Abortion politics becomes big part of budget drama

Planned Parenthood, always a lightning rod for social conservatives, rose front and center in the divide between Senate Democrats and House Republicans over federal spending — and the disagreement came perilously close to shutting down the federal government. | 04/08/11 19:52:00 By - Maria Recio and Halimah Abdullah

Lawmakers strike last-minute deal to avoid shutdown

Congress and the White House late Friday barely beat the clock and averted a partial government shutdown, agreeing to a last-minute deal to cut at least $38.5 billion from federal spending. Convening shortly after the midnight deadline had passed, the House of Representatives voted 348 to 70 for a stopgap spending plan to keep the government running through Thursday. Congress will vote again next week to finish the deal. | 04/08/11 19:25:00 By - David Lightman and William Douglas

Gay students win strong allies in battle against bullying

After a rash of suicides linked to bullying in public schools, gay and lesbian students are punching back as never before. Armed with lawsuits and legislation, they're finding powerful allies as they demand an end to the harassment. | 04/08/11 17:25:00 By - Rob Hotakainen

Mississippi Gov. Barbour talks presidential politics in Florida

Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour, a likely Republican presidential candidate, made a trip to the most important swing state’s Capitol, but he wouldn’t answer the most important question on the minds of political insiders. Should Florida be punished for having an early primary? | 04/08/11 07:04:39 By - Marc Caputo

Florida lawmakers seek expansion of online school courses

More students could learn from a laptop in their bedroom rather than a whiteboard in a brick-and-mortar classroom under a pair of proposals in the Florida Legislature that would dramatically expand virtual school. The most immediate change: Starting next year, students entering high school would have to take at least one online course to graduate. | 04/08/11 07:01:03 By - Patricia Mazzei

Conoco CEO Mulva says oil tax break would spark investment in Alaska

The head of Conoco Phillips responded to critics of Alaska Governor Sean Parnell's oil tax break Thursday, pledging to increase investments by up to $5 billion in existing North Slope fields if the new tax rules take effect. | 04/08/11 06:39:23 By - Richard Mauer

Obama, lawmakers still can't come to terms on budget

The threat of a government shutdown at 12 a.m. Saturday ticked closer Thursday night as White House and congressional budget negotiators again failed to reach a deal. But as the deadline neared, there were glimmers of hope that an agreement could be reached early Friday to fund the government through Sept. 30, the end of the current fiscal year. | 04/07/11 22:09:00 By - David Lightman, William Douglas and Steven Thomma

Feds ready employees for possible government shutdown

The federal government started calling agencies and departments Thursday to tell officials which of them would stay open and which could close in the event of a partial government shutdown Saturday. | 04/07/11 18:45:00 By - Steven Thomma

Alaska Native corporations defend contracts

Stung by bad publicity from a series of media investigations into their finances, advocates for Alaska Native corporations on Thursday defended the federal contracting preferences that have benefited their businesses. | 04/07/11 18:36:00 By - Erika Bolstad

House passes EPA limits a day after Senate defeated them

In a largely symbolic gesture driven by growing Republican frustration with the Obama administration's environmental policies, the GOP-controlled House of Representatives on Thursday passed a measure that would bar the Environmental Protection Agency from regulating greenhouse gases. | 04/07/11 17:11:00 By - Halimah Abdullah

Obama really likes the states he visits, especially for 2012

From the time he took office in January 2009 through the end of March, Obama visited 38 states — some far more often than others, with the most-visited tending to be crucial to his 2012 re-election strategy — according to a McClatchy analysis of the 317 documented events in that period. | 04/07/11 16:13:00 By - Margaret Talev and Chris Adams

Farmers fear budget cutters could prune favorite federal programs

California farmers hope congressional budget-cutters spare some of their favorite subsidies and trade promotion programs. On Thursday, even as Capitol Hill was consumed with talk about saving money, the farmers urged lawmakers to continue spending hundreds of millions of dollars to boost U.S. farm exports. | 04/07/11 15:56:00 By - Michael Doyle

Texas Rep. Joe Barton in a redistricting tiff

Congressional redistricting has taken a contentious turn in Washington, where the distribution of Texas' four new U.S. House seats has sparked clashes between members, including Rep. Joe Barton, R-Arlington, and Rep. Lamar Smith, R-San Antonio. | 04/07/11 15:53:41 By - Maria Recio

Lawmakers, Obama close to deal but can't quite reach it

The threat of a Saturday morning federal shutdown grew more likely Thursday as White House and congressional budget negotiators failed to seal a deal to keep the government open. | 04/07/11 13:25:28 By - David Lightman, William Douglas and Steven Thomma

Bachmann gets larger venue for South Carolina speech

Local organizers of a free, public event this month to bring U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann to Bluffton, S. C., figured about 200 people would come to see the Tea Party leader and potential presidential candidate. | 04/07/11 11:46:13 By - Allison Stice

Mississippi Gov. Barbour vetoes auto insurance requirement bill

Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour has vetoed a bill the Legislature passed that would have required motorists to have auto insurance before they could get a car tag. Mississippi has one of the highest rates in the nation of uninsured motorists, an estimated 28 percent compared with the national average of 16 percent. | 04/07/11 11:28:03 By - Geoff Pender

Fund diversion from Texas veterans lottery program raises questions

Beginning in 2009, Texans could start buying scratch-off lottery tickets that did something unusual amid all the convenience store offerings -- support a specific program. The $2 Veterans Cash game supports the Fund for Veterans' Assistance, which issues grants to nonprofits around the state to provide counseling, transportation, housing and child care for veterans and their families. But the budget crisis has arrived even to the Veterans Cash scratch-off game. | 04/07/11 07:33:59 By - Chris Vaughn

Federal court nominee Gleason gets boost from Alaska Sen. Murkowski

The White House said Wednesday that it was nominating Anchorage Superior Court Judge Sharon Gleason to the U.S. District Court bench. If the Senate confirms Gleason, she would be the first woman to serve as a federal district court judge in Alaska. Republicans have blocked many of Obama's judicial nominations, but Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, said she would work to keep Gleason from that fate. | 04/07/11 06:49:52 By - Richard Mauer

Oil prices give Alaska $3.4 billion revenue surplus

Alaska is rolling in money from the high oil prices, with the revenue department on Wednesday projecting a state surplus of $3.4 billion. The news comes as the Legislature prepares to decide how much it wants to spend on construction and maintenance projects in the coming year. Lawmakers had already planned a big budget, but this could inspire even more projects. | 04/07/11 06:42:43 By - Sean Cockerham

Senate votes down effort to weaken EPA authority

The Senate voted Wednesday against a measure that would have blocked the Environmental Protection Agency from issuing new regulations on greenhouse gasses — a move that further cripples efforts by lawmakers to weaken the agency's regulatory authority. | 04/06/11 20:11:00 By - Halimah Abdullah and Renee Schoof

House panel OKs revamp of federal flood insurance program

A House subcommittee on Wednesday approved a long-awaited reauthorization of the troubled National Flood Insurance Program, paving the way for a five-year plan that overhauls the bankrupt federal program, due to expire Sept. 30. | 04/06/11 19:09:00 By - Maria Recio

Still no budget deal as federal shutdown looms closer

Congressional Republicans and Democrats remained deadlocked over government spending Wednesday as they struggled to find common ground with less than three days remaining until the government runs out of money. | 04/06/11 18:28:00 By - David Lightman and William Douglas

Rising use of synthetic pot in military prompts worries

With the stress of ongoing combat in three nations now roiling the military, Capitol Hill lawmakers are concerned that America's armed forces might be facing yet another strain — getting high. | 04/06/11 17:45:00 By - Phillip Swarts

States vie for money from Florida's canceled high-speed rail project

Despite the efforts by Republican lawmakers to scrap President Barack Obama's funding for high-speed rail projects, 24 states have submitted applications for additional money, the Department of Transportation said Wednesday. | 04/06/11 17:19:00 By - Curtis Tate

CBO: Seniors would pay much more for Medicare under Ryan plan

Seniors and people with disabilities would pay much more for Medicare under a new plan by Republicans in the House of Representatives that's aimed at curbing the nation's growing budget deficit, a Congressional Budget Office analysis shows. | 04/06/11 16:13:00 By - Julie Appleby, Mary Agnes Carey and Laurie McGinley

Obama announces plan to advance U.S.-Colombia trade deal

The White House said Wednesday that it had struck a deal to advance a long-stalled free-trade agreement with Colombia, but it was uncertain whether it will past muster with critics of the country's labor record. | 04/06/11 15:55:00 By - Lesley Clark

California's not alone in pursuit of federal high-speed rail money

California is facing competition from two dozen other states and regions in the fight for hundreds of millions of dollars in additional federal high-speed rail funds. | 04/06/11 15:13:00 By - Michael Doyle

If the government shuts down, here's how it would work

There are some of the services that would continue even if the federal government runs out of money at 12:01 a.m. Saturday with no agreement between Republicans and Democrats in Congress and the White House to extend the budget. But much of the government would shut down. | 04/06/11 12:31:14 By - Steven Thomma

Alaska state lawmakers pass two bills in 78 days

Twelve days remain before Alaska's legislative session ends for the year and just two bills have passed, one of which is a set of guidelines for how to best handle the state flag. | 04/06/11 06:35:32 By - Sean Cockerham

Obama picks Florida's Wasserman Schultz to head DNC

President Barack Obama on Tuesday turned to a young, rising Democratic female star from one of the nation's biggest swing states to chair the Democratic National Committee as he kicked off his re-election campaign. | 04/05/11 19:09:00 By - Lesley Clark

Ryan gets props for bold plan, raps for one-sided focus

Budget experts gave high marks for courage and low marks for the details in a bold Republican plan offered Tuesday to slash government spending by about $6 trillion over 10 years while overhauling costly medical programs for the elderly and poor. | 04/05/11 16:50:00 By - Kevin G. Hall

Budget talks go nowhere, raising fear of federal shutdown

President Barack Obama and congressional leaders failed to agree Tuesday on a plan to keep the government funded past Friday, heightening fears that many federal activities could shut down this weekend. | 04/05/11 08:36:52 By - David Lightman and William Douglas

Texas may allow hunting of feral hogs, wolves from helicopters

Hunters moved closer Monday to being able to use helicopters to kill feral hogs that are damaging the Texas landscape. With no discussion, Texas House members voted 137-9 to give preliminary approval to a bill that would let people hunt feral hogs and wolves from a helicopter. | 04/05/11 07:40:48 By - Anna M. Tinsley

N.C. U.S. Rep. Price: Boehner listened too closely to 'tea party types' on budget

Although tea party influence has waned in recent negotiations to prevent a government shutdown, GOP leaders still want the support of most of the House freshmen Republicans that the movement supported. | 04/05/11 07:32:32 By - Barbara Barrett

TransCanada VP says Alaska bill may violate gas pipeline license

TransCanada Corp. on Monday disputed the legality of a bill that's a first step toward dumping the Alaska-subsidized natural gas pipeline project. TransCanada Vice President Tony Palmer said it appears to violate the license the state gave his firm under the Alaska Gasline Inducement Act. | 04/05/11 06:40:44 By - Sean Cockerham

Coastal lawmakers say ports tax should be used for ports

All six House members from South Carolina, in a rare display of bipartisan unity, have joined lawmakers from other coastal states in demanding that the federal government stop using harbor maintenance taxes for unrelated needs. | 04/04/11 21:38:07 By - James Rosen

As Obama gears up for 2012, outlook's changed in key states

Barack Obama changed the electoral map when he won the presidency in 2008. Now, with his formal declaration of candidacy for re-election Monday, Obama invites the question: Can he do it again? Can he hold the states he won in 2008? Win those that barely eluded his grasp? Or will he find himself on the defensive, the landscape changing under his feet, fighting to hold on? | 04/04/11 18:50:00 By - Steven Thomma, Barbara Barrett and Lesley Clark

Texas budget crunch? State spends millions to lure film, TV

Many Texas state lawmakers are ready to yell "Cut!" on tax breaks for film and television projects. As the Legislature grapples with deep budget cuts, tens of millions of dollars in incentives to lure productions like True Grit and Friday Night Lights are drawing a closer look. | 04/04/11 18:30:19 By - Aman Batheja

Tea party group wants Duke Energy chief fired over DNC offer

FreedomWorks, a conservative group aligned with the tea party movement, has launched a petition drive to fire Duke Energy CEO Jim Rogers for guaranteeing a $10 million line of credit to the 2012 Democratic National Convention. | 04/04/11 18:10:54 By - Jim Morrill

Texas bill would prohibit texting, tweeting by elected officials during meetings

A Texas state lawmaker wants elected officials paying attention to the public during government meetings -- not texting, tweeting, Facebooking or e-mailing. State Rep. Todd Hunter has a bill that would make it illegal for any elected official to transmit an electronic message during such a meeting. | 04/04/11 07:34:36 By - Anna M. Tinsley

California may reconsider car perk for lawmakers

California is the only state that provides lawmakers with a car, gas and maintenance paid largely by taxpayers. The perk has withstood the recessionary economy and several rounds of budget-cutting, including $11.2 billion in measures the Legislature approved and Gov. Jerry Brown signed in March. | 04/04/11 06:43:42 By - Jim Sanders

Alaska farm research jobs may be lost in federal budget cuts

Dennis Fielding raises grasshoppers. Sometimes by the hundreds. Sometimes by the thousands. By experimenting on the pests at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, the federal researcher is seeking ways to prevent outbreaks that can decimate the crops, such as barley, that fuel Alaska's agricultural food chain.But by the end of the year, the scientist and his grasshoppers could be gone. | 04/04/11 06:34:47 By - Kyle Hopkins

Don Young says no thanks to Humane Society award

Calling them "hypocrites, plain and simple," Alaska Rep. Don Young thumbed his nose last week at one of the nation's foremost animal advocacy organizations, the Humane Society. | 04/03/11 13:27:10 By - Erika Bolstad

New House probe of Obama: Decision to dump Yucca site

Lawmakers from states stuck with tons of radioactive materials left over from the Cold War Friday cheered a House of Representatives panel's decision to investigate the Obama administration's scrapping of a central nuclear waste dump in Nevada. | 04/01/11 19:20:00 By - James Rosen

GOP leaders likely to drop social issues in budget compromise

Republicans in Congress are eager to stuff any budget deal with a host of conservative social policies, such as dismantling the new health care law and barring federal aid to Planned Parenthood. Their leaders, however, seem willing to accept a compromise that sets aside most of the social agenda. | 04/01/11 17:20:00 By - David Lightman

On public lands plan, GOP tells Obama to 'get off my lawn'

President Barack Obama wants to make it easier for Americans to use parks and public lands, saying that too many "can go days without stepping on a single blade of grass." But with the nation deep in debt and facing a long backlog of projects on its public lands, many Republicans are lining up against Obama's plan, leaving its fate uncertain. | 04/01/11 17:19:00 By - Rob Hotakainen

Obama, T. Boone Pickens push natural gas as energy fix

The centerpiece of President Barack Obama's new energy policy mirrors the plan trumpeted for more than two years by a onetime GOP juggernaut: Dallas oilman T. Boone Pickens. | 04/01/11 16:55:00 By - Maria Recio

Idaho's Labrador, Simpson represent divide in House GOP

Idaho Reps. Raul Labrador and Mike Simpson — and how each spent the day Thursday — offered a near-perfect illustration of the divergence among House Republicans as they grapple with their internal party dynamics as well as spending decisions. | 04/01/11 16:15:15 By - Erika Bolstad

How Jack Valenti got buried at Arlington, but others didn't

Jack Valenti won his final and most heartfelt lobbying victory when he was lowered into the ground at Arlington National Cemetery. | 04/01/11 14:48:00 By - Michael Doyle

Texas college students debate guns on campus bill

Peter Salas is a self-described gun-rights supporter whose family has a hunting tradition, but he opposes concealed handguns on college campuses. Clayton Smith, 21, went to federal court two years ago to win the right to stage "empty holster" protests on campus in support of gun rights. The disparate views reflect the divide among college students as Texas lawmakers continue to tinker with legislation that would allow students to carry guns. | 04/01/11 07:40:31 By - Diane Smith

EPA opposes plan for S.C. gold mine

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency opposes plans for a huge gold mine north of Camden, South Carolina, saying in a recent letter that the project could threaten drinking water, wildlife and creeks that drain off the site. Romarco Minerals wants to create what would be the largest gold mine east of the Mississippi River. But the mine would excavate or fill an unusually large number of wetlands and streams — and the EPA said it can’t support the plan. | 04/01/11 07:29:25 By - Sammy Fretwell

Alaska House votes to undo Palin-era oil profits tax

The Alaska House of Representatives voted Thursday night for a massive rollback of the oil profits tax that the lawmakers put in place four years ago. The House vote was an attempt to torpedo one of the biggest legacies of Sarah Palin's time as governor. Gov. Sean Parnell supported the oil tax when he was her lieutenant governor but is now leading the effort to weaken it. | 04/01/11 06:39:51 By - Sean Cockerham

Tea party's influence wanes as lawmakers compromise

Congressional leaders are inching closer to a deal on how much to cut federal spending for the next six months — and pretty much ignoring the spending-cut absolutists of the tea party, the grass-roots movement that's losing influence despite having helped elect dozens of Republicans last November. | 03/31/11 18:45:00 By - David Lightman and William Douglas

Third abortion bill passes Kansas House

The House passed a third anti-abortion bill on Wednesday calling for strict regulations of clinics and doctors' offices where abortions are provided. | 03/31/11 14:39:06 By - Dion Lefler

Gay sailor faces discharge despite 'don't ask, don't tell' repeal

After President Barack Obama signed a law in December to repeal the military's 17-year-old "don't ask, don't tell" policy, Petty Officer 2nd Class Derek Morado hoped the new message from Lemoore Naval Air Station higher-ups would be something like "You're gay -- you can stay." But Morado, who was outed by a fellow sailor in 2009, still faces discharge from the Navy. | 03/31/11 11:44:01 By - Lewis Griswold

To keep guns out of Mexico, Texas lawmakers propose checkpoint

Some Texas lawmakers, tired of cash and guns illegally making their way into Mexico and fueling violence in the northern part of the country, say they think they know how to help. They are proposing southbound checkpoints where Texas law enforcers can stop vehicles about to cross the border and look for guns, cash and drugs. | 03/31/11 07:30:29 By - Anna M. Tinsley

McConnell leads fight against Obama's environmental policy

In Kentucky, where coal mining has been the lifeblood of many rural communities, miners and the lawmakers who represent them say the Obama administration's push for regulations that cap greenhouse gases and toughen mine permitting requirements feels like an assault. | 03/31/11 07:08:17 By - Halimah Abdullah and Renee Schoof

Alaska Sens. Murkowski Begich want Obama energy plan specifics

In an energy security speech that focused heavily on increasing domestic oil and gas production, President Barack Obama mentioned Alaska just once. The mention came just after Obama criticized oil companies for sitting on leases, and right before he suggested that there's also a need to focus on cleaner, renewable sources of energy that won't have as significant a contribution to climate change. | 03/31/11 06:39:26 By - Erika Bolstad

Alaska lawmaker's Sharia law proposal called divisive

Palmer Republican Rep. Carl Gatto has set off a political firestorm with a bill aimed at stopping what he deems as the potential of Islamic religious law — Sharia — trumping the U.S. Constitution in Alaska courts. Gatto doesn't have examples of Alaska courts imposing Islamic Sharia law but said his bill is determined to make sure that it doesn't happen. | 03/31/11 06:35:19 By - Sean Cockerham

Obama renews pitch for clean energy to reduce oil appetite

President Barack Obama on Wednesday announced a goal to cut U.S. reliance on foreign oil by one-third by 2025, saying that demand from growing economies such as China and India probably will force prices up in the long term. | 03/30/11 19:09:00 By - Margaret Talev and Kevin G. Hall

Independent probe of troubled military crime lab sought

A U.S. senator has called for an independent investigation of the military's premier crime lab to ensure that innocent people weren't wrongfully convicted based on work by a discredited analyst. | 03/30/11 18:43:00 By - Marisa Taylor and Michael Doyle

With no candidates official, GOP postpones big debate

The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation announced Wednesday that it will postpone what was supposed to be the kickoff debate for the GOP presidential nomination contest, moving it from May 2 to Sept. 14. The reason? There aren't enough candidates ready to debate yet. | 03/30/11 18:05:00 By - Steven Thomma

U.S. still unprepared for threats, 9-11 panel chiefs say

Major recommendations by a bipartisan commission that investigated the 9/11 terrorist attacks remain unfulfilled nearly 10 years after the attacks, the commission chairmen told the Senate Homeland Security Committee on Wednesday. | 03/30/11 16:04:00 By - William Douglas

Kansas cracks down on metal dealers after thefts

To cut down on metal theft and the damage it does to utilities and other businesses, the state Senate on Tuesday approved a bill to require scrap dealers to register with their local government and keep detailed records on customers. | 03/30/11 13:13:50 By - Dion Lefler

Voter I.D. bill set to become law in Kansas

Kansans will have to show a photo ID to vote beginning next year. But new voters won't have to prove their citizenship to register until 2013 under a bill the House passed 111-11 and sent to the governor, who is expected to sign it into law. | 03/30/11 13:03:15 By - Todd Fertig and Brad Cooper

Texas bill seeks moratorium on executions

Clarence Brandley spent 10 years on Death Row for the slaying of a 16-year-old girl, a crime he didn't commit. Now, more than two decades after being cleared, the former custodian hopes to convince Texas lawmakers that it's time to abolish the death penalty in Texas — or least impose a moratorium on executions. Texas has executed more inmates than any other state — 446 since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976. | 03/30/11 07:40:59 By - Dave Montgomery

S.C. bill would further loosen gun laws

Legislation weaving its way through the House of Representatives would increase the number of places that legal gun owners can carry their guns to include restaurants, day-care centers and churches. | 03/30/11 07:30:45 By - Gina Smith

N.C. bill would double solar power requirements

Solar energy is proving so successful in North Carolina that industry advocates want to double the amount of sun-powered electricity that is required by state law. | 03/30/11 07:25:11 By - John Murawski

Kansas 'fetal pain' abortion bill goes to Gov. Brownback

A bill to strictly limit abortions after 22 weeks based on disputed research that fetuses can feel pain is on its way to Gov. Sam Brownback, who has indicated he will sign it into law. | 03/30/11 07:09:19 By - Todd Fertig

Federal immigration crackdown may cost California nursery

The Department of Homeland Security — stepping up its enforcement against employers who hire undocumented workers — may cost 71 Sacramento, Calif., nursery workers their jobs. The workplace audit reflects the Obama administration's heightened emphasis on employers. | 03/30/11 06:52:46 By - Stephen Magagnini

Green energy law will increase rates for Californians, utilities say

California consumers could see sharp electricity rate increases under sweeping new legislation that would require them to ramp up their energy supplies from wind, solar and other green sources, local utilities said. The state Assembly approved a measure requiring power companies to obtain up to 33 percent of their energy supplies from green sources, up sharply from the current 20 percent. The state Senate already has passed the bill. But utilities say they face steep cost increases to comply with the measure. | 03/30/11 06:47:29 By - Rick Daysog

Alaska state lawmakers aren't buying oil tax reduction plan

Senate leaders said Tuesday the governor has failed to sell his plan to cut oil taxes by billions of dollars, and they're not interested in taking the gamble that it's going to lead to more drilling. | 03/30/11 06:34:59 By - Sean Cockerham

80 percent of BP spill fines sought for Gulf Coast states

More than 140 women who'd championed Gulf Coast recovery after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita were at it again Tuesday, convening on Capitol Hill to announce that they were supporting legislation that would guarantee the five Gulf Coast states at least 80 percent of BP's fines from last spring's oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, an amount that could top $21 billion. | 03/29/11 18:04:00 By - Maria Recio

Merced, Visalia could lose federal airport subsidies

Federal subsidies would phase out at airports in Merced and Visalia, saving taxpayer dollars but alarming some rural air travel proponents, under a House bill set for approval this week. | 03/29/11 16:56:00 By - Michael Doyle

Congress urged to track cancer clusters better

Activists urged the government Tuesday to let people post and track cancer cases across communities, a public health effort that they say could lead to discoveries of new chemical-related cancer clusters throughout the United States as well as insights into disease management. | 03/29/11 16:27:00 By - Erika Bolstad, Barbara Barrett and Lesley Clark

Texas Rep. Barton praises state's air quality efforts

Texas' environmental regulators are "the best in the country," and "Texas air quality is excellent," U.S. Rep. Joe Barton said last week during an event that highlighted the state's ongoing scrap with federal authorities over air quality. Last year, the EPA rejected the state's unique flexible permitting program as too lenient. | 03/29/11 07:43:00 By - Aman Batheja

Florida lawmakers look to privatize prisons

In what could signal a massive private takeover of public prisons, the Florida Senate quietly slipped language into its newly proposed budget Monday that seeks to give corporations the chance to run correctional facilities and probation services in 18 counties | 03/29/11 07:11:04 By - Marc Caputo

Alaska's oil tax reduction plan moves ahead in state House

The effort to cut Alaska's oil-production tax is gaining speed in the state House, with a vote possible as soon as this week, even as the debate rages over whether it's a good bet to lower taxes by billions of dollars to encourage more drilling. | 03/29/11 06:41:51 By - Sean Cockerham

30 years after Reagan shot, outlook dim for gun control

Wednesday is the 30th anniversary of the attempted assassination of Ronald Reagan. Gun-control advocates, including Reagan's wounded press secretary, Jim Brady, will use the day to launch a renewed push for curbs on guns. | 03/28/11 16:39:00 By - David Lightman

Group to tell Senate panel about 42 disease clusters in 13 states

An environmental group will tell a Senate panel Tuesday that it has identified 42 suspected clusters of cancer, birth defects and other illnesses in 13 states. | 03/28/11 15:10:00 By - Lesley Clark

States broke? Maybe they cut taxes too much

In his new budget proposal, Ohio Republican Gov. John Kasich calls for extending a generous 21 percent cut in state income taxes. The measure was originally part of a sweeping 2005 tax overhaul that abolished the state corporate income tax and phased out a business property tax. | 03/28/11 13:33:00 By - Tony Pugh

Alaska Sen. Murkowski says Planned Parenthood funding fight isn't over

Conservatives in Congress say they want to wipe out all federal spending for Planned Parenthood because it is a leading abortion provider. Supporters of the organization in Alaska say that will hurt women who go to its clinics for other care including cancer screenings, birth control services, and testing for sexually transmitted disease. | 03/28/11 06:46:11 By - Lisa Demer

Senate newbie Rand Paul makes a big splash in DC

The mood was jovial and congratulatory Thursday at the Rotary Club of Louisville as members sang songs of God and country, noshed on lunchtime fare and awaited the man of the hour. It was Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul's kind of crowd. | 03/27/11 00:01:00 By - Halimah Abdullah

Plane trouble lands McCaskill in 'tossup' column for 2012

Sen. Claire McCaskill's use of her private airplane has turned into a $400,000 mistake, but the political costs could run even higher. Until this week, the Cook Report, an influential campaign tip sheet had rated the 2012 Senate contest in Missouri as leaning Democratic. Now it's a "tossup." | 03/27/11 00:01:00 By - David Goldstein and Steve Kraske

Samantha Power: The voice behind Obama's Libya action

Samantha Power made her reputation arguing that the United States has a moral responsibility to do more to rally the world to stop genocide and human rights violations. President Barack Obama's decision to back a multilateral intervention in Libya suggests that her voice is being heard. | 03/25/11 15:06:00 By - Margaret Talev

Mississippi Gov. Barbour had hand in early release of convicted killer

The Sun Herald has learned that Gov. Haley Barbour helped in the early release of convicted killer Joseph Goff, whose release today after serving eight years of a 20-year sentence has drawn outrage from law enforcement and the community. | 03/25/11 12:45:42 By - Geoff Pender and Margaret Baker

Newt Gingrich attacks Obama during N.C. speech

Newt Gingrich, former U.S. House speaker and potential presidential candidate, brought his trademark unleashed-but-precise attack on Democrats to an appreciative audience Thursday night in Raleigh: the Wake County Republican Party convention. | 03/25/11 07:29:33 By - Craig Jarvis

Federal appeals court orders new trial for ex-Alaska lawmaker Kott

A federal appeals court Thursday ordered a new trial for former Alaska state House Speaker Pete Kott, ruling that his 2007 conviction on corruption charges was tainted by the failure of federal prosecutors to turn over information he could have used to defend himself. | 03/25/11 06:35:04 By - Richard Mauer

Oil tax cuts from Alaska Gov. Parnell stuck in state Senate

Gov. Sean Parnell's attempt to slash Alaska oil taxes appears to be going nowhere in the state Senate with less than a month before lawmakers adjourn for the year. | 03/25/11 06:30:16 By - Sean Cockerham

Five-day mail service wouldn't save much money after all

The decision whether to cut back U.S. mail delivery to five from six days a week was complicated Thursday by a report that suggested the U.S. Postal Service had overstated the savings to be gained by the change. | 03/24/11 18:46:00 By - Erika Bolstad

'Arab spring' drives wedge between U.S., Saudi Arabia

The United States and Saudi Arabia — whose conflicted relationship has survived oil shocks, the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks and the U.S. invasion of Iraq — are drifting apart faster than at any time in recent history, according to diplomats, analysts and former U.S. officials. | 03/24/11 19:00:00 By - Warren P. Strobel

Lawmakers use sports events to rake in cash from lobbyists

Congress has devised its own form of March Madness, using the NCAA men's basketball tournament and other spring sports events as popular fundraisers. This weekend and over the next few weeks lawmakers will host donors at a Sweet 16 basketball doubleheader, at baseball's spring training and Opening Day games, and at pro hockey and basketball games. Price of admission: Often $1,000 and up. | 03/24/11 15:54:00 By - David Lightman

Budget protests also about fear of losing the American Dream

The bitter fight over union pay and benefits in states such as Ohio and Wisconsin is more than a clash over an annual budget. It's a sign of a country wrestling with fundamental change as it leaves the familiar moorings of the 20th century and struggles to forge a new economic and political order. | 03/24/11 15:09:00 By - Steven Thomma

Michele Bachmann edges closer to 2012 GOP presidential bid

Tea party favorite Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., is likely to form an exploratory committee in June as the first formal step toward seeking the 2012 Republican presidential nomination, close advisers said Thursday. | 03/24/11 13:43:00 By - Steven Thomma

Mayor says he had nothing to do with 'porn convention' in Illinois

An anonymous flier accused Mayor Gail Mitchell of allowing a sex convention in town last weekend, but the mayor said he had no say in the private event. The "Beat Me in St. Louis" event at the Fountains at Fairview was for people exploring or practicing bondage, discipline, sadism and masochism in sexual relationships. | 03/24/11 11:58:11 By -

Alaska nominee says sex outside of marriage should be illegal

Gov. Sean Parnell's appointee for the panel that nominates state judges testified Wednesday that he would like to see Alaskans prosecuted for having sex outside of marriage. Haase, picked by Parnell for one of three public seats on the Alaska Judicial Council, said that he wouldn't let his personal beliefs influence which candidates he'd approve for judgeships. | 03/24/11 11:47:30 By - Richard Mauer

Voter ID bill passes in Texas state House

After more than 11 hours of debate, the Texas House voted 101-48 late Wednesday for a bill requiring voters to show photo ID at the polls, increasing the likelihood that the measure will take effect in time for the 2012 elections. | 03/24/11 07:31:16 By - Aman Batheja

N.C. Republican lawmakers move to shrink state's environmental agency

There is a move in North Carolina's Republican-controlled legislature to downsize and make more business-friendly the state's leading environmental agency, a move that has set off alarms among environmentalists. | 03/24/11 07:16:49 By - Rob Christensen

Kansas illegal immigration bill may be dead

A major immigration bill similar to a controversial Arizona law suffered a potentially fatal blow Wednesday when the Kansas House refused to consider the measure. The House voted 84-40 to kill a last-ditch effort to bypass a committee where the bill had been bottled up by opponents for a couple of weeks. | 03/24/11 07:07:49 By - Brad Cooper

Poll: Feinstein's support in California dips below 50%

Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein remains more popular among California voters than her colleague Barbara Boxer, a new Field Poll shows. But Feinstein can't rest easy as she prepares for another re-election bid next year. For the first time since her initial 1992 election, less than half of the Californians surveyed consider themselves leaning toward Feinstein. | 03/24/11 06:39:23 By - Michael Doyle

As Giffords recovers, friends keep office open

Since she was shot in the head in Tucson, Ariz., 10 weeks ago, Democratic Rep. Gabrielle Giffords of Arizona has turned to a trio of her closest friends to keep her official operations running. | 03/23/11 18:29:00 By - Rob Hotakainen

McCaskill now owes $320,000 in taxes on plane

Sen. Claire McCaskill's private airplane ended up costing her about $320,000 in back taxes. The Missouri Tax Commission on Wednesday confirmed the amount after St. Louis County calculated four years worth of unpaid personal property taxes on the plane, plus the interest, penalties and fees. | 03/23/11 18:03:00 By - David Goldstein

Lindsey Graham pushes nuclear power back home in South Carolina

U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham was home Tuesday, talking about one of his favorite subjects: nuclear energy and why it’s the best way to power South Carolina and America. | 03/23/11 13:30:50 By - Sammy Fretwell

A year later, still no cure for politics in health care

Dr. David Cull, a prominent vascular surgeon in Greenville, S.C., had invented a small valve system that, if it works, could spare 300,000 dialysis patients across the country enormous suffering and save U.S. taxpayers billions of dollars. But Cull’s hometown senator, Jim DeMint, would not write a letter supporting the surgeon’s application for a federal grant under the landmark health care bill that President Barack Obama signed into law a year ago today. | 03/23/11 07:32:50 By - James Rosen

Missouri GOP calls for McCaskill ethics hearing

A day after Sen. Claire McCaskill said that she owes St. Louis County $287,000 in unpaid personal property taxes on her family’s private airplane, Republicans continued to attack her ethics and image as a Senate reformer. | 03/23/11 07:19:11 By - David Goldstein

Kansas lawmakers take action on illegal immigration bills

In Kansas, it's been a tough year for illegal immigrants. The difference has mainly been the election of Kris Kobach, one of the nation's most prominent proponents of tough immigration laws, as Kansas secretary of state. The Legislature has three major bills on the docket based on the belief that illegal immigration is harming the state's economy, burdening its universities and tainting its elections. | 03/23/11 07:12:28 By - Brent D. Wistrom and Dion Lefler

Florida lawmakers file glut of abortion bills

Between a conservative Legislature and a more conservative governor, there’s a concentrated effort this year to tighten Florida’s abortion laws. From reviving a measure to require a woman to receive an ultrasound before undergoing an abortion to a blanket ban that would pose a legal challenge to Roe v. Wade, at least 18 bills are filed. | 03/23/11 06:56:09 By - Janet Zink

Obama lacks authority to shutter Yucca site, court told

Lawyers for Washington state and South Carolina on Tuesday accused President Barack Obama of having exceeded his constitutional power in shuttering the Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository. | 03/22/11 19:15:00 By - James Rosen

Tea party president? Rand Paul plays coy

Newly elected Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky is coy when asked about his 2012 presidential ambitions. | 03/22/11 18:48:00 By - Halimah Abdullah

Libya assault sets up battle between Obama, Congress

Sparked by the U.S. military assault on Libya, the historic struggle between the president and Congress over whether and how America should enter war is raging again. | 03/22/11 18:01:00 By - David Lightman and William Douglas

Costa doesn't spare expense for office, staff

Democratic Rep. Jim Costa of Fresno runs the priciest congressional office in the Central Valley, newly available House records show. | 03/22/11 17:23:00 By - Michael Doyle

Florida faces a crazy election season in 2012

Election seasons are always unpredictable in Florida, but 2012 is shaping up to be downright crazy. | 03/22/11 12:28:02 By - Adam C. Smith

Texas' voter ID bill stalled by Democrats

Texas Republican supporters of a high-priority voter identification bill sought to regroup from an embarrassing setback Monday after Democrats forced the measure from the House floor on a point of order. | 03/22/11 07:36:25 By - Dave Montgomery

Light bulb policy becomes Rep. Joe Barton's cause

The light bulb you grew up with likely won't be the light bulb you'll grow old with unless U.S. Rep. Joe Barton has his way. The Texas Republican is spearheading an effort to repeal a section of a 2007 energy independence act that was signed into law by President George W. Bush geared to start phasing out 100-watt incandescent light bulbs next year. | 03/22/11 07:33:19 By - Anna M. Tinsley

S.C. Gov. Haley has appointed 26 campaign donors to posts

Of the 59 people whom Gov. Nikki Haley thus far has appointed to state boards or commissions, 26 donated to her campaign, according to state campaign finance records. Those 26 — who account for 44 percent of Haley’s appointments — gave at least $74,703 to her campaign for governor. | 03/22/11 07:20:42 By - John O'Connor

McCaskill admits owing $300,000 in back taxes on airplane

Sen. Claire McCaskill said Monday that she owes nearly $300,000 for four years' worth of back taxes on a private airplane that has become a political headache. | 03/21/11 19:13:00 By - David Goldstein

McCaskill owes back taxes on her plane

Sen. Claire McCaskill said Monday that she owes nearly $300,000 for four years' worth of back taxes on a private airplane that has become a political headache. | 03/21/11 19:13:53 By - David Goldstein

Sarah Palin skips Bethlehem in visit to Israel

Wearing a Star-of-David necklace, Fox News Channel commentator and former governor of Alaska, Sarah Palin, met on Monday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjmain Netanyahu and right-wing politician and settlement supporter Danny Danon. | 03/21/11 15:30:00 By - Sheera Frenkel

Rebecca Mansour, Sarah Palin's low-profile, high-impact adviser

Sarah Palin wanted to meet Rebecca Mansour. It was the summer of 2009 and the former Alaska governor was in Del Mar, Calif., working on her book "Going Rogue." Earlier that year, Mansour had co-founded a website that offered detailed defenses of Palin's record and acidic attacks on her critics. Palin was impressed. | 03/21/11 07:29:33 By - Robin Abcarian

Most Republican presidential hopefuls skip California GOP convention

For just a moment during California's state Republican Party convention this past weekend, hundreds of GOP delegates felt the excitement of the presidential race gearing up nationwide. But, the just-concluded convention laid out the state's already humble role in presidential politics by drawing only two long-shot potential candidates — Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour and former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations John Bolton. | 03/21/11 06:41:02 By - Jack Chang

In rural Alaska, public radio is often the only radio

Alaska's 26 public radio stations have long been woven into the fabric of life, and the state's 700,000 residents could be hard hit if Congress limits how local public radio stations spend federal money — or if it does away altogether with government funding of public broadcasting. | 03/20/11 16:11:00 By - Erika Bolstad

Poll: Public already losing patience with new Congress

A new Pew Research Center poll shows that about half of Americans think the debate over spending and deficits has been "generally rude and disrespectful." There's even bipartisan agreement — 48 percent of Republicans and Democrats have that view, as well as 57 percent of independents. | 03/20/11 15:09:00 By - David Lightman

Texas lawmaker's bill protects evolution nonbelievers from discrimination

An Arlington lawmaker has filed a bill aimed at protecting Texas college professors and students from discrimination because they question evolution. | 03/18/11 07:41:34 By - Aman Batheja

Kansas lawmakers considering four abortion bills

Tiffany Campbell and her husband were excited about their 2006 pregnancy. But after discovering that the twins in her womb had twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome — one baby was receiving too much blood and one too little — they decided to abort one because of the slight hope that the other would then survive. The decision was excruciating, Campbell told the Kansas Senate’s Judiciary Committee on Thursday. | 03/18/11 07:27:03 By - Samantha Foster

Missouri's long-term unemployed will lose benefits

Thousands of Missourians currently collecting unemployment benefits will be booted off the rolls in coming weeks after the state Senate failed Thursday to approve an extension. | 03/18/11 07:20:59 By - Jason Noble

Pentagon is dividing up Guantanamo detainees for trials

The Obama administration is still deciding where to stage the 9/11 mass murder trials of five alleged co-conspirators now held at Guantánamo, the Defense Department’s top lawyer told Congress on Thursday. | 03/18/11 07:10:47 By - Carol Rosenberg

Alaska lawmakers get increase to office allowances

Three weeks ago, Alaska's Legislature doubled the office allowance for its members, and on Thursday, a House member who didn't want the extra $8,000 said he learned he must take it anyway. | 03/18/11 06:47:57 By - Richard Mauer

Rep. Walter Jones pushes for Afghanistan exit

Again last Saturday, U.S. Rep. Walter Jones slipped into his office for the penance he has served nearly each weekend since 2005. Again on Thursday, the House of Representatives turned its attention to the conflict in Afghanistan, and whether it is the time for U.S. troops to leave. | 03/18/11 06:38:53 By - Barbara Barrett

House GOP votes to strip NPR of federal funding

The Republican-led House of Representatives voted Thursday to defund National Public Radio, an organization rocked by a series of embarrassments, most recently an undercover video that showed a fundraising executive disparaging conservatives and saying that the network could do without federal subsidies. | 03/17/11 19:09:00 By - Maria Recio

Partisan split widens on California high-speed rail plan

California's high-speed rail plan is fast turning into a partisan affair on Capitol Hill, further complicating its prospects. The accelerating partisanship came into view again Thursday, when 19 House lawmakers revived a high-speed rail caucus. Tellingly, every caucus member is a Democrat. | 03/17/11 17:10:00 By - Michael Doyle

Government shutdown averted for 3 more weeks

The Senate voted 87 to 13 Thursday to keep the government funded until April 8, assuring that there'll be no government shutdown for three weeks — a deadline that adds new, unpredictable urgency to resolve the budget stalemate dividing Republicans and Democrats. | 03/17/11 17:02:00 By - David Lightman

N.C. lawmaker wants state to produce its own currency

Cautioning that the federal dollars in your wallet could soon be little more than green paper backed by broken promises, state Rep. Glen Bradley wants North Carolina to issue its own legal tender backed by silver and gold. | 03/17/11 10:08:02 By - Michael Biesecker

Texas House approves handguns on college campuses bill

After an emotional 51/2-hour hearing, the Texas House Homeland Security and Public Safety Committee voted 5-3 Wednesday night to advance legislation to allow concealed handguns on college and university campuses. | 03/17/11 07:37:11 By - Dave Montgomery

S.C. Lt. Gov. Ard charged with 92 ethics violations

South Carolina ethics investigators have charged Lt. Gov. Ken Ard with 69 counts of spending campaign money for his personal use and 23 counts of failing to disclose campaign expenses. | 03/17/11 07:30:33 By - John O'Connor

Kansas Senate kills bill denying immigrants' children in-state tuition

A Kansas Senate committee on Wednesday killed a bill to deny eligibility for in-state tuition to children of undocumented immigrants at Kansas universities, colleges and trade schools. | 03/17/11 07:08:48 By - Dion Lefler

Ex-Murkowski rival Joe Miller to hit paid speaking circuit

Unsuccessful U.S. Senate candidate Joe Miller is following in the footsteps of former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and signing on to an agency to arrange paid speaking engagements for him. | 03/17/11 06:47:28 By - Sean Cockerham

Japan's crisis intensifies debate: Is nuclear worth it?

As the six-day nuclear crisis worsened in Japan on Wednesday, China announced it was suspending construction to rethink its designs for nuclear plants, following the lead of Switzerland and Germany. | 03/16/11 19:21:00 By - Rob Hotakainen and David Lightman

Obama ducks transparency award, but reason isn't clear

A coalition of open-government groups will present President Barack Obama a "sunshine" award for taking important steps toward openness and transparency in government, even though some of them are voicing concerns about gaps between his rhetoric on these issues and his administration's actions. | 03/16/11 18:35:00 By - Margaret Talev

Honey producers vote down tax plan

Honey producers have soured on a proposed plan to tax themselves for additional research and advertising, revealing a split within an industry that faces foreign competition and some inhuman foes. | 03/16/11 15:21:00 By - Michael Doyle

Missouri GOP files complaint over McCaskill travel

Missouri Republicans on Tuesday filed a complaint with the Senate Ethics Committee against U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill for paying for a political trip with taxpayer funds. | 03/16/11 13:33:07 By - David Goldstein and Steve Kraske

Meghan McCain calls Gingrich 'irrelevant' during Georgia talk

While in Columbus, Georgia, on Tuesday, Meghan McCain, a prominent blogger and daughter of 2008 Republican presidential nominee John McCain, called Newt Gingrich “no one on my radar” and added, “He was relevant when I was in middle school.” | 03/16/11 12:23:15 By - Sonya Sorich

Ban on corporal punishment in Texas schools faces House hearing

A House committee heard pleas Tuesday to ban corporal punishment in Texas schools, with critics denouncing the disciplinary tool as a legalized form of child abuse that leaves lasting emotional scars. | 03/16/11 07:40:50 By - Dave Montgomery

Texas puppy mills bill concerns dog, cat breeders

Responsible dog and cat breeders in Texas could be put out of business by a bill aimed at shutting down so-called puppy mills, critics of the measure charged at a hearing in Austin on Tuesday. | 03/16/11 07:37:34 By - Aman Batheja

Kansas lawmaker apologizes for comment about shooting illegal immigrants

Kansas state Rep. Virgil Peck issued an apology Tuesday for comments that he made about shooting illegal immigrants. Peck made the comment Monday during a committee meeting grappling with how to deal with controlling the wild hog population. Peck said, “if shooting these immigrating feral hogs works, maybe we have found a (solution) to our illegal immigration problem.” | 03/16/11 07:16:40 By - Brad Cooper

Teacher pay and tenure reform bill moves forward in Florida

Opponents tried one last time — and failed — to make changes to a bill that would dramatically reform the way public school teachers are evaluated, paid and hired. Now the fast-track legislation is one step away from the desk of Florida Gov. Rick Scott, who has indicated he will sign it. | 03/16/11 07:00:33 By - Patricia Mazzei

Divided House votes for 3-week budget extension

A deeply divided House of Representatives agreed Tuesday to provide enough money to keep the government open for three more weeks, but increasingly surly lawmakers made it clear that finding a longer-term budget agreement is going to be tense and tough. | 03/15/11 19:20:00 By - David Lightman and William Douglas

US ITC extends antidumping duties on imported shrimp

The U.S. International Trade Commission voted 5-1 Tuesday to extend antidumping duties on imported shrimp for another five years after the domestic industry, especially hard-hit on the Gulf Coast, made a strong case to continue the tariffs on freshwater shrimp from Brazil, China, India, Thailand and Vietnam. | 03/15/11 17:21:39 By - Maria Recio

Divided House votes for 3-week budget extension

Meet Chris Dodd, Hollywood's new man in Washington

Chris Dodd's favorite movies are classics like "To Kill a Mockingbird" and "On the Waterfront," movies that, as he puts it, "are more likely to have adult conversations." | 03/15/11 14:34:00 By - David Lightman and William Douglas

Huckabee spreads message in Georgia and Mississippi

Even if they run against each other for president, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee said he won’t consider his friend Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour an opponent. | 03/15/11 12:51:55 By - Geoff Pender

Texas considers soda tax to ease budget woes

Picking up a six-pack of soft drinks could soon cost Texans more. A penny per ounce more, to be exact. State Sen. Eddie Lucio, D-Brownsville, is proposing increasing the taxes on sodas -- both regular and diet, and energy drinks too -- to raise money for the state and cut down on obesity in children and adults. | 03/15/11 07:42:30 By - Anna M. Tinsley

S.C. lawmakers reject Haley's plan for state employees insurance fees

South Carolina lawmakers Monday rejected Gov. Nikki Haley’s proposal that the state cut its budget by requiring state employees to pick up the added cost of their health insurance. They also balked at her suggestion that the state eliminate $1 million from its budget earmarked for the 2012 presidential primary. | 03/15/11 07:35:30 By - John O'Connor

Kansas lawmakers put brakes on immigration bill

Kansas lawmakers dealt a setback Monday to a plan that would clamp down on illegal immigration in a way that’s similar to a controversial Arizona law. Described by critics as “grossly broad,” the measure would require police to check the legal status of those they suspect might be in the United States illegally. | 03/15/11 07:17:29 By - Brad Cooper

President Obama's South America agenda takes shape

This is how President Barack Obama’s trip to Latin America, which is scheduled to begin Friday, is shaping up: In Brazil, the emphasis is expected to be on business and forging a relationship for the future. | 03/15/11 07:11:09 By - Mimi Whitefield

Florida lawmakers fight to keep prescription drug monitoring database

State senators drew battle lines over Florida’s planned prescription drug monitoring database Monday, criticizing House leaders and Gov. Rick Scott for wanting to kill the program before it starts. | 03/15/11 07:03:34 By - Janet Zink

S.C. Sen. DeMint wants to revamp projects funding

Sen. Jim DeMint introduced sweeping legislation Monday to overhaul how the federal government chooses which harbor, bridge and water projects to fund by setting up an independent review panel. DeMint’s bill would establish a Water Resources Commission modeled on the base-closure panel Congress set up in 1988 to decide which military facilities would be shuttered around the country. | 03/15/11 06:43:33 By - James Rosen

Duke Energy guarentees $10 million line of credit for Democratic convention

Duke Energy Corp., whose CEO is leading the fundraising for the Democratic National Convention, is guaranteeing a $10 million line of credit for the event. | 03/14/11 18:33:47 By - Jim Morrill

GOP upstarts see patchwork budget solutions as not good enough

Many Republican conservatives — notably some elected for the first time last year — have grown increasingly frustrated over plans to keep the government running for another three weeks, saying they want longer-term, more serious spending cuts. | 03/14/11 17:04:00 By - David Lightman

Amid furor over state pensions, Congress gets much bigger ones

Some members of Congress haven't been shy about criticizing underfunded state and local pension plans, even though they themselves enjoy much heftier retirement packages than most private-sector employees and state workers do. | 03/14/11 15:16:00 By - Kevin G. Hall

Kansas Rep. Pompeo dives in to busy D.C. routine

It's 7:20 a.m. and Rep. Mike Pompeo of Kansas is sitting in the back of the Longworth Building cafeteria nursing a Diet Coke. Congress runs on caffeine. | 03/14/11 08:36:32 By - David Goldstein

Ban on Sharia law proposed in Missouri

Missouri Reps. Paul Curtman and Don Wells agree there’s no evidence that state courts are judging cases based on Islamic principles or foreign laws. But that’s not stopping them from sponsoring legislation to ban the practice. | 03/14/11 07:20:00 By - Jason Noble

Is 2011 the year for Republican governors?

It may be a bigger threat to President Barack Obama than Romney, Palin or Gingrich — a crew by the name of Christie, Scott and Walker that is slashing budgets, undercutting the new health care law and picking fights with unions. | 03/14/11 07:02:25 By - Alex Leary and Michael C. Bender

Obama's Latin America trip offers look at changed region

As President Barack Obama prepares for his trip to Brazil, Chile and El Salvador this week, there is optimism in the region that his swing south will begin a new relationship — one that reflects the profound changes Latin America has undergone in the past decade. | 03/14/11 06:58:45 By - Mimi Whitefield

Some funds for California's disabled saved from budget ax

Like hundreds of people this winter fighting budget cuts, Steve Doherty trekked to California's state Capitol on a recent Monday to argue his case. With Gov. Jerry Brown and the Legislature grappling with a $26.6 billion deficit, budget cuts have targeted programs including in-home supportive services, higher education and facilities for developmentally disabled people. | 03/14/11 06:51:02 By - Jack Chang

Normally hawkish Lindsey Graham less gung-ho on Libya

Critical mistakes in executing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have made Sen. Lindsey Graham more cautious about U.S. military intervention in Libya, leading him to break with long-time allies urging an aggressive response. | 03/14/11 06:30:34 By - James Rosen

Clinton spokesman resigns for criticizing U.S. treatment of WikiLeaks suspect Manning

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's chief spokesman abruptly resigned Sunday, three days after he publicly criticized the treatment in confinement of WikiLeaks suspect Army Pfc. Bradley Manning as "counterproductive and stupid." | 03/13/11 15:18:00 By - Warren P. Strobel

Yucca Mountain still alive under GOP nuke plan

Yucca Mountain is still breathing. It's been 24 long years since Congress first designated the desert locale in southern Nevada as the best place to store the nation's nuclear waste. | 03/13/11 14:30:00 By - Rob Hotakainen

Clinton, Crowley statements on Crowley's resignation

These are the State Department's statements on the resignation of Philip J. Crowley after his comments criticizing the prison treatment of Pfc. Bradley Manning, who's being held at the Marine Corps base at Quantico, Va., on charges related to documents that found their way to the WikiLeaks website. | 03/13/11 14:19:24 By -

Brownback cuts $50 million for Kansas schools

TOPEKA | Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback is cutting $50 million from schools and will ask the Legislature to transfer nearly that much to cover increased costs in health and human services caseloads. | 03/12/11 16:21:27 By - DION LEFLER

Mississippi's Barbour seeks more state control of Medicaid

Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour raised eyebrows in Washington last week when he said some Medicaid recipients in his state drive BMWs. But back home, Barbour's critics weren't surprised. | 03/11/11 14:45:00 By - Julie Appleby

Obama says he's still weighing his options on Libya

President Barack Obama said Friday that U.S. and international actions are starting to have an impact on Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi, and that the U.S. is still debating military actions to stop Gadhafi from slaughtering more of his own people. | 03/11/11 14:26:55 By - Steven Thomma

Wisconsin Gov. Walker signs bill limiting public unions' rights

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker on Friday signed into law a bill that sharply curbs collective bargaining for most public employees, handing organized labor a setback while giving his opponents a major political issue. | 03/11/11 14:06:16 By - Ryan Haggerty and Michael Muskal

Senate GOP moderates feel heat from the tea party

Minutes after the Senate rejected a huge, controversial Republican budget-cutting plan this week, Democrats pounced hard, blasting moderate GOP senators who supported the package. | 03/11/11 13:52:00 By - David Lightman

Former Obama 'pay czar' Feinberg discusses limited role

Ken Feinberg, who once headed the Obama administration's mission to rein in the pay of executives at bailed-out firms, said Thursday that he has always thought the government's role in private-sector compensation should be limited. | 03/11/11 07:34:57 By - Christina Rexrode

NPR executive's remarks stir debate about funding

Ron Schiller may have done more harm to NPR than the tea party ever could. Schiller, the NPR executive caught speaking all too freely in a hidden-camera sting, said hat members of the tea party were “white, Middle America, gun-toting” and “pretty scary.” | 03/11/11 07:26:48 By - Aaron Barnhart

Kansas voter ID bill an 'unfunded mandate,' opponents say

A proposed voter ID bill could be costly for Kansas and would make it more difficult to register to vote, opponents said Thursday. | 03/11/11 07:14:53 By - Todd Fertig

Florida Republicans ready to take on unions

With a national wind at their back and a Republican majority in their grip, the Florida Legislature is going after unions. House and Senate lawmakers have taken up three bills that would weaken the teacher’s labor organization, restrict the political clout of all public unions, and reduce the benefits of all state workers. | 03/11/11 06:56:01 By - Mary Ellen Klas and Katie Sanders

Rand Paul rips Energy Department on toilets, light bulbs

Sen. Rand Paul, in a tussle with an Energy Department official Thursday, complained about what he described as burdensome, "busybody" regulations that were forcing him to buy lousy toilets and light bulbs. | 03/10/11 21:10:48 By - Kathleen Hennessey

Wisconsin vote may stoke union limiting efforts elsewhere

Wisconsin's state Assembly sent GOP Gov. Scott Walker a bill to limit the collective bargaining rights of government workers. The vote is expected to intensify bitter fights in capitols from Idaho to Indiana, emboldening other budget-cutting Republican governors to press ahead with anti-union legislation. | 03/10/11 20:58:25 By - Ryan Haggerty and Richard Simon

Homeless veterans could lose 10,000 housing vouchers

Top Senate Democrats raised loud objections Thursday to a plan by Republicans in the House of Representatives that they said would eliminate 10,000 housing vouchers for homeless veterans this year, an effort to save $75 million from the 2011 federal budget. | 03/10/11 17:58:00 By - Rob Hotakainen

Holder denies political influence in dropping Alaska sex case

Political connections had nothing to do with the Justice Department's decision to drop a teen sexual-exploitation prosecution of former Veco Corp. Chairman Bill Allen, Attorney General Eric Holder told Congress on Thursday. | 03/10/11 17:29:00 By - Erika Bolstad

House Muslim hearing presents views from all sides

Amid tight security, a House of Representatives committee launched a controversial — and at times emotional — probe Thursday into the radicalization of American Muslims, an inquiry that its chairman described as necessary to "put aside political correctness and define who our enemy truly is." | 03/10/11 12:57:04 By - William Douglas

Sen. McCaskill repays $89,000 for chartered flights

Sen. Claire McCaskill sent the U.S. Treasury a personal check Wednesday for nearly $89,000 to cover the costs of chartered flights on a plane that she co-owns and has used for Senate business. | 03/10/11 07:19:22 By - David Goldstein

Two Republican lawmakers target Sharia law in Florida

Two Republican legislators want to make sure Florida courts aren’t tainted by what one of them calls foreign “shenanigans:” Muslim Sharia law or legal codes from other nations. Neither Sen. Alan Hays nor Rep. Larry Metz, though, could name a Florida case where international law or Islamic law has caused a problem in a state court. | 03/10/11 07:06:10 By - Marc Caputo

Oil tax proposal might cost Alaska millions in revenue

By changing the calculation of oil taxes from a monthly to an annual basis, Gov. Sean Parnell's new oil tax bill would cost Alaska between $100 million and $200 million a year, Revenue Commissioner Bryan Butcher told a Senate committee Wednesday. | 03/10/11 06:40:27 By - Richard Mauer

Wisconsin Republicans bypass Democrats on union bill

Senate Republicans in Wisconsin used a surprise legislative maneuver to advance a bill that would strip collective bargaining rights from most public sector workers — a move accomplished without the presence of 14 Democratic senators who had fled the state to stall the measure. | 03/09/11 21:55:21 By - Abby Sewell

Study undercuts Texas Gov. Perry's claims about California

Contrary to claims by Texas Gov. Rick Perry, the Lone Star State isn't stealing California's jobs, workers or prosperity, according to a UCLA study. | 03/09/11 21:50:42 By - Alana Semuels

DeMint demands end to NPR funding

Sen. Jim DeMint said Wednesday that the resignations of National Public Radio's chief executive and a top fundraiser weren't enough as the South Carolina Republican led his party's drive in Congress to defund public broadcasting. | 03/09/11 18:49:00 By - James Rosen

Senate bill would extend deepwater offshore drilling leases

Senators said Wednesday that a bill extending exploratory leases in the Gulf of Mexico will encourage drilling — and help bring down the price of oil. | 03/09/11 18:18:00 By - Maria Recio

Rep. Peter King: Terrorism hawk or witch hunter?

Extraordinary public scrutiny will focus Thursday not only on the topic of a widely publicized House of Representatives committee hearing - the radicalization of American Muslims — but also on the man who'll wield the gavel. | 03/09/11 17:56:00 By - William Douglas

Senate rejects 2 partisan budget plans, setting up new talks

The Senate on Wednesday soundly rejected two partisan bids to cut federal spending this year, defeats that should clear the way for serious bipartisan negotiations over a budget compromise before the government runs out of money at the end of next week. | 03/09/11 17:26:00 By - David Lightman

Locke's China appointment brings family's story full circle

A little more than a century ago, Gary Locke's grandfather moved from China to Washington state, where he found a job as a houseboy in exchange for English lessons. | 03/09/11 15:04:00 By - Rob Hotakainen

Illinois governor abolishes death penalty

Illinois became the 16th state in the country to abolish the death penalty on Wednesday and Gov. Pat Quinn commuted the sentence of the 15 residents of the state's death row. | 03/09/11 14:44:00 By -

Obama makes time for bullying prevention effort

As the nation focuses on the crisis in Libya, soaring gas prices and a looming budget showdown with Congress, President Barack Obama on Thursday will turn his attention to something different — the problem of bullying. | 03/09/11 14:19:00 By - Steven Thomma

N.C. unlikely to join health care law challenge

An aggressive campaign by North Carolina Republicans and their allies to override Gov. Bev Perdue's veto of a bill that would have the Tar Heel state join the legal challenge to the federal health care law appears to have fallen short of its goal. | 03/09/11 07:24:55 By - Rob Christensen and Lynn Bonner

Alaska Gov. Parnell's oil tax plan takes beating from lawmakers

Gov. Sean Parnell's proposed oil tax cut came in for more bipartisan criticism Tuesday, with a Republican senator saying it gives away at least $2 billion a year with nothing guaranteed in return, and several House Democrats saying it's even worse than that for Alaska. The oil-tax measure dominated back-to-back morning news conferences by the opposition House Democratic caucus and the bipartisan Senate majority coalition. | 03/09/11 06:35:02 By - Richard Mauer

Behind the scenes, 6 senators work to tackle the national debt

While the ugly public fight in Congress over how to keep the government funded for the next few months is getting all the attention, behind the scenes a bipartisan effort to craft a long-term path to fiscal stability is proceeding slowly and quietly. | 03/08/11 18:32:00 By - David Lightman

Will health care law raise states' Medicaid costs?

The nation's Republican governors are raising a new complaint against the 2010 national health overhaul, which they deride as "Obamacare." They say it would drive up their Medicaid costs dramatically at a time they're already slashing their budgets to cope with debt. | 03/08/11 18:34:00 By - Tony Pugh

House Republicans: Failing mortgage-aid programs should go

A handful of foreclosure prevention measures run by the Obama administration are so ineffectual, inefficient and complicated that, according to Republicans in the House of Representatives, the programs should be killed outright | 03/08/11 17:28:00 By - Barbara Barrett

McCarthy: California high-speed rail plan doesn't make grade

House Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy on Tuesday denounced California's current high-speed rail plans, further clouding the political future of an ambitious project running through his own Central Valley hometown. | 03/08/11 16:25:00 By - Michael Doyle

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