The Senate on Wednesday rejected a second effort by Republicans to deny union bargaining rights to 45,000 federal airport screeners.

However, in the face of a threatened veto by President Bush, senators decided to limit any union role to non-wage issues and give the government wide latitude to move workers around in an emergency.

On a 51-48 vote, the Senate adopted a measure by freshman Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., slightly weakening union protections put into the broad antiterrorism bill by Democrats on its Homeland Security Committee. The White House has threatened to veto the bill if it includes union rights for screeners.

Opponents said the amendment doesn’t give the government enough flexibility.

“They have to plan like they’re in an emergency all the time,” said Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla.

ORLANDO, Fla.

Guns, drugs snuck onto plane

Two airline baggage handlers used their employee uniforms and identification cards to enter restricted areas, bypass screeners and carry a duffel bag loaded with guns and drugs into a plane’s passenger cabin, according to court documents released Wednesday.

A tip led authorities to investigate the men aboard the Delta flight headed for Puerto Rico on Monday afternoon, said Carlos Baixauli, a Miami-based special agent with the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Thomas Anthony Munoz, 22, was arrested when he got off the plane at the Luis Munoz Marin International Airport in San Juan. Zabdiel J. Santiago Balaguer was arrested late Tuesday. The men were charged with conspiracy to distribute marijuana and possessing firearms in interstate commerce during a drug trafficking offense, court documents said.

PHILADELPHIA

Faulty dollars being sold for $50

An unknown number of new George Washington dollar coins were mistakenly struck without their edge inscriptions, including “In God We Trust,” and are fetching around $50 apiece online.

The properly struck dollar coins, bearing the likeness of the nation’s first president, are inscribed along the edge with “In God We Trust,” “E Pluribus Unum” and the year and mint mark. The flawed coins made it past inspectors and went into circulation Feb. 15.

The U.S. Mint struck 300 million of the coins, which are golden in color and slightly larger and thicker than a quarter.

Bailey said it was unknown how many coins lacked the inscriptions. Ron Guth, president of Professional Coin Grading Service, one of the world’s largest coin authentication companies, said he believes that at least 50,000 error coins were put in circulation.

“The first one sold for $600 before everyone knew how common they actually were,” he said.