by James Arkin | Feb 16, 2012 | Education
WASHINGTON –The No Child Left Behind education law that was a hallmark of the Bush administration has been due for a five-year renewal since 2007, but Congress, mired in partisan battles over education policy, has only been able to muster support for annual renewals....
by Megan Neunan | Feb 16, 2012 | Education
Arne Duncan said funds to raise teacher pay are already in the system. He suggested money exists in sections of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act targeting low-income students and teacher training. (MNS) WASHINGTON — In its search for better schools,...
by Shirley Li | Feb 15, 2012 | Business, Politics
WASHINGTON – Chinese Vice President and expected future leader Xi Jinping urged international stability Wednesday between the U.S. and China, calling for a “mutually beneficial relationship” in a speech before business leaders on the second day of his U.S. tour....
by Chris Kirk | Feb 15, 2012 | Environment
Interior Department Budget Proposal By the numbers – $11.4 billion: Total proposed budget, an increase of 1 percent – $65 million: Funds projected to be raised from an increased offshore oil and gas inspection fee, $3 million more than what Congress...
by Ariel Rothfield | Feb 15, 2012 | Environment, Politics
Congressmen, veterans and energy assistance groups gather at the House Triangle to push for funding for the Low Income Energy Assistance Program, which provides subsidized home heating. (Jaclyn Skurie/Medill)Rep. John Larson, D-Conn., and Rep. Peter Welch, D-Vt., chat...
by Kit Fox | Feb 15, 2012 | Business, National Security
Photo by STS-122 Shuttle Crew / NASA WASHINGTON — The Star Wars soundtrack blasted out of the speaker system as yellow words faded into a starry landscape on the projector. “Commercial: the new future of space” rolled across the screen. At the 15th annual Federal...
by Mattias Gugel | Feb 15, 2012 | Business, Politics
WASHINGTON — Acting budget director Jeffrey Zients struggled to stay on script defending President Barack Obama’s budget proposal when he faced fire about its claimed savings from a Republican-controlled budget committee on Wednesday. This was part of Zients’ two-day...
by Ben Kamisar | Feb 15, 2012 | Business, Politics
WASHINGTON — For Buddy Roemer, it’s all about the Benjamins. But he’ll only accept one at a time. The former governor and congressman from Louisiana and current presidential candidate has capped his campaign contributions at just $100 per donor in a...
by Edwin Rios | Feb 15, 2012 | National Security
WASHINGTON — There is a growing need for improved relations between the federal government and private companies to protect the nation’s cyber networks, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano told a House committee Wednesday. Napolitano called for more...
by Ariel Rothfield | Feb 15, 2012 | Environment, Politics
WASHINGTON— Rep. Ed Markey, D-Mass., planned to announce details today of a bill that would keep home heating assistance at its current level of funding. The announcement comes days after President Barack Obama unveiled his 2013 budget, which proposes reducing the...
by Ed Demaria | Feb 15, 2012 | Politics
WASHINGTON — Republicans and Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee clashed repeatedly on Wednesday over the legality of President Barack Obama’s recent recess appointments. Committee Chairman Lamar Smith, R-Texas, said the president circumvented the rules of the...
by Patrick Svitek | Feb 14, 2012 | Environment
The Sierra Club’s Kate Colarulli jokes with a fellow environmentalist while carrying the boxes to Capitol Hill. (MNS)A member of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell’s communications staff accepts another flash drive with all the signatures loaded on it....
