it is a done deal after a bitter battle and months of debate the u.s. house passes healthcare reform. details about the bill that will give millions of americans

finally a chance to see a doctor. good morning. welcome back to "news4 today." i'm joe krebs. >> i'm kimberly suiters in for eun yang. it's monday, march 22, 2010. taking a live look outside. you're waking up to some sprinkles in our area. meteorologist tom kierein joins us live to talk about it. >> all we need is ice cream to put those sprinkles on and we'll be set. >> we had summer time weather over the weekend. not ice cream weather this morning. things have cooled down. we have a low pressure system moving into the region, bringing rain moving from the southwest to the northeast. right now the radar is showing some of that rain activity now passing into howard county out of northern montgomery county and elsewhere we have other sprinkles around the region at this hour, temperature right near 60 degrees. it will stay in the upper 50s to near 60 for the next few hours and then hit the mid-60s this afternoon with a few more passing showers and even maybe thunder showers this afternoon but don't anticipate any severe weather. on tonight maybe a passing

shower, perhaps some sprinkles and drizzle after-month, few sprinkles tomorrow morning through midday and sun back tomorrow afternoon breezy and cooler with temperatures in the upper 50s. sun returns wednesday into thursday and highs back into the 60s both of those days. now, jerry, how is the monday morning commute? >> we'll head on over and check glebe road the approach to chain bridge. authorities tell us all lanes are open and available commuting in both directions across the chain bridge, all the weekend overnight construction has been taken care of. very good news there just in the knick of time. inner loop and outer loop moving along nicely. one delay on the rails, marc rail, brunswick 870, seven minutes behind schedule. a bill to reform the nation's healthcare system is now heading to president obama's

desk. the house passed the historic legislation late last night. it passed on a 219-212 vote. not a single republican voted for it. the bill would provide coverage to 32 million uninsured americans and require most people to buy insurance or face penalties. last night's passage was a huge victory for president obama who, of course, made healthcare reform a major focus of his first year in office. >> today's vote answers the prayers of every american who has hoped deeply for something to be done about a healthcare system that works for insurance companies but not for ordinary people. >> the house also pass ad second smaller measure that makes changes to the first bill. that bill has now been sent to the senate where democrats say they have enough votes to pass it quickly. local lawmakers are reacting to this historic passage. jane watrel is live right now at union station with more. good morning. >> reporter: good morning.

president obama will sign that measure in the next couple of days. a whole host of measures will be set off for the states and for the district of columbia. according to d.c. figures, the district already pays at least $50 million a year for a program supplementing healthcare for people who don't qualify for medicaid but can't afford health insurance. under that new bill the cost will go away. there are 134,000 uninsured families in d.c. the bill will keep them, help them by providing tax credits to pay for affordable healthcare in. one local lawmaker says federal dollars will close the gap that every day citizens are paying. >> it's exciting. i think people realize the moment in history and the opportunity. >> just think now prince george's county and all the rest of us absorb the cost of all of those people who are uninsured now they will be covered that means costs will really go away.

>> reporter: that vote was highly partisan, of course, with maryland and virginia delegations split. in maryland, six lawmakers, six u.s. house of representatives lawmakers voted for the measure, two voted against it. in virginia, seven members of the house of representatives voted against it with four voting for the bill. and "the washington post" is reporting this morning that virginia's attorney general, ken cuccinelli is ready to file a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of that healthcare reform bill as soon as president obama signs it. reportering live from capitol hill, i'm jane watrel. back to you. >> thanks very much. jane watrel reporting liver. we'll have much more throughout the morning. you can also read more about tremendous form on our website at nbcwashington.com. from healthcare to immigration. this weekend thousands of people rallied across the country demanding that president obama keep his pledge to deliver comprehensive immigration reform.

here in washington, tens of thousand of people gathered on the national mall to bring their immigration reform message to lawmakers and the president. they are fighting for full rights for illegal immigrants and their children. chicago congressman made a passionate plea to president obama. the president taped a message in return for the activists. >> i want the sun to shine on president obama and our leader. i want justice. i want to be led into brighter future. >> we work to fix our broken immigration system. i reaffirm that today. >> opponents say stronger border controls should come before any immigration reform. there are an estimated 11 million illegal immigrants living in the united states. a marand woman convicted

of killing two of her adopted daughters will learn her fate today. renee bowman will be sentenced later this morning. she was found guilty last month on two couldn't ever first degree murder as well as first degree child abuse. police found her daughters bodies in bowman's freezer after her third daughter escaped from the calvert county home. prosecutors say they are asking for life in prison without the possibility of parole. three d.c. schools will remain closed because of massive budget cuts. brews monday re, brooklyn educational campus and turner elementary were supposed to be rebuilt. according to "the washington post" that's been delayed. d.c. school chancellor says the big issue is money and promises to rebuild were based on financial situation two years ago. but thomas harry jr. said it's a problem of over promising.

rhee is scheduled to appear before the d.c. council today. still ahead a local tragedy. a commune says good-bye to a young girl killed in a weekend house fire. plus calling all metro riders. the transit agency holds meetings for those who w

good morning. time for weather and traffic on this monday morning. we have a cloud cover and scattered showers all around the region from west virginia across virginia, maryland and the district of columbia. a few passing showers moving south to north at the hour. temperatures all around troirj in thor 50s t near 60. 60 in washington. high today in the mid-60s. few more passing showers. a little thunder this afternoon. ovnight tonight might have a passing shower or sprinkles, perhaps a few sprinkles tomorrow morning through midday and sun back in the afternoon. sun returns on wednesday and thursday and back into the 60s. a look at friday and the weekend in ten minutes. how is the traffic? >> doing pretty well.

over in prince george's county both loops of the capital beltway near route 4 no early hangups. between landover and the wilson bridge nothing to fear. let's see how we're doing in springfield, hov lanes in the middle of your screen, picking up a lot of volume. all travel lanes headed to points north. no accident currently in the roadway. back to you. 5:43 now. 60 degrees. the strike that's affecting thousands of travellers. british airways plans to get strand passengers to their destinations. do you feel you deserve a raise? of course you do. tips for ask

checking this morning's top stories right now the house has finally passed legislation reforming the nation's healthcare system. the bill passed late last night. i want heads to president obama who is vowing to sign it. a second smaller measure that makes changes to the first bill was also passed last night and

will be taken up this week by the senate. democrats say they do have the votes needed to pass that bill as well. renee bowman will be sentenced today. she was convicted last move kill two of her adopted daughters. thr bodies were found in her freezer. her third daughter escaped and led authorities to the house. she can receive life in prison without the possibility of parole. a crushing buzzer beating ends to the season for the maryland terrapins. they lost to the michigan spartans yesterday. the terps had finally taken the lead with just seconds left after trailing for most of the game. you're thinking about your monday morning commute. what do you think about metro's options foreclosing its massive budget deficit. the transit agency wants your opinion on that. it's holding a series of public hearings on that. megan mcgrath is live outside of the vienna metro station right now with more on this. good morning.

>> reporter: it's a large budget short fall. $189 million and metro's board will have to figure out exactly what they will do to close that gap and they have a number of different options available and they will ask for a number of options from the public. six hearings will be held over the course of the next week and a half. that first hearing happens tonight in vienna. the options being considered include a combination of fare increase and service reductions as well as changes in metro accesses, fare structure and service. also out there, staff reductions and possibly getting additional funds from local jurisdictions. now we're here at the vienna metro station. 've been asking riders what they think should happen. >> probably staff reductions. i think they are too high and the service is too poor. they need to do something. >> look out for not fare. >> not fares. >> it's ridiculous. every time they have a problem they want to hit you up for

another 25 or 30 sense and every time do you that you lose customers. >> reporter: andhat first public hearing will take place tonight at 7:00 p.m. at oakton high school in vienna. then another hearing on wednesday the 24th at st. francis xavier church in southeast. another one on monday the 29th at mount calvary baptist church in lanham. a total of six over the course of the next week and a half. if metroecides to go with service cuts or fare increase those options would kick in on june the 27th. but, still a lot of talking, a lot of discussion about what needs to happen. still ahead and, again, they are looking for input from riders. back to you. megan mcgrath reporting live. thanks very much. an 8-year-old girl in prince george's county died after getting trapped inside her burning home. this happened around 11:00 saturday night on parkview lane in clinton, maryland. the girl's mother ran to a neighbor for help. firefighters searched the home

and found kennedy pearson in the living room but it was too late to save her. her mother was burned and suffered smoke inhalation. neighbors and friends are now coping with their loss by creating a memorial. >> you know, 8-year-old beautiful girl, all full of energy, full of life, had her whole life in front of her. this is just a tragic situation. >> she was my best friend and i will miss her. >> officials believe the fire was an accident. a smoke detectivor was inside but appears not to have been working. >> a 4-year-old boy died in frederick county in an atv accident. he was riding around his family's property. he was found in a creek pinned overturned. he was taken to the hospital but died. police are now investigating. d.c. police are looking for two men who robbed a starbucks

store in broad daylight. it happened just after noon yesterday at the starbucks on georgia avenue near howard university. police say two men walked into the store, demanded money. no one was hurt. there's no word on how much cash they took. today students and staff at a prince william county school will get screened for tuberculosis. officials will not identify the person further but he or she is no longer at the school and is receiving treatment. tuberculosis is a bacterial infection spread person to person through the air. kit be cured but if left untreated it can be fatal. a white start to spring for parts of the lower midwest. >> a storm dropped up to a foot of snow across several states. in northwest arkansas icy conditions were tough on the roads for drivers. several churches reported cancelling services and some

schools are close this morning. kansas city was also hit hard but people made the best of the situation. warmer weather is expected over the next few days. you see what happens when kansas loses? >> i guess so. nature does not like that. mother nature doesn't like it. i guess they thought they were out of the clear. any chance of something like that happening for us? >> no. same storm system coming our way but bringing rain. too mild for any more snow. this morning as we look at the radar over the last hour we're seeing showers moving from the south to the north through the region. at this hour getting a spew sprinkles in montgomery county and prince george's and calvert as well as fairfax, loudoun, prince william and fauquier. and the shenandoah valley and out into the mountains of west virginia. temperatures around the region in the 50s to near 60. 60 degrees in washington. in the 50s on the eastern shore and out in the mountains at this hour. and we do have some other showers now that are coming in out of the north carolina, perhaps aittle bit heavier downpours later on this

afternoon all coming from spinning low pressure that is now sitting over the southern mississippi valley. in fact they are getting some snow around memphis, tennessee right now in through central tennessee. but ahead of that we got mild moisture that's coming up our way that low will be drifting through the region later on today and into tonight and tomorrow. here's the bus stop forecast this morning. bring along an umbrella waiting for the bus. temperatures will be in the upper 50s to near 60. by noon should be near 60 degrees, maybe a passing shower, perhaps a passing shower this afternoon into the mid-60s and maybe a little bit of thunder. sunset at 7:22. through the evening an additional shower. in the 50s. by dawn tomorrow mid-40s with a few sprinkles. tomorrow morning sprinkle through midday and then a little sun back tomorrow afternoon, blustery northwest wind highs in the 50s. some milder weather returns on wednesday and thursday with sunshine both days. highs in the low and mid-60s.

end of the week on friday may get a few showers. weekend is looking dry. how is the traffic? >> despite the few sprinkles around town pretty quiet morning. no major incidents. 270 from i-70 down to the split doing very well. no early accident the report. let's take live look throu southeast and northeast corridors in the district, moving along nicely. all the major roadways doing fine. out on the rails at this hour the only delay we have marc rail brunswick 870, eight minutes behind schedule. vre and metro all reporting no delays. joe and kimberly, back to you. good news for a rainy monday morning commute. british airways i scrambling to keep flights from being cancelled after some of their workers walked off the job. okay within crews went on strike. many travellers en route to the united states who were supposed to have brief stopovers at

heal heal healthrow were stranded. if you're heading to the airport for your spring break travels you're likely to see an increase in security. the government is rolling out its new beefed up airport security plan in response to the failed christmas day attacks. security lines are expected to grow as the extra measures are begun and there is tighter enforcement of older security procedures. airlines worry that the government will require them to pay to maintain those checkpoints. a friend of mine flew out of national yesterday and she said it's crazy here. it was 6:00 in the morning. so very busy time for travellers. when times are tough should you be asking for a raise? >> the key is knowing how to ask your bob for more money.

bob hanson has some tips. >> reporter: these are challenging times in the workplace. one employment is up and paychecks are down. >> in this market the hardest thing to do is ask for a raise. does that mean you shouldn't do. >> it's no. >> reporter: phil with manpower staffing said raises are part of the j and it lair thourts ask but you need to know what to say. >> up don't just walk in and say i want more money. you certainly don't say my rent was just raised or my car just broke down. as an employer that's not my responsibility. >> reporter: remind your boss what you mean to the company, what you contribute on the job, how you save the company money or ideas that made a difference in the workplace. >> don't care what your job at the company is. look for ways to save money and look for ways to increase sales. bring those ideas to your supervisor. >> reporter: so if selling yourself doesn't work, should you threaten to quit if you don't get a raise? >> don't ever, ever, ever say that. you can leave that impression

but don't ever say it. the second you say that they will start looking for you replacements. >> reporter: if a raise isn't possible look for alternatives like extra vacation time or increased healthcare benefits. if you do it right there's nothing wrong with asking for more money. >> showing initiative will never put a target on your back. it will put a target on your back for who is the up and comers in my department. >> that was bob hanson reporting. it's been found 50% of workers are unhappy with the jobs. the natural reaction is to pull back and do less in that job. instead you should try to do more, offer more suggestions, make yourself more valuable and hope that that pays off. we'll have much more on the historic weekend on capitol hill, how protesters cross ad very sensitive line with members of congress. >> also ahead from the sex scandal, students upcoming return, tiger woods gives his first one on one interviews. hear what he had to say next at

6:00 a.m.