Graves is now the ninth known US Attorney to be fired last year for alleged political reasons. On Monday, the US Senate Judiciary Committee sent a letter to former US Attorney Bradley Schlozman to answer questions about a possible link between the firing scandal and voter fraud prosecutions. Also Monday, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) said that it would not try to block a House decision to grant immunity to former DOJ official Monica Goodling in exchange for her testimony about whether politics played a role in the dismissal of eight US Attorneys. Goodling told the committee in March that she would not speak to the committee about her role in the firings.

The US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit Tuesday denied a request by the city government of Washington, DC for an en banc rehearing of the court's March decision invalidating the city's handgun ban. DC Mayor Adrian Fenty expressed disappointment with the decision, saying that "The District's gun control laws have been a critical part of the City's public safety strategy for more than 30 years. I remain deeply committed to combating gun violence and vigorously defending the laws of the District of Columbia." The city now has 90 days to file an appeal with the Supreme Court.

The city petitioned the circuit court for an en banc rehearing last month, after a 2-1 panel vote in Parker v. District of Columbia held that the Second Amendment required the court to overturn a 31-year old ban on handguns in the District of Columbia. A Republican bid to overturn the DC gun ban legislatively passed the US House of Representatives in 2004 but failed to get Senate approval.

The gunman who killed 32 people at Virginia Tech failed to get the mental health treatment ordered by a judge who declared him an imminent threat to himself and others, a newspaper reported Monday.

However, neither the court nor community mental health officials followed up on the judge‘s order, and Cho didn‘t get the treatment, The Washington Post reported, citing unidentified authorities who have seen Cho‘s medical files.

Federal, state and local officials contacted Monday by The Associated Press said they had no idea whether Cho received the treatment because they are not privy to that information. School officials did not return calls seeking comment.

On Dec. 13, 2005, Cho e-mailed a roommate at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg saying that he might as well commit suicide. The roommate called police, who took Cho to the New River Valley Community Services Board, the area‘s mental health agency.

On Dec. 14, special judge Paul M. Barnett found that Cho was an imminent danger to himself and ordered him into involuntary outpatient treatment. Special justices are lawyers with some expertise and training who are appointed by the jurisdiction‘s chief judge.

The court doesn‘t follow up because "we have no authority," Teel said.

Virginia law says community services boards "shall recommend a specific course of treatment and programs" for people such as Cho who are ordered to receive outpatient treatment. It also says these boards "shall monitor the person‘s compliance."

The Oregon Senate passed a bill Wednesday allowing same-sex couples to enter into contractual domestic partnerships with the same state benefits as married couples. The measure covers state benefits including inheritance, child custody, and hospital visitation rights, but does not affect federal benefits for married couples. The bill passed the state House last month and now goes to Gov. Ted Kulongoski, who has said he will sign it. Kulongoski has also said he will sign a second piece of legislation protecting individuals against discrimination based on sexual orientation. That bill would ban discrimination in employment, housing, and public accommodations, and create a civil cause of action for violations of the act.

Currently, Vermont, Connecticut, California, New Jersey, Maine and Washington are the only states that recognize civil unions or domestic partnerships. The Washington State Senate passed a domestic partnership bill in March. Late last month, the New Hampshire Senate voted in favor of a bill already passed by the state House allowing same-sex civil unions. Also in late April, New York Governor Eliot Spitzer introduced a bill to legalize gay marriage in New York.

Legislation to improve enforcement of the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) has been introduced in the House of Representatives the past three terms, but has never become law.

Murphy said he would introduce a bill that would allow a university to notify a student's parents without fear of violating privacy laws if that student is deemed to be at risk of committing suicide, homicide or physical assault.

The Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 allows access to records in case of an emergency or to protect the health of a student. Parents also can be notified if the student consents.

But the law is written too vaguely, Murphy said in a letter to House colleagues.

"There are many examples where information was not released to parents or guardians regarding a student's mental health, which led to miscommunications and withholding of vital information that would have prevented suicides, assaults and other crimes," Murphy said.

A magistrate ordered Cho in December 2005 to have an evaluation at a private psychiatric hospital after two women complained about annoying calls from him, and an acquaintance reported he might be suicidal. An initial evaluation found probable cause that Cho was a danger to himself or others as a result of mental illness.

David Shern, president of Mental Health America, an advocacy group for people with mental illness, said Murphy's plan sounds reasonable, but he would like to see the specifics.