credit. danielle nottingham is live on the payroll tax. danielle. >> good evening anita. it looks like congress is going to take this one down to the wire. house republicans are refusing to move forward on a two month extension of the payroll tax cut and senate democrats are refusing to start over. >> the people's business is at a standstill on capitol hill. the house rejected the senate's plan to extend the payroll tax credit for two months. the senate's bipartisan compromise guarantees the tax breakthrough february. house gop lawmakers say they will only vote for a yearlong extension. president obama argues the senate's plan is the best choice at least for now. >> they went ahead and did the right thing. i need the speaker and house republicans to do the same. >> i need the president to

help out. >> the speaker wants the president to call senate democrats back to washington for talks. >> we have done our work for the american people. now it's up to the president and democrats and the senate to do their job as well. >> the clock is ticking for lawmakers to find a way forward. if they don't, the tax break that helps 160 million americans will expire at the end of the month. that means workers will see about $20 less in their weekly paycheck starting january 1. >> we have to remove all doubt that this tax cut. >> house members voted to send the bill to a special committee to hammer out differences with the senate. but the senate's top democrat says he's not going to negotiate again unless the house passes the senate's plan.

doctors would also see big cuts in medicare payments. live on capitol hill, danielle nottingham, now back to you, iowa anita. wall street didn't mind the gridlock on capitol hill. the dow finished the day 337 points higher. the best day for blue chips in about a month. nasdaq gained 81 points and s & p 500 rose 36. 3million commuters may also notice the congress didn't take action on extending this popular commuter tax benefit. about 300,000 federal workers take advantage of this program in our area alone. if congress doesn't take abc before the end of this year, the pretax benefit drops from $230 a month to $125. >> metro's blue and orange line trains are up to speed again tonight after a mechanical meltdown led to scary moments for passengers. tonight, metro is inspecting its trains, evaluating communications or lack thereof, and dealing with some

traumatized passengers. andrea mccarren is live at metro headquarters tonight with the story. andrea. >> reporter: well lesli, metro officials say it's very rare for a friction ring. a disk about this big and part of the train brake assembly, simply fall off. >> i also want to apologize to the passengers and customers that were inconvenienced today. >> metro's general manager issuing an apology and issuing an investigation into why part of the break assembly fell off a moving train. >> as a precaution, i have directed inspections of the brake assemblies of all 5,000 series rail cars. this process will begin immediately. >> why some passengers were stranded under ground for 30 minutes. with no word from metro employees about what happened after the train left the l'enfant plaza station. >> there were two explosions. sounded like the train hit something metallic. the train was pulling out of

the station and a very loud bang and explosion. you could start to smell smoke. >> of course we all think about september 11. how you think about your family. you think about kids and you just know god is with you. >> we saw this man. he was running through the doors saying the train is on fire and i panicked and everybody was running, trying to get out. >> 300 passengers were led by firefighters along the tracks and out to safety. some, however, complained that they had to pay fares upon being evacuated at the smithsonian station. we are live from metro headquarters, 9news now. >> they have a lot to evaluate today after the events of the day, andrea. at the same time, a power outage took out all the escalators and elevators at the eastern market metro station. that service was restored around 1:00 this afternoon. no word tonight on just when a three judge panel may rule on a challenge to

maryland's redistricting map. nine people sued in federal court saying that new map die dilutes the black vote in the state. including many black lawmakers. >> the d.c. city council has given final approval to an ethics bill that allows members to remove legislators for criminal wrong doing and misconduct. the council has been under some pressure because several of its members and the mayor have drawn the scrutiny of federal and local investigators. bruce johnson with more on the story. >> ward 5 councilman, harry thomas joined the majority in voting for the ethics bill today. >> all opposed. >> no. >> not one word to say in support of the legislation. he continues to deny all interviews. weeks ago, the fbi and irs raided the councilman's home in northeast as part of a federal investigation into his

converting some $300,000 from a kid's baseball program to his personal use. >> is there some kind of agreement that he'll show up, but not contribute to the debate or is that just something, are you as surprised by that? >> there's no agreement. so let me be clear on that. there's no agreement. you may want to talk to council member thomas. >> called the ethics bill a milestone for the legislators. it establishes an ethics board and code of conduct. legislators will be allowed to keep their outside jobs, but the amount they can keep in their services fund has been cut in half to $40,000. the major change is that the council members will no longer have to wait for allegations or convictions. they gave themselves the authority to expel members for misconduct. >> the expulsion of a member and process. >> the bill falls way short. >> i can't believe that now we said that we can use our constituent services fund for

sports tickets again. >> he refuses to back off his position. the council member should not be accepting donations from city contractors. >> city contractors should not be funding the candidates who vote on their contracts. >> some people want more. at the end of the day, this bill goes a long way. >> bruce johnson, 9news now. >> the campaigns of kwame brown are being investigated. the council member jim graham is serving time for corruption, because graham failed to report that he had offered a bribe in that federal investigation. coming up tonight at 7:00, thousands of people in maryland lost power when hurricane irene hit way back in august and pepco spent tens and millions of dollars getting their lights back on. but now, utility wants those same customers to help foot the bill. we'll tell you what the company has in mind on 9news now at 7:00. >> we'll see you then, derek.

still ahead, the last american air force troops make their way home from iraq and we are there for their first stop at dwi. topper. >> well, if you thought it was mild today, you are correct. let's take you out with the numbers. officially 57 and 45 at national. our average high is 45. average low is 30. record 66 and 2. we'll come back. we'll talk about if milder air is going to roll in here tomorrow and thursday and when and for how long you'll need your umbrella. >> a big boost for some of the most popular museums in the washington area. melwood and wuas9 salute all who serve at home and abroad this holiday season. >> i want to say happy holidays to my father. [ female announcer ] more people are using wireless devices...

in more ways than ever. and our networks are getting crowded. but if congress frees up more wireless spectrum... we can empower more people to innovate... putting momentum behind our economy. and we can reduce the deficit... with more than thirty billion dollars paid by america's wireless companies. it's simple -- more spectrum means more freedom. for everyone.

so in the mist of all the budget cuts and belt tightening and what feels like every corner some news about a boost for the smithsonian today. congress is increasing the organization's funding by $52 million next year. most of that is dedicated to building a national museum of african american history and culture on the national mall. >> now to a consumer alert that might explain why that steak doesn't taste like steak at all. you see, a meat distributor is recalling nearly 900 pounds of turkey filets that are mislabeled as steaks. the label reads, chef requested center cut steak. now just so you know, federal health inspectors don't know of any safety issues with the turkey, it's just mislabeled. but we do know that some of that meat was sold in maryland. you might expect changing tables in public bathrooms to be contaminated with all sorts of things, probably not cocaine. but that is exactly what one group of researchers found

traces of on 92% of changing tables they studied in england. they set out to test facilities in shopping centers and hospitals, police stations, courts, churches, and supermarkets and then last month after britain was named cocaine capital after europe or of europe, they discovered all that stuff. who knew? still to come, the clock ticking and now the rush is on to buy last minute holiday gifts. time to get out there, folks. we'll be right back with 9news now. fix your feet. now come from an unlikely source. cosmetic treatments are finding amazing new uses. anita brikman reports. the foot fixer tonight at 11:00.

the washington, d.c. veteran's affairs medical center and wusa9 salute all who serve at home and abroad this holiday season. >> hi, my name is staff sergeant, i'm stationed in korea. i would like to say happy holidays to my mom and dad, marlene and eric and my sisters barbie and kel in woodbridge, virginia. tonight the last symbol of the war in iraq is back in the

u.s. president obama stood by as army general lloyd j. austin the third carried the military flag that flew over baghdad off the plane in maryland. the flag arrived the same day the last u.s. airmen came home through bwi marshal airport. >> i'm scott broom at bwi airport where the last 300 airmen to leave iraq returned home today. >> what did you think of that? >> that was incredible. i totally surprised. didn't expect to see everybody here. very exciting. >> i'm happy that it's over and that everyone can come home. >> we are thanking them and they are thanking us and we don't know why they are thanking us when they're doing all the work. >> i get to help put up the tree and do the decorating and going to buy some presents, too. >> good to come home to a homecoming like this to a beautiful girlfriend and a country that cares. >> i was the last out of the building. i went from my office to the

c130 and flew out. >> at bwi airport, scott broom, 9news now. >> so good to see so many homecomings. tonight, jews are kicking off the holiday season as hanukkah begins. federal office of management helped light the national menora. this all happened two hours ago. those in attendance were treated to hot lunches and donuts as well as personal kits. whether you are shopping for one of the seven nights of hanukkah or christmas, time is running out. >> many area mals like tyson's corner are open late to help you with that wish list. >> i'm delia where folks are rushing to get their holiday shopping done, but we want to know, who is the most difficult person to shop for on your list? >> you're doing terrific. >> you can't have a holiday shopping story without the mall santa who is busy while his elf -- >> i'll be back in 15 minutes. >> keeps kids entertained in

line. >> i can't do it. >> there's no time for child's play for hundreds of shoppers working to widdle down that christmas list. >> who is the hardest person to shop for? >> oldest. >> i would say my mom because she is the most expensive. >> my wife. the explanation is easy. we've been married for 42 years and after 42 christmases, it gets tough to find something different or unique. >> delia, 9news now. >> you got to keep trying, right? >> are you done with your shopping? >> negative. >> i'm glad to know i'm not the only one here. >> have i started? >> sort of. just barely. we are looking at temperatures in the 50s here. maybe 60 by thursday. a little different story out in oklahoma and the texas panhandle. we follow this storm since monday. big snows out there.

we're looking anywhere from 6 to 18 inches. the heaviest hit was extreme western oklahoma. the panhandle of oklahoma and panhandle of texas. they had blizzard warnings, shoveling snow before christmas, which is a little bit unusual. they don't average as much snow as you think. oklahoma city averages 18 inches of snow. let's talk about the satellite picture, because the storm itself isn't that impressive anymore in terms of winter precipitation. there's a little bit of mixed presip tailings in extreme north western missouri, but that's just about it. a little bit of mixed precipitation through iowa. for the most part, another rainmaker through the midwest, ohio valley, tennessee valley, and into the mid atlantic. we do have a frontal boundary draped right through, bisecting the metro area. that's still pretty nice considering it's december. it could be like 20s and 30s or 30s and 40s. temperatures 50 in bethesda.

48 in gaithersburg. 51 in arlington. 50 downtown and looking at temperatures even out to the west. 51 in sterling and 48 in reston. so here's the deal. milder, but turning wet. mild again tonight. you'll need your umbrella tomorrow. even milder on thursday and then more rain on thursday night. we get a break on thursday, but another system comes at us quickly thursday night and friday morning. the future cast late tonight, maybe a couple sprinkles. primarily out in the mountains. we get into the morning hours, the morning commute is going to be dry. mostly cloudy, but dry. some showers roll in. try to bring the umbrella and by evening, we'll have wet roads. nothing heavy rolling through, but some good showers from frederick down 270, down 95 through fredericksburg. for the most part, a wet commute going home. after that, we clear out quickly before another system comes in here thursday night and friday. so for tonight, mostly cloudy and mild. maybe a shower. lows in the 40s.

winds southwest at 10. tomorrow morning, temperatures in the 40s and 50s. you need your umbrella and by afternoon, a better chance for rain showers, maybe a thunderstorm. high temperatures between 55 and 60. next seven days. there's the break on thursday. it is 60. showers and rain come back thursday night. they get out of here quickly on friday morning. keep saturday dry for the redskin game. christmas looks like clouds will be on the increase. rain possible christmas night. i wish it were snow, it is not. and ending early. >> that would be nice, but as long as there's something around the tree. >> that's right. okay, so normally we expect the caps to be playing better. >> they get a new coach, but all things not well. they are looking to turn things around tonight. i tell you, they need a better performance from one person in particular, but the going has been toughful. we'll tell you who.

and things got to get better for the wizards, don't they? we'll talk about it next.

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and now, 9sports with dave owen, the best sports in town. >> well, everything has a shelf life. thus when the opportunities are there, you have to seize them. the caps didn't, so you have to start wondering not whether their window is closing, but is it close? yielded minimal results in the standings for wins, five losses. the team is focusing on defense. part of that is goal tending and it hasn't been that great. michael has been shaky, but dale hunter, ever the psychologist says despite his struggles, he has a clean slate with him. >> this young guy still and you know, he's a competitor. he wants to win. everybody in the building knew

he missed it and didn't see it, i guess, didn't pick it up. but you know, we bounce back and give us a game after. >> mike will set a milestone tonight when he hits the ice. he will play in his 1,000th game. they will wear a special 22 jersey during the warmup to commemorate the occasion. all it took was 26 minutes to turn a dismal end into a three game audition of hope. and maybe even promise for what next year might bring. he told reporters, quote, we want to win out. redskins will get their chance when minnesota arrives at fedex field. they are a dismal 2-12. today is normally an offday. but players did practice when asked about the mood of the team, brian channeling his inner patty label. guys are not caring about the records and everything.

want to play for each other. playing music right now. be loose, that's what it is all about. >> patty in the background, guys. >> wizards mostly a young slob. he signed with the team early in december. been laning on him a lot as the team recovers from a preseason opener. evans himself was asked about that 25 point thumping. here's what he had to say. >> he said, what have i gotten myself into in i was thinking, i'm committed to this. >> we are trying to get better at the things we didn't do very well. it was like, we'll start from square one. >> pull it back in. >> pull it back in. >> stay positive, almost. there you go. >> that is it for us. the cbs evening news is next. >> that's right, of course derek is here with our area's only local newscast at 7:00.

don't forget, wusa9.com is always on. have a great night.