Bush returns from vacation to briefings

WASHINGTON, Aug. 14 (UPI) -- U.S. President George Bush returned to Washington from his Texas vacation Monday to a full schedule of meetings pertaining to national and global security.

Bush was to meet Monday with Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and the rest of his defense policy team as fighting rages in Iraq and a cease-fire has been implemented in Lebanon, The Washington Post reported. Bush is expected to follow that meeting with lunch with Iraq experts.

The president is scheduled to round out the day's security meetings with a briefing from Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

Tuesday, the commander in chief will meet with his National Security Council and Homeland Security teams at the National Counterterrorism Center in McLean, Va., the Post said.

Following his security briefings, the president is expected to focus on his economic agenda, touring a Harley Davidson factory Wednesday and attending a fundraiser for Pennsylvania gubernatorial candidate Lynn Swann. Bush is expected to sign a pension overhaul bill into law Thursday ahead of a Friday meeting with his economic advisers at Camp David.