NASA announced on Tuesday that their technicians had closed up the aft compartment and that the space shuttle Endeavour, which was supposed to launch its last flight in April, should be taking off on Monday. The 16-day final mission is scheduled to begin at 8:56 on Monday morning.

While the crew -- which is commanded by the husband of U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz., who is still recovering from being shot earlier in the year -- is still in Texas, they will be heading back to Florida on Thursday.

U.S. House Speaker John Boehner appeared to up the ante in debt-ceiling negotiations Monday night when he declared, "Without significant spending cuts and reforms to reduce our debt, there will be no debt limit increase."

While Wall Street is apoplectic at the prospect of Congress failing to raise the current $14.6 trillion ceiling, Boehner appears to be standing firm on big spending cuts.

Scoring four key victories at the 2011 Legislature, the Miami-based Christian Family Coalition hailed passage of right-to-life bills this year:

Parental Rights Memorial(HM 557and SM 954): Floridabecame the fifth state to pass a resolution calling for a Parental Rights Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The Florida Senate voted 38-0 in favor of SM 954 after the Florida House passed its companion HM 557 by a voice vote.The House sponsor wasRep. Marti Coleyand the Senate sponsor was Sen. Anitere Flores.