTSa aaae ‘OPENDAILY REGULAR HOURS. WE ACCEPT VISA, MASTERCARD, DISCOVER, AMERICAN EXPRESS, K-MART AND SEARS CARDS. WE ACCEPT RAINCHECKS, CREDIT REBATE CERTIFICATES AND GIFT CERTIFICATES, STORE. TO STOCK ON HAND. THIS STORE IS PARTICIPATING IN CURRENT KMART CIRCULARS LIMITED TO INVENTORY CURRENTLY ON HAND. Ue Mees EPR Mem Vet Ol Da eedOlt _ domestic critical infrastructure extends beyond the Dubai Ports World deal.” Rep. Lewes Hunter R-Calif. The newdisclosures by DP World responded to questions raised sinceits vague an- nouncementlast week thatit intended to “transferfully” to an unspecified American ey the U.S. operations it acquired whenit bought London-based Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Co.for $6.8 billion.“It's important for the company to continue moving forward on whatthey committed to doing, and we appreciate the step that they took,” White House spokesman Scott McClellan said. He praisedthe decision by Dubai's ruler, Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum, tosell the US.operations to preserve good relations between the countries. Under the sale, DP World had taken over a U.S.subsidiary with significant operations at ports in New Jersey, New York, Baltimore, New Orleans, Miami and Philadelphia — plus lesser dockside activities at 16 otherportsin this country. DP Worldhas said those U.S. operations are worth roughly $700 million. It agreed to the sale to quell a bipartisan furor in Congress, “It certainly appearson its face to achieve what we want, and that’s to have a U.S. company running these ports,” said Rep.Peter King, R-N.Y., chairman ofthe House Homeland Security Committee.“I think DP World got the messageloudly andclearly.” activocal critic, Rep. Duncan Hunter, chairman of the House Armed Services . Committee,said lawmakers will continue to monitor the corporate negotiations. “It’s not over until it's over,” said Hunter, R-Calif. “We're optimistic they'll keep their com- mitment, but the need to secure domesticcritical infrastructure extends beyond the Dubai Ports World deal.” Republicans inCongress ° blocked a Democraticeffort Wednesdayto force votes in the House on expanding governmentscrutiny of foreign investments. duty hits low pointsince start of Iraq war WASHINGTON— The ranks of National Guard and Reserve trobps on active duty for Iraq % ALL CLEARANCE “We're optimistic they'll keep their commitment, but the need to secure ‘Numberof Guard, Reserve troops on active terrorhas fallen to just under Blac.) a oF look. Scores of residents stood voting bloc in midterm congressional elections. On Monday, approving DP World's earlier plans to operate in the United THE ASSOCIATED PRESS LL SHOES ueY ing the troubled program to seniors, which makeupa loyal Lawmakers who criticized « the Bush administration for _Robert DRESS, CASUAL & ATHLETIC 5 center, and White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan, right,look on at the beginning of the President's session with seniorcitizens to discuss his Medicare drug program. Dubai company plans to sellU.S.port operations MEMBER, AUDIT BUREAU OF CIRCULATIONS All contents Copyright © 2006. Dally Herald, Any reproduction or RIKKI VAN CAMP/Daily Messenger President Bush greets Mary Foster as Linda M Janczak,President/CEO of Thompson Health, three years ago. The reduction is a welcome trend for America’scitizensoldiers, who havebeencalled to combat duty in numbers not seen in decades and who were further strained by last year’s hurricane relief efforts on the Gulf Coast. The driving reason for the . drop, Pentagon officials say, is that more active combat units like the Army’s 4th Infantry Division are returning to Iraqafter extensive reorganizations. Guard and Reserveunits, the bulk of whom are in Iraq ondigenwere ane and combat positions w! theactiveduty Prabag reconfigured for the kinds of conflicts the Pentagon expects in the years ahead. The Pentagon says the decline in Guard and Reserve call-ups also tagon spokeswoman, said some “high demand”units such as military police, military intelligence and special operations forces have completed their 24 months of mobilization time. This means they are no longer available unless they volunteer. The military saysit does not expect the two-year mobilization limit to create a major problem unless the United ‘States becomes involved in another major conflict. One reason: the Armyis shifting moremilitary police positions from the Guard and Reserveto the active force,so there will be more flexibility for the Army to use MPs without having to go to the reserves. On Wednesday, the Pentagon announced it was sending an have pone muchof the ae lenin Iraq, has slipped bel 100,000 forthe first time inae period,according to Defense Sseae statistics. t somepoints during 2005, the Guard and Reserverepresented nearly half of the total forcein Iraq. They are now aa 20 percent. Inder the legal authority which Bush ordered a s! of the Guardarid Reserve Sept. 14, 2001, in response to Bs terrorist attacks threedays: soil ees be mobilized for as long none So far,a little over 490,000 have been Teserveaffairs, additional 700 U.S.troops into Traqin ose to the recent upsurgein sectarian s andin anticipation pt wiolence at a time of a Shiite y. . As of Wednesday, the number of Guard and Reserve from Soe ‘on active had dropped to Boe sincé war began in March O08 Tee April 2003, at 224,528, Reserve havefluctuated about 148,000 onactive duty ie eee of 164,000 in January 2004 162,000 in Janome Dye Th umber stood at $7,503 as of Wednesday, |