>> tressa bennett and her kids are now healthy and food safety advocates >> "remember, we all have to." >> and, they say, nobody should have to fear what they eat. >> "a company that tracks food recalls says there were 414 last quarter.the highest level in at least two years.most of them came from worries about foodbourne illness. emily schmidt, cnn washington" >> today was the first day that same sex couples in washington state were able to legally marry. there were more than 140 people that registered to marry today at seattle's city hall. seattle mayor mike mcginn is calling it a great and joyous day that is seeing a new civil right being recognized. sixteen local judges volunteered to officiate the weddings today up until five p-m.there could soon be a final decision on whether or not same-sex marriage will be allowed here in california. the supreme court decided this week to review the state's voter approved ban. justices will also hear a related case concerning the defense of marriage act. kron 4's dan kerman takes a look at what this all means. >> i now declare you spouses for

>> tressa bennett and her kids are now healthy and food safety advocates. >> remember, we all have to eat. >> and they say nobody should have to fear what they eat. >> a company that tracks food recalls says there was 414 last quarter. the highest level in at least two years. most of the recalls came from worries about food borne illness. >>> got questions about the fiscal cliff in tweet them to me and we're going to answer as many as we can during our 5:00 hour. >>> venezuela's leader says his cancer is back, so he must go to cuba for treatment. a live report is next. and nelson mandela is still in the hospital. we'll tell you how he's doing. ♪ [ gordon ] for some this line is a convenience. how you doing today? i'm good thanks. how are you? i'm good. [ gordon ] but for others, it's all they can afford. every day nearly nine million older americans don't have enough to eat. anything else? no, not today. join me, aarp, and aarp foundation in the drive to end hunger by visiting drivetoendhunger.org. bp has paid overthe people of bp twenty-threeitment to the gulf. billion dollars to hel

>> tressa bennett and your kids are now healthy and food safety advocat advocates. >> they say nobodyhould fear what they eat. >> a company that tracks recalls says there were 414 last quarter, the highest level in the last two years. most of them came from worries related too food born illness. >>> thank you, hugo chavez was reelected this year. ♪ why not make lunch more than just lunch? with two times the points on dining in restaurants, you may find yourself asking why not, a lot. chase sapphire preferred. there's more to enjoy. but when i was in an accident... i was worried the health care system spoke a language all its own with unitedhealthcare, i got help that fit my life. so i never missed a beat. that's health in numbers. unitedhealthcare. but they haven't experienced extra strength bayer advanced aspirin. in fact, in a recent survey, 95% of people who tried it agreed that it relieved their headache fast. visit fastreliefchallenge.com today for a special trial offer. >>> 15 minutes past the hour, a beautiful shot there from new york. it started out a little foggy, looks to be

. >> tressa bennett and her family are healthy and food safety advocates. >> and we all have to eat.and she says nobody should have to fear what they eat. a company said they were 414 last quarter, the highest level in at least two years. most of the recalls came from food-borne illness. >> emily schmidt in washington. thank you. >>> tempers in michigan have reached a boiling point. they say it's a power play by the republican-led legislature. michigan governor says he will sign the desk when it hits his desk. cnn's poppy harlow is in michigan with the detail. >> reporter: michigan is the birthplace of the united auto workers, but the future of unions in this state is in question at this hour, the fate over labor unions in michigan is vocal and visual. thousands of protesters stormed the state capitol. the measures were introduced and passed in a single day. rushed through democrats, argue, calling it a subversion of the ledge layive process. >> it terrifies me that they're trying to pass this through so quickly with no discussion from the other side, no understanding of what's impor

. >> reporter: preparing for the holidays at paul and tressa's house is a reminder of something elsef deadline that is personal here. >> i just can't imagine funding being cut at this point. it would be tragic. >> reporter: she is worried mandatory budget cuts would hurt food safety inspection. that mattered to her since her twins were born in 1999. >> she was in the hospital for two weeks, luke for three. >> reporter: she and her babies got list teara poisoning from meat she ate while pregnant. contaminated food sickens about 48 million people a year, 3,000 people die. so the fda and the usda's food safety and inspection service are charged with protecting the food supply. an 8.2% budget cut translates to a combined 157 million dollars. there is no word exactly what cuts would mean to inspectors staffing. >> both fda and usda are stretched pretty thin when it comes to the inspection activities in the food safety work they do. they really need an increased resources and not fewer resources. >> agencies always say they're stretched. >> reporter: dean clancy is with freedom works, an o

. >> reporter: tressa is worried mandatory budget cuts would affect food safety inspections. >> chloer two weeks, luke for three. >> reporter: the centers for disease control says contaminated food sickens about 48 million people a year, 3,000 people die. so the fda and the usda's food safety and inspection service are charged with protecting the food supply. an 8.2% budget cut translates to a combined $157 million. there is no word exactly what cuts would mean to inspector staffing. >> they both are stretched thin when it comes to the inspection activities and the food safety work they do. they really need an increased resources and not fewer resources. >> agencies always say they're stretched. >> reporter: dean clancy is with freedom works, an organization that promotes smaller government and he says the cuts leave nothing to fear. >> getting spending under control endangers public health and safety is a really irresponsible scare tactic. especially when you realize these aren't real cuts, these are reductions from anticipated increases in spending. >> cut the budget for the work th

>> tressa and her kids are now healthy and food safety advocates. >> remember, we all have to eat. >>hould have to fear what they eat. >> that was emily schmidt reporting. the fiscal cliff is a pretty confusing topic for a lot of people, how it affects you and your family. we want to give you the chance to ask our personal money experts, our team to take specific questions from you about how the fiscal cliff impacts you and your family and your business. send me your questions on twitter all this week christine and ali will be here to answer questions directly and give you all the information you need. once again @cnnashleigh. tweet me. [ male announcer ] you are a business pro. monarch of marketing analysis. with the ability to improve roi through seo all by cob. and you...rent from national. because only national lets you choose any car in the aisle... and go. you can even take a full-size or above, and still pay the mid-size price. i'm going b-i-g. [ male announcer ] good choice business pro. good choice. go national. go like a pro. you won't just find us online, you'll also find u

tressa is worried mandatory budget uts would hurt food safety inspection her twins weeeeborn in 1999.chloe was ii the hospital for and herrbabies got listeria poisoninn from meat she ate while pregnant. the centers connaminated ood sickens about 48 milllon people a pear, 3000 people die, so the fda and the usda's fooo safety and inspection service are charged with prrtecting the food suuply. an 8-point-2 to a combined $157 million dollars. there's no word exactly what ccts would mean to inspector staffinn "bbth fda and usda are already ptretched pretty thin when ii comes to the innpection activities anddthe food safety work they do.they really need increesed resources and not fewer resources." "agencies always say they'reestretched". deann lancy is with freedomworks an orrgnization that ppomotes smaller government, and he sayy the &pcuts leave nothing to fear. "arguing that getting spending unner control ennangers public health and safety is a really irrespoosible scare tactic.. especially wwennyou realize that these aren't real cuts, theseeare reducttonnsfrom spending". "if ou cut th