President George W. Bush is making his second Twin Cities visit in about four months Thursday, swinging through town to talk prescription drugs, honor a local volunteer and raise money for a couple of GOP candidates.

He'll be arriving in the Twin Cities in the early afternoon and head to the University of Minnesota to take part in a discussion about the tricky political issue of prescription drug prices and Medicare before heading to a late afternoon speech on the issue at the Hyatt Regency in downtown Minneapolis.

His trip is expected to snarl already clogged midafternoon traffic in downtown Minneapolis as roads are closed from the airport to the university and then along Bush's drives through the city.

During his trip, Bush will honor a retired molecular biologist at the University of Minnesota as a representative of the volunteer spirit.

Pearl Bergad came to Minnesota from Hong Kong in 1962 and became a key planner of "Bridge of Souls," a musical program of remembrance for Asian victims of World War II.

Bergad was selected by the White House from a list of outstanding volunteers submitted by the Volunteer Resource Center in Minneapolis. She will be among people greeting the president when he steps off Air Force One.

She works with the Chinese Senior Citizen Society, the Chinese Min Hua Chorus and the annual Asian Pacific Heritage Festival.

After the speech, Bush's next stop will be the Target Center at 6 p.m. where he will take part in a fundraiser for GOP Senate candidate Norm Coleman and U.S. House candidate John Kline.

Coleman's race against incumbent Democrat Paul Wellstone is among the highest profile November races in the country, with Democrats holding a one-vote margin of control of the Senate.

Kline faces incumbent Democrat Bill Luther in a redrawn 2nd District, into which Luther moved to face Kline for a third time -- he's beat him in two straight races -- after redistricting put incumbents Luther and Republican Mark Kennedy in the same district.

During Bush's previous visit in early March, the fund-raiser raised a reported $1 million for Coleman's campaign, and more for the state Republican Party. The event includes a $50 general ticket, with some paying $10,000 to have their picture taken with Bush.