U.S. Rep. Donna F. Edwards (D-Md.) has received her probable committee assignments.

Edwards, who was sworn in to Congress on June.19 after winning a special election in Maryland's 4th Congressional District, was recommended to serve on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and the Science and Technology Committee.

The House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee made the recommendations.

In a statement, Edwards called the potential assignments "tremendous" and said she looked forward to working on the panels.

Members of AFSCME unions that represent 2,000 county employees in Prince George's have voted to reject a request by county leaders to renegotiate the terms of their contract.

Facing a $48 million budget shortfall in the tightening economy, County Executive Jack B. Johnson had asked all of the county's employee unions to return to the negotiating table to talk about reducing the sizes of their raises for the coming year. Without new talks, Johnson said it might be necessary to layoff some workers.

But Wanda Shelton Martin, a staff representative for the union, said about 350 employees met last week and rejected that ultimatum. She said employees need their contracted raises -- which amount to 2.5 percent for the increase in cost-of-living and 3.5 percent merit raises for employees who earn them -- to pay for the rising prices of gas and food. And she said workers believe the county can trim costs without resorting to employee raises.

The Bradford Pear tree has now been officially spurned by Prince George's County. The County Council unanimously adopted a resolution yesterday ditching it as the official county tree.

The Bradford Pear, which was developed by government scientists at a U.S. Agricultural Department Plant Introduction Station in Glenn Dale and released to the public in 1963, was adopted as the official county tree in the 1970s.

For years, the tree was popular among cultivators and municipal tree planters for its shapely branches and bright white flowers. But over time, its branches have proven weak and it often splits in storms. It also has become invasive and pushes out native species.

Governments nationwide have stopped planting the tree and local gardeners pushed for it to lose its designation as the county's official tree. The council agreed to convene a work group to decide on a new county tree.

Within moments of her swearing in last week, Rep. Donna F. Edwards (D-Md.) was casting her first vote on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives.

Edwards defeated Republican Peter James in a special election in parts of Montgomery and Prince George's counties June 17 and was sworn into Congress two days later. In February, Edwards ousted incumbent Rep. Albert R. Wynn in the Democratic primary.

The special election was held to fill the remainder of Wynn's term after his unexpected resignation in May. Edwards will face James again in the November general election.

On the day she was sworn in, Edwards popped directly from a photo op with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) to the floor to vote on a bill that would extend parental leave benefits for federal workers. Shortly afterward, she went to a reception hosted in her honor in the basement of the U.S. Capitol.

On her second day, Edwards got an opportunity to weigh in on a particularly thorny issue, voting to oppose a bipartisan bill that would extend the government's eavesdropping capabilities.

The bill also would effectively block lawsuits against telecommunications companies that cooperated with the Bush administration's warrantless-wiretapping program.

During her campaigns, Edwards had pledged to oppose immunity for phone companies participating in the program. She had accused Wynn of being too cozy with the industry, which had heavily supported his campaigns. The eavesdropping measure passed the House by a 293 to 129 vote. Supporters included Pelosi and Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (D-Md.)

"No one denies the importance of combating terrorism and ensuring the protection of the United States and its citizens, but we cannot sacrifice fundamental, constitutional rights in the name of fighting terrorism," Edwards said later in a statement.

Prince George's State's Attorney Glenn F. Ivey led a group of county politicians yesterday who announced they will work to convince local residents to vote against a November ballot referendum that would authorize the state to legalize slot machines.

Ivey was joined by member of the Prince George's County Council, a school board member, several local delegates and two state senators at an elementary school in Laurel, not far from the Laurel Park racetrack.

The track is on the border of Prince George's and Anne Arundel counties and could be eligible for thousands of slot machines, if the referendum is approved by voters.

Ivey said he believes gambling adversely affects those who are already financially suffering.
Others in the group, including State Sen. Douglas J.J. Peters (D-Prince George's) said they believed the slots initiative would result in too little new revenue for Prince George's, given the number of county residents likely to gamble.

The group pledged to activate their supporters in an effort to defeat the referendum.