Bush holds news conference to press Congress

President George W. Bush called a news conference for Wednesday to prod the Democratic-controlled Congress to approve spending, education and health bills.

Bush also was to talk about an eavesdropping bill that would expand court oversight of government electronic surveillance in the United States. The House of Representatives was to vote on the measure Wednesday, and the White House has threatened to veto the bill unless substantive changes are made.

The bill allows unfettered surveillance of foreign targets but requires special authorization if the foreign targets are likely to be in contact with people inside the United States - an effort to safeguard Americans' privacy.

The president also was to urge the House to reject legislation to label the century-old deaths of Armenians as genocide. The measure was in jeopardy after several Democrats withdrew their support and sounded alarms that passage of such a resolution could cripple U.S. relations with Turkey.

It will be Bush's first White House news conference since Sept. 20 and it comes just a day before the Democratic-controlled House will try to override his veto of a popular children's health program. That vote is not expected to succeed.

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Author`s name Angela Antonova
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