tara mergener in washington. tara, thanks. >>> now to another vice presidential slip of the tongue. while introducing the president at tuesday's bill signing, an overly enthusiastic vice president joe biden told the president what a big deal it was. but he threw in a well-known profanity, and it was all caught by the microphones. >> ladies and gentlemen, the president of the united states of america, barack obama. [ bleep ]. the white house responded with a tweet saying, quote, yes, mr. vice president, you're right. >>> usually, a meeting between the president of the united states, and the israeli prime minister would be a high-profile event. but a dispute over israeli housing construction changed that. the president and benjamin netanyahu met twice yesterday. news coverage was barred. an israeli spokesman described the atmosphere as good. david martin reports. >> reporter: israel's prime minister netanyahu ignored reporters as he arrived at the white house for a meeting with president obama. the moment of truth for any chance of negotiations to create an israeli and a palestinian s

tara mergener is in washington with all the details. tara, good morning. >> reporter: good morning. well, senator jim bunning says the point is not adding to the $1.5 trillion deficit, so he blocked the bill. workers on the hump back bridge in northern virginia were told to pack up and head home monday. the bridge is among 41 infrastructure projects around the country that ground to a halt due to the wishes of one senator. >> and i'm going to object every time because you won't pay for this. >> reporter: republican jim bunning of kentucky stunned both parties by single handedly blocking a routine piece of legislation meant to extend certain benefits and subsidies. because the bill didn't pass by monday, 2,000 federal transportation workers had to be furloughed without pay. 400,000 americans risk losing their unemployment benefits over the next 7 to 10 days. and medicare fees for doctors were suddenly slashed by 21%. bunning held up the bill because democrats hadn't come up with a way to pay the $10 billion price tag. >> we cannot keep adding to the debt. >> but where was my friend f

tara mergener has more. >> having voted in the affirmative, the motion is not agreed to. >> reporter: the health care fix it bill will go back to the house, despite furious efforts by democrats to keep that from happening. a spokesman for harry reed says two minor problems with the measure were discovered but once they are removed he believes it won't affect the overall bill and the house will quickly pass it. the news came after senate members stayed up in to the early-morning hours voting on amendments. >> we have had more amendment votes today than the entire month of december. >> reporter: they will continue the rigorous debate this morning as president obama hits the road again in iowa to drum up support for the new law. and house democrats are still dealing with the backlash from pushing that measure through. the fbi is investigating death threats and acts of vandalism against several who voted for the reform. >> you will rue the day you did this mr. stupak. >> i hope you die. >> he is one of ten members who received frightening voice mails from angry constituents. four congress

. >>> i'm tara mergener and the health care fix it bill will go back to the house.ng up. >>> if you 'just heading out, only two accidents to get in your way, we'll send it to mart thank you. >> it boils down to faster and better, the fastest and wireless. and it's all being talk about in vegas. there's a convention ant wireless. that's going to blow your mind. steve green burg will tell you about that device. that's as the morning edition continues. we'll have coffee with. >>> we have trouble on west fayette street and we'll have the lateness that -- latest on that after the weather. >>> well, we have trouble to the west, we have rain coming our way, it's enough to make it sloppy. it's going to be dry and 42 now and going to a high in the upper 60s. it's after the dinner activity that the showers do the gift. it's going to be a great late afternoon. >>> thank you, and what's wrong on the way to work and school, here's sharon. >> we've just had two accidents and one involves an mta bus. again, that's involving an mta bus. there and meantime, we're told there are no d

here's tara mergener for wjz. >> i think the slogan is reveal and replace. >> reporter: the republicans are vowing to keep the law from passing and the lawmakers will reveal the 20 hour debate today. >> it takes a good bill and makes it a better bill. >> reporter: others are tended to -- this is an idea most would vote for, but in this case, democrats can't. any changes would send the measure back to the house for another vote. >> i know we can't fix it, it's a terrible bill. >> reporter: but the battle isn't taking place just in congress, more than a dozen states filed lawsuits claiming it's unconstitutional. >> congress has limited powers, the tenth amendment says, they don't include the power to pass a health care plan like this. >> reporter: the attorneys argue that the government can't force people to buy insurance. >> reporter: legal experts say that's highly unlikely. the white house isn't worried. instead, president obama will focus on selling the plan to the public tomorrow. >>> they're also scrambling to fix a problem with the bill. it would still allow insurance companies to

tara mergener reports. >> reporter: in the hard hit city of concopcion they search for survivors. >>>tal region of chile, the death toll topped 700 and with many missing the number is expected to grow. for survivors their thoughts are focused on getting by. residents stripped this one supermarket bear on sunday. -- bare on sunday. >> this woman says it is a necessity. we have no water and nothing to eat. >> reporter: they say the basic essentials from major supermarkets will be given away prosecutor free. 10,000 chilean soldiers are on the street. >> secretary of state hillary clinton will visit chile tomorrow as part of her five nation latin america tour. she will stop in the capital city of santiago to show america's support for the rescue and recovery mission. after initially turning down foreign aid, the president appealed for international help on sunday. along with food and water, field hospitals and temporary bridges top the list of needs. some areas were left devastated either by the monster quake or frightening tsunamis that followed. the president is calling it a catastrophe

tara mergener has the latest. president obama will return to washington this morning after making a surprise six-hour visit to afghanistan. >> how's it going bagram? >> reporter: he delivered a rousing speech on sunday, thanking u.s. troops for all they have done and reminding him of what they are fighting for. >> the taliban -- if the taliban remakes this country, and al-qaeda can operate with impunity than more american lives will be at stake. >> reporter: it was the commander in chief's first trip to afghanistan as president. when he took office there were 34,000 u.s. troops in the country and there are now 80,000 and later this year, when the troop surge he ordered is complete there will be nearly 100,000. the president acknowledged that while difficult days lie ahead in the eight-year war the u.s. will prevail. >> i'm confident all of you will get the job done right here in afghanistan. i'm confident of that. >> reporter: but the president wasn't just trying to boost morale abroad, the trip was also aimed at

tara mergener is in washington with the latest. >> reporter: well, for hours, one republican amendment after another was shot down. then the decision democrats were afraid of. >> the motion is not agreed to. >> reporter: the health care fix-it bill will go back to the house despite furious efforts by democrats to keep that from happening. a spokesman for senate majority leader harry reid says two minor problems with the measure were discovered. but once they're removed, he believes it won't affect the overall bill and the house will quickly pass it again. the news came after senate members stayed up well into the early morning hours voting on amendments. >> had more amendment votes today than we had in the entire month of december. >> reporter: they'll continue the rigorous debate this morning as president obama hits the road again in iowa to drum up support for the new law. and house democrats are still dealing with the backlash from pushing that measure through. the fbi is investigating death threats and acts of vandalism against several who voted for the reform. >> you will rue the

as tara mergener reports the senate will continue to debate changes on the law which the house approved. >> reporter: health care reform may now be law. but that isn't stopping republicans from fighting it. >> i think the slogan will be repeal and replace. >> reporter: they are vowing to do everything they can to keep a package of fixes in the landmark bill from passing. lawmakers will resume their 2 a hour debate later today it. >> takes a good bill and makes it a better bill. >> reporter: the gop is offering amendments to improve the measure but others seem intended to put democrats in a tough spot. for example, one would prohibit erectile dysfunction drugs for sex offenders. it's an idea most lawmakers would probably vote for but in this case democrats can't. any changes would send the measure back to the house for another vote. >> i know we can't fix it really because it is such a terrible bill. >> reporter: the battle isn't just in congress. more than a dozen states have filed lawsuits claiming the overhaul is unconstitutional. >> the tenth amendment says that congress has limited

tara mergener is in washington with a details. >> reporter: good morning. well, just two months ago, it's hard to believe this bill was widely considered dead. but last night, a stunning turnaround for health care reform. >> the bell is passed. >> reporter: the nation's health care system is about to get one of the biggest overhauls it has ever seen. after a marathon weekend session, house members voted late last night 219-212 to push through the senate bill extending coverage to 32 million americans. the measure which received no republican backing now goes to president obama to sign it nto law. >> this will not fix everything that ails our health care system, but it moves us in the right direction. >> reporter: he helped clinch the victory issuing apexecutive order barring federal funding for abortions. >> to protect the sanctity of life. >> reporter: but republicans weren't convinced. >> we have failed to listen to america. >> reporter: the house also voted on a set of fixes. the senate will take up that measure tuesday. but some fear it will spark yet a