gallaudet, georgetown and american university are a few of the local colleges participating. >>> america university's yellow ribbon program will start this fall. during the first year they will support 18 veterans. after four yores that number will climb to 40 -- 4 years that number will climb to 40. >>> audrey barnes, www.wusa9.com. >>> and 56 schools in virginia and 27 in maryland are also taking part in the program. we're putting a ig link with more information on our web site. www.wusa9.com. click on district news. >>> could this time be the charm for the shuttle --space shuttle? we will be back with that and your full forecast. keep it here. b@ >>> welcome back. we will -- well, after weeks of rumors the ax has fallen on manny acta. the nationals fired their manager today who led the team to a 26-61 record heading to the all-star break. here is brett haber. >> it wasn't personal. in fact, nationals brass made a point of saying they expect manny acta to have a long successful career elsewhere. but at 94 games under .500 after two ..-and-a-half years it wasn't happening here. >>> we'r

. >> reporter: gag debt and american university are a -- gallaudet and american university are a feweges participating. american university's yellow ribbon program will start this fall. during the first year they'll support 18 veterans. after four years that number will climb to 40. >> a great program. also the right thing to do. >> reporter: audrey barnes, 9news now, wusa9.com. >>> 56 schools in virginia and 27 in maryland are also taking part in the program. we're putting a link with much more information on our web site at wusa9.com. just click on "district news." >>> what are we buzzing about this morning? >> well, ryan seacrest, it looks like -- yeah. once again, $45 million to host "american idol." >> unbelievable. >> who to host -- >> what does he do? >> for the next three years. it's going to be $10 million annually, about $30 million, and the other $15 million gives his company, the entertainment company, exclusive rights to his image and merchandising related to "american idol." and what they're saying is this is going to raise the contractural demand of the other judges or

senator harkin's brother, there is a building on gallon debt's -- gallaudet's campus named after senator harkin's brother. i am fortunate to sit on the board at that university. that institutition has lifted up so many people, and his brother was a big part of that, and senator harkin is a big part of the success of that institution in advocating for the rights of the disabled. so, thank you. madam president, i ask unanimous consent to insert that at a different place in the record. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. brown: thank you. i rise to speak, madam president, about the united states-china strategic and economic dialogue, the so-called s.e.d., which began earlier today in washington. dozens of chinese officials descended on our city over the weekend and are now negotiating, discussing, engaging the strategic and economic dialogue with comparable officials in our federal government. secretary of state clinton, treasury secretary geithner leading these talks for the obama administration. the challenges they face are daunting. the issues that frame our relationship with c