The House and Senate have passed legislation that will revamp the Bush administration's $5.6 billion effort to counter bioterrorism threats, reorganizing management of the program and providing struggling companies with periodic cash infusions to help fund their research and testing.	WASHINGTON -- America's trade deficit posted a dramatic decline in October, falling to the lowest level in 14 months as the price of crude oil plunged by a record amount.	WASHINGTON -- The Federal Reserve, under first-year Chairman Ben Bernanke, appears close to achieving the tricky maneuver of steering the U.S. economy to a soft landing.
BEIJING (Reuters) - China promised on Monday to respond positively to the United States in high-level economic talks this week but drew a line in the sand by telling Washington that its exchange rate is a matter of national sovereignty.	TOKYO -- Nissan Motor Co. announced plans Monday to launch a next-generation fuel cell vehicle in the early 2010s in Japan and North America as part of its mid-term environmental strategy.	Metro faces a $116 million budget shortfall the next fiscal year, raising the possibility of fare increases, reduced bus and rail service and higher contributions from area taxpayers, according to budget documents and interviews with board members.