Social Issues

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Rep. Paul D. Ryan, chairman of the House Budget Committee, touts his 2012 federal budget during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington on Tuesday, April 5, 2011. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

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PROGRESS: Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid comments to the news media Tuesday on the new budget proposed by Rep. Paul Ryan, chairman of the House Budget Committee. (Rod Lamkey Jr./The Washington Times)

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"We have a moral imperative ... to stand up and do what is necessary to fix this country," House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan, Wisconsin Republican, said of his budget proposal that reduces government spending by $5.8 trillion over the next 10 years. (Associated Press)

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Speaker of the House John A. Boehner, Ohio Republican, talks Tuesday about the budget proposed by Rep. Paul Ryan, Wisconsin Republican, who chairs the House Budget Committee. (Rod Lamkey Jr./The Washington Times)

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United Nations High Commissioner for Refugee goodwill ambassador Angelina Jolie visits Somali refugees at Shousha Camp, located 8 kilometres from the Tunis-Libyan boder at Ras Djir on Tuesday, April 5, 2011. Jolie traveled on Tuesday morning to the Tunisian-Libyan border to urge greater international support for people fleeing Libya. (AP Photo/UNHCR, Jason Tanner)

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An injured anti-government protestor gestures as he arrives to a field hospital during clashes in Sanaa, Yemen, on Tuesday, April 5, 2011. Opposition parties in Yemen have urged the international community, regional powers and human rights groups to help stop the bloodshed in their country. (AP Photo/Muhammed Muheisen)

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Connecticut's Kemba Walker shoots as Butler's Matt Howard defends during the second half of the men's NCAA Final Four college basketball championship game Monday, April 4, 2011, in Houston. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

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"Any reduction to the Pell program would come at a much higher cost for our country down the road," said Sen. Tom Harkin, Iowa Democrat, admitting "tough budget decisions" are ahead. Education Secretary Arne Duncan projected that the Pell Grant program that helps low-income students afford college could face a $20 billion shortfall in 2012. (Associated Press)

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Sen. Edward J. Kasemeyer (left), Baltimore County Democrat and chairman of the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee.

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Palestinians gather around the car where Israeli-Arab actor, director and political activist Juliano Mer-Khamis was fatally shot Monday outside his Freedom Theater in the West Bank. (Associated Press)

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Israeli-Arab actor, director and political activist Juliano Mer-Khamis was fatally shot Monday by one or more militants in the West Bank city of Jenin. (Associated Press)

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Dani Moore keeps her service rat, Hiyo Silver, on her shoulder in Hesperia, Calif. On March 15, the Department of Justice announced a new set of guidelines for its Americans With Disabilities Act that limits service animals to dogs and some miniature horses. (Associated Press)

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"We are ready to roll up our sleeves and get this bill done," said Sen. John D. Rockfeller IV, West Virginia Democrat. "I am confident that we can work through all the differences between the House and Senate versions of this bill." (Associated Press)

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"I think as time marches on, gay characters in comics will become more commonplace and it won't be a big media event every time a gay character is introduced," said Dan Parent, who is writing and drawing the four-issue mini-series featuring Kevin Keller that will be released in June. (Associated Press/Archie Comics)

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Afghan protesters beat a burning effigy of President Obama during a demonstration in Jalalabad, Afghanistan, on Sunday, April 3, 2011. Protests against the burning of a Quran in Florida entered a third day with a demonstration in the major eastern Afghan city, while the Taliban called on people to rise up, blaming government forces for any violence. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)

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FILE- Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot environmental activists protest against Turkey's plans to build a nuclear power plant on its southern coast near a seismic fault line, during a demonstration in the divided island's capital Nicosia, in this file photo dated Saturday, March 19, 2011. Turkey is pushing ahead on building a nuclear power plant close to an earthquake-prone Ecemis Fault area on the Mediterranean coast, dismissing fears from neighboring Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou who claims that Japan's nuclear disaster is a warning of the risks to the whole region.(AP Photo/Philippos Christou)

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A billboard in President Obama's hometown is intended to "encourage reflection on the disproportionate number of abortions among African Americans."

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A Wisconsin State Patrol officer monitors protesters during Gov. Scott Walker's appearance in Menasha, Wis. Protests continue against the governor's budget plan. He wants to implement a law that would strip most public workers of their collective bargaining rights and cut their pay. (Associated Press)

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About 4.5 million people live in Kabul, which was built to handle 700,000, and its population is projected to grow to more than 6.5 million in 15 years. Housing is a big part of the proposed new city. (Associated Press)

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Visitors at the American Museum of Science & Energy in Oak Ridge, Tenn., read text about the communities that were displaced to make way for the Manhattan Project. (Associated Press/American Museum of Science & Energy)