by Tom Meyer | Feb 26, 2013 | Education, Living
WASHINGTON — New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, a long-time advocate of education reform, called Tuesday for a strong focus on reducing absenteeism in schools and advancing graduation from high school. Bloomberg urged school districts to concentrate on keeping...
by Taylor Hiegel | Feb 26, 2013 | Business, Politics
WASHINGTON — The Senate Finance Committee Tuesday approved President Barack Obama’s choice of Jack Lew to be the next Treasury secretary, moving the nomination to the full Senate for a final confirmation vote that could come as soon as Wednesday. The former...
by Stephanie Yang | Feb 26, 2013 | National Security
WASHINGTON—Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano today said improving aviation security, immigration reform and cybersecurity are the main priorities of her agency this year in in her annual state of homeland security address. However, Napolitano said the $85...
by Summer Delaney | Feb 26, 2013 | Business, Politics
WASHINGTON—Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke urged the Senate Tuesday to make gradual cuts in the federal budget and avoid the sweeping, automatic reductions promised by the impending sequester. Bernanke’s appearance before the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban...
by Marshall Cohen | Feb 26, 2013 | National Security, Politics
WASHINGTON — The Senate on Tuesday confirmed Chuck Hagel for defense secretary, handing a victory to President Barack Obama after a two-month showdown. Senators voted 58-41 to confirm Hagel. Only four Republicans joined a unified Democratic caucus to support Hagel’s...
by Tara Longardner & Olivia Marcus | Feb 26, 2013 | Immigration, Politics
WASHINGTON—U.S. homeland security spending on border and maritime security has been “done in an ad hoc way” and needs a more systematic approach, the head of a House homeland security subcommittee said Tuesday. The subcommittee on border and maritime security looked...
by Tom Meyer | Feb 26, 2013 | Health & Science
WASHINGTON — When President Barack Obama said recently that football needs to address the issue of player safety more seriously, he also offered a simple solution: fix the game or stop playing. “If I had a son, I’d have to think long and hard before...
by Josh Solomon | Feb 26, 2013 | Politics
BETHESDA, Md. – The U.S. could jeopardize its status as the most attractive place for science students to conduct research if Congress does not act to stop automatic across-the-board federal budget cuts set for next Friday, said National Institutes of Health Director...
by Cathaleen Chen | Feb 20, 2013 | Politics
Chen/MedillChen/MedillChen/MedillChen/MedillChen/MedillPussy Riot imitators practice their protest dance before the demonstration begins. Chen/MedillChen/MedillChen/MedillThe demonstration featured about 15 performers, all young women. Chen/MedillThe rally is staged...
by Tom Meyer | Feb 20, 2013 | Politics
WASHINGTON — A coalition of Muslim and Jewish advocacy groups called Wednesday for the House of Representatives to pass the Violence Against Women Act after months of delay, saying the U.S. should be a leader in protecting women in the face of violence against...
by Rachel Janik | Feb 20, 2013 | Business, Politics
WASHINGTON — Former Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr. and his wife Sandra Jackson pleaded guilty on Wednesday to felony charges involving misuse of more than $750,000 in campaign money on personal spending. When District Judge Robert Wilkins questioned Jackson on...
by Summer Delaney | Feb 20, 2013 | Business, Politics
Fix the Debt: It’s Full of Baloney from Medill Washington on Vimeo. Video by Catherine Reid. Text by Summer Delaney. WASHINGTON—National labor groups and other activists demonstrated and briefly blocked an intersection in the nation’s capital Tuesday to protest...