By
Emma Dumain
| July 31, 2013, 12:59 p.m.
President Barack Obama gave a “full throated defense of Larry Summers” at a meeting with the House Democratic Caucus on Wednesday morning.
By
Lauren Gardner
| July 31, 2013, 5 a.m.
Supporters of bipartisan legislation to overhaul the nation’s toxic chemicals law hope to use a committee hearing Wednesday to assuage a Senate chairwoman’s concerns that the proposal would usurp tougher state environmental laws.
By
Meredith Shiner
| July 30, 2013, 6:26 p.m.
Lawmakers regarded President Barack Obama’s latest attempt to engage them on an economic proposal as largely irrelevant Tuesday, with neither Democrats nor Republicans viewing it as an actual step forward toward breaking their ongoing budget impasse.
By
Nathan Hurst
| July 29, 2013, 2:16 p.m.
With time running out before the current authorization of federal railroad programs expires at the end of September, it looks increasingly likely that lawmakers will postpone new rail legislation until next year and roll it into a bigger surface transportation bill.
Michael Hecht and Thomas Bracken
| July 29, 2013, 1:23 p.m.
In recent months, it has become clear that congressional action is needed to address unintended, drastic increases to National Flood Insurance Program rates for home and business owners along our coasts and rivers.
By
Steven T. Dennis
| July 24, 2013, 3:59 p.m.
President Barack Obama’s latest pivot-to-the-economy speech at Knox College in Illinois struck familiar themes pointing to a popular-if-thwarted middle-class agenda while challenging Republicans not to shut down the government or spark another default crisis.
By
Alan K. Ota
| July 24, 2013, 2:52 p.m.
As a top aide to President George W. Bush, Andrew Biggs argued for allowing workers to funnel payroll taxes into stocks instead of the Social Security trust fund backed by Treasury bonds. But Biggs has now emerged as a leader in prodding public pension funds to use a new gauge — based on Treasury bonds, not stocks — to evaluate unfunded liabilities.
By
Steven T. Dennis
| July 23, 2013, 6:39 p.m.
Budget brinkmanship is on tap again this fall, if this week’s renewed finger-pointing over a potential government shutdown is any guide.
By
Steven T. Dennis
| July 22, 2013, 3:48 p.m.
President Barack Obama’s vision for a middle-class economic agenda has been knocked off stride in the first six months of his second term, and he’ll try to fix that starting this week and heading into the big budget fights this fall.
George White
| July 18, 2013, 5 a.m.
Since America’s founding, our postal system has served as a critical institution supporting our nation’s social fabric. From important news to heartfelt greetings to essential packages, the Postal Service has a proud tradition of universal service, nationwide delivery and affordable access to information dating back to its first postmaster general, Benjamin Franklin. However, the Postal Service has fallen into financial disrepair and most of the public debate over potential reforms has unfortunately generated more heat than light, focusing on ideas that would cut crucial services or raise prices but do little to fix, effectively and permanently, today’s Postal Service.
By
Megan Scully, Emily Cadei
| July 16, 2013, 1:19 p.m.
Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, the military’s top officer, is up for confirmation for another two-year term at an awkward time for the Obama administration, as it wrestles with its response to unrest abroad and steep cuts to defense spending at home.
By
Megan Scully
| July 16, 2013, 1:17 p.m.
Senate Armed Services Committee members will likely use Thursday’s hearing with Gen. Martin E. Dempsey to flesh out more detail on the fiscal sacrifices the military will make if budget caps remain in place into fiscal 2014.
By
Nathan Hurst
| July 15, 2013, 2:46 p.m.
In addition to focusing attention on mechanical concerns about the freight trains that haul crude oil to refineries, the Lac-Mégantic, Quebec, train crash is reviving debate about allowing rural cargo railroads to operate trains with just one professional on board.
By
Ambreen Ali
| July 15, 2013, 5 a.m.
The House fanned an old debate this week by adopting a provision that would block the Energy Department from setting energy efficiency standards for ceiling fans.
By
Steven T. Dennis, Rob Margetta
| July 12, 2013, 12:07 p.m.
Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano’s decision to leave the Cabinet this fall means President Barack Obama will have to find a replacement just as deliberations over an immigration overhaul may reach their peak.
Dr. Richard Kahn
| July 8, 2013, 2:03 p.m.
On July 1, Medicare implemented the national rollout of a new competitive bidding program for durable medical products that is intended to reduce health care costs without sacrificing quality. Indeed, the government ran a pilot program in nine markets, and in that experiment, competitive bidding between medical product manufacturers helped reduce health care costs. Unfortunately, significant issues have recently surfaced that threaten to seriously undermine the ability of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to deliver quality care at these costs.
Eva M. Clayton
| June 27, 2013, 5 a.m.
I have long believed the Internet is an empowerment tool, providing access to information that was once more readily available to a few. This is especially true for minority and rural communities. And through a combination of considerable private investment and prudent public policies, the percentage of Americans with access to high-speed broadband quadrupled in just the past four years alone.
By
Gautham Nagesh
| June 26, 2013, 3:10 p.m.
Minority Media and Telecommunications Council President David Honig has devoted his life to civil rights issues, particularly those revolving around the media and telecom policy.
By
Gautham Nagesh
| June 26, 2013, 3:06 p.m.
At his confirmation hearing last week, Tom Wheeler, President Barack Obama’s choice to lead the Federal Communications Commission, was grilled on everything from his ties to the telecom industry to his stance on crucial broadband policy issues such as net neutrality.
By
Steven T. Dennis
| June 25, 2013, 6 p.m.
An hourlong meeting between President Barack Obama and top congressional leaders at the White House on Tuesday afternoon was exclusively about foreign policy, according to an aide to Speaker John A. Boehner, R-Ohio.
