* House narrowly approves ethics legislation that increases disclosure requirements for dealings with lobbyists; earmarks now must be publicly sponsored. Most Democrats and 20 Republicans vote nay and the new rules must be reconciled with Senate proposal. [WP, NYT, USAT, WSJ]

* Senators pile on earmarks to emergency spending bill in spite of renewed veto threat from Bush. [WP, NYT]

* Some lawmakers are rethinking their resistance to raising fuel economy standards. [WP]

* "Day of reckoning" for tax cuts will probably be January 1, 2011. [WP, WSJ]

* Administration releases plan for flu outbreak; funding is not established. [WP, NYT, USAT]

* Businessman pleads guilty to bribing Rep. William Jefferson (D-La.) with $400,000; Jefferson's "legal problems are steadily mounting and have undercut his party's efforts to portray the Republicans as the party of political corruption." [WP, NYT]

* Callers to Medicare hotline are frequently provided wrong or incomplete information, independent study finds. [WP]

* Valerie Plame is shopping a book deal. [NYT]