Today on Here and Now

Thirteen days remain until August 2, the date after which the US will default on debt payments. The so-called "Gang of Six" deficit-reduction plan that emerged on Capitol Hill yesterday is gaining steam. We’ll ask if they can reach a deal on time.Around 5.6 million mothers stay at home, and for many, getting back into the workforce is a struggle because employers balk at gaps on resumes. Returnships might help. Sometimes paid, sometimes not – they help get people back into the workforce.Coal ash is raising health and environmental concerns for residents in southwest Louisville. We’ll have the first of a three-part series on this byproduct of burning coal.And ten days ago, Donnie Rickelman of Linton, Indiana underwent a hand transplant at Louisville's Jewish Hospital. He's the seventh recipient of a new hand under the transplant program launched in 1999 in conjunction with the University of Louisville. We’ll talk with Rickleman about his progress.