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Joanne Silberner reports that today, the House Ways and Means Committee began consideration of a health insurance bill that would guarantee that millions of Americans would not lose coverage because of a pre-existing condition when they become unemployed or switch jobs. The legislation has broad bipartisan support, but House Republicans have tacked on a lot of amendments that are opposed by the Senate. How Senator Dole handles the Republican mavericks in the House has implications for his presidential candidacy.

and the Republican Congressional leadership including Republican presidential frontrunner, Bob Dole. The President called for the meeting at the White House to seek common ground on the balanced budget, health insurance, welfare reform, and anti-terrorism legislation.

The first museum devoted exclusively to "outsider" or "visionary" art: the work of untrained artists who, more often than not, don't care about being in museums. Some of them have gotten famous despite themselves - Howard Finster is the most famous. They're called outsiders because they're outside of the art establishment (even though they've become quite trendy and "inside" in recent years). One of the interesting things about the museum - as a way of subverting the way works are usually selected for inclusion in a collection - is that museum goers will help select their favorite works. (9:30) (IN S

give Presidents limited line item veto power. Similar legislation is expected to pass the House easily. It would give future Presidents the authority to reject individual items without vetoing entire spending bills. Supporters say it's needed to control federal spending. Opponents say it transfers to Presidents, powers which rightfully belong to Congress.

A mural of a basketball player is slowing down the morning commute on a Chicago freeway. Drivers have been gaping at a seventy-five-foot-wide billboard of basketball player Dennis Rodman. The advertisement for a clothier also includes Michael Jordan and Cubs second baseman Ryne Sandberg. Rick Karr reports that the garment-maker may remove the billboard if it continues to slow the traffic. (5:00) 2B CUTAWAY 0:59 Funder 0:29 XPromo 0:29 CUTAWAY 2B 0:29 RETURN2 0:29 NEWS 2:59 NEWS 1:59 THEME MUSIC 0:29 2C 17. LYBIA - NPR's Neal Conan reports on the statement by US Defense Secretary William Perry that the US would not allow Libya to finish construction of a suspected chemical weapons plant. Perry told Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak that the US has photographs showing of an "extensive" weapons program, and would not rule out using force to destroy the plant. NPR's Neal Conan reports.

Comedian George Burns died today, just weeks after celebrating his 100th birthday. Bob Mondello has this appreciation of a man whose career saw vaudeville, film, television and more than 90 years.

that some are predicting could herald a return to dustbowl conditions.

In the early 1960's, radio producer Alex Van Oss lived in Uganda, just up the street from an orphange where Van Oss often heard music being played. Now, a musical troupe from that very same orphange is touring the United States and Van Oss went to meet up with them.

Robert talks with China expert Harry Harding, dean of the Elliot School of International Affairs at George Washington University, about the relationship between China and Taiwan. Harding says that Taiwan already has de facto independence from China and that the most likely resolution of the current crisis will be a continuation of the status quo.

Gillian Sharpe ((JILL-ee-uhn)) reports from the Hague that a Bosnian Croat general has pleaded not guilty during a hearing at the United Nations War Crimes Tribunal. General Tihomir Blaskic ((TEE-oh-meer BLAHS-

Commentator Reuven Frank says scenes like the Montanan siege of the Freemen farm, the O.J. trial and the the New Hampshire primary prove just one thing...there are too many journalists and not enough news. And when journalists descend, they do affect the story.

Carmen Deedee has this story about her Mother's weakness for the 5 and Dime icon.

Daniel Zwerdling talks to Washington Post reporter Nora Boustany about suicide bombers. Boustany spent almost 20 years reporting from the Middle East. She says the process of indoctrinating young Palestinian men into martydom cults begins during childhood. Boustany says these young men are convinced that they are giving their lives for their faith and that they will be rewarded in heaven.

NPR's Michael Goldfarb reports that the World Health Organization said today that the link between mad cow disease and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease remains uncertain. But even if there is a connection, the WHO said current precautions would minimize any risk of acquiring the extremely rare disease from eating beef.

The flexible workplace is up and running at Hewlett-Packard. HP employees not only help set their own schedules, but also decide whether to job share or telecommute. Small manufacturers are also getting more flexible. NPR's David Molpus visits a North Carolina textile mill to show how things are changing.

and efforts to try to stop it.

Danny talks with comedian George Carlin about the state of the world, the art of comedy writing, and Carlin's liberal use of profanity. We'll also hear routines from two of Carlin's comedy albums: "Parental Advisory Explicit Lyrics" (Eardrum Records 7 91593-2) and "Jammin' In New York" (Eardrum Records 7 92221-2). Tonight, Carlin performs his stand-up act at the Beacon Theater in New York City - a performance that will be broadcast live on the HBO cable channel.

Baseball season officially begins tonight in the United States. NPR's David Welna reports it is not only a favorite American spectator sport, it is also hugely popular in Cuba where it is played year round. Welna was in Havana earlier this month, just in time for the opening games of Cuba's Revolution Cup.

and Bob Dole will not be emphasising their Washington insider credentials in the fall election.

NPR Senior News Analyst Daniel Schorr says Russian President Boris Yeltsin's new Chechen ceasefire may be more about politics than peace.

Robert Siegel speaks with ex-college basketball players Willie Worsley and Larry Conley about the historic 1966 championship game between Kentucky and Texas Western (now UTEP). In the game, the all-Black starting players for Texas Western beat the all-White Kentucky team. Although the game had tremendous implications for the integration of college basketball, neither Worsely, who played for Texas, nor Conley, who played for Kentucky, realized it at the time.

An investigative report. Starbucks President David