by Rachel Janik | Feb 27, 2013 | Politics
WASHINGTON—The Violence Against Women Act passed an important procedural hurdle in the House Wednesday, but its future remains uncertain. The House now faces votes on not one bill, but two—the version of the bill passed by the Senate two weeks ago and an alternative...
by Josh Solomon | Feb 27, 2013 | Politics
WASHINGTON — Federal Aviation Administration Administrator Michael Huerta warned Wednesday that if mandatory federal budget cuts go into effect as scheduled Friday, the FAA likely would furlough employees, delaying flights at airports around the country. Huerta was...
by Kimberly Railey | Feb 27, 2013 | Politics
Vice President Joe Biden worked to create a larger support group for President Barack Obama’s gun control proposals at the National Association of Attorneys General meeting on Wednesday. (Audrey Cheng/Medill)Vice President Joe Biden said the special election win...
by Marshall Cohen | Feb 27, 2013 | Business, Politics
Most states follow the federal minimum wage, but some states have taken matters into their own hands and raised the pay limit. Graphic by Marshall Cohen/MedillWASHINGTON — President Barack Obama caught the political world off guard when he proposed raising the minimum...
by Catherine Reid | Feb 27, 2013 | Politics
WASHINGTON — When comedian Seth MacFarlane joked about Jews running Hollywood during the Academy Awards, the Anti-Defamation League quickly labeled the remark “offensive and not remotely funny.” An official of the ADL told a congressional hearing Wednesday that...
by Kris Anne Bonifacio | Feb 27, 2013 | Living, Politics
WASHINGTON – Supreme Court justices pointedly questioned two key provisions of the Voting Rights Act on Wednesday, possibly signaling trouble for the landmark civil rights legislation. During oral arguments in Shelby County v. Holder, conservative justices questioned...
by Fritz T. Burgher | Feb 26, 2013 | Health & Science, Politics
WASHINGTON — When Alonzo J. King, Jr. was arrested for threatening a group of people with a shotgun in Wicomico County, Md., he quickly pled guilty and was convicted of second-degree assault. However, what transpired during his arrest has brought his case to the...
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 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...
