Tag: congress
Intelligence officials defend surveillance programs as a necessity in the war on terrorism
At least two terrorist attacks, including a plot against the New York Stock Exchange, were thwarted thanks to government surveillance programs, U.S. officials said at an Intelligence Committee meeting Tuesday. The government has been trying to reframe the conversation around the programs after their existence was made public by Edward Snowden....
U.S. Congress reopens debate over replacing dollar bills with coins
The United States loves its paper money. Dollar coins get introduced and re-introduced but they still remain the domain, largely, of vending machines. But a new bill in Congress seeks to change that, by phasing out the paper dollar bills. And supporters say it would bring a financial boon for the government....
GOP hopes candidate Gabriel Gomez can reboot relations with Latinos in Massachusetts
When Senator John Kerry was named U.S. secretary of state, it opened a vacancy in the Senate. Now, with a special election approaching, campaigning is ramping up. The Republicans, seeing how vulnerable they were among Latinos last November, have chosen a candidate who could be straight out of central casting....
Holder, under fire, tries to repair relations with media, Congress
Attorney General Eric Holder has been unpopular with Congress practically since he took office -- especially Congressional Republicans. But now, with the media outraged over his handling of investigations into national security leaks, Republicans are looking into whether he may have lied to Congress about those investigations....
Federal report shows EPA regulations produce more economic benefits than costs
The White House's nominee for director of the Environmental Protection Agency is tied up in politics, so the Obama administration is pushing back. It recently released a report that says economic benefits from the EPA's regulations vastly outweigh the costs it imposes....
Mexican families separated by border look to immigration reform to reunite them
The reality of unlawful immigration over the past decade or more has been families separated between the United States and the home country. For many Mexican families, the prospect of immigration reform in the U.S. brings to possibility of a much delayed family reunion....
Police still looking for evidence as focus shifts to new suspect in ricin letters
For several days, Paul Kevin Curtis was the prime suspect in the investigation into the mailing of letters contaminated with ricin poisoning to the president and Capitol Hill. But now, James Everett Dutschke has come under suspicion, though he too, pleads his innocence....
Obama still trying to get green team in place
President Barack Obama is still trying to get his second-term cabinet nominees in place. A number of those still to be confirmed focus on the environment, including Energy Secretary nominee Ernest Moniz and EPA administrator nominee Gina McCarthy. Moniz and McCarthy both recently had confirmation hearings....
Senate moves to allow votes on bills to reform immigration, increase gun background checks
Republicans in the U.S. Senate this week have indicated they'll allow votes on two bills — one that would reform the country's immigration system and another that would provide for background checks in all commercial gun sales. Whether they'll pass, though, remains to be seen....
Obama's nominee to D.C. appeals court has implications for environmental policy
President Barack Obama nominated Sri Srinivasin to be the newest judge on the Washington, D.C., Court of Appeals. Srinivasin, should he be confirmed, and all of the rest of the D.C. judges play an outsized role in the country's environmental policy....
