Politics & Government

Politics & Government

Sen. Grassley Says Obama Court Nominations Wrong Decision

11:25am June 12, 2013

Republican Sen. Charles Grassley of Iowa is the ranking senator on the Senate Judiciary Committee and he has championed elimination of seats on the U.S. court of appeals for the District of Columbia. Sen. Grassley says the workload of the court doesn't warrant the number of justices and other courts could benefit from those seats. All Things Considered host Audie Cornish talks with the senator about the president's nominations to the court Tuesday.

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President Obama announces in the White House Rose Garden on Tuesday his nominations of (from left) Robert Wilkins, Cornelia Pillard and Patricia Millett to fill vacancies on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia.

Obama's D.C. Court Nominations Heat Up Battle With Senate

11:25am June 12, 2013

by Scott Horsley

The president announced Tuesday his picks for three vacant spots on the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, considered the second most important court in the nation. Getting nominees through the Senate has been a struggle, and by announcing three at once, the president is putting pressure on Republicans.

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A Predator drone operated by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office of Air and Marine taxis for a flight over southern Arizona near the Mexican border on March 7 from Fort Huachuca in Sierra Vista, Ariz.

Border Drones Fly Into Fight Over Immigration

6:21pm June 11, 2013

by Ted Robbins

The immigration bill now under consideration by the Senate calls for drones to patrol the U.S. border 24/7. Supporters say that means more drones are needed. But critics argue there's no evidence the drones already flying are cost-effective.

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Plan B One-Step might be the only emergency contraceptive available to all ages without a prescription.

Administration's Plan For Morning-After Pill Pleases No One

6:20pm June 11, 2013

by Julie Rovner

The Obama administration's move to drop opposition to over-the-counter sales of emergency contraception is pleasing no one. It proposes making just one brand-name form available to all ages without a prescription.

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Jasmine Chestnut at her internship at the Center for American Progress in Washington. An at-risk student, Chestnut had almost given up on college when a nonprofit network supported by the government's Social Innovation Fund helped her get back on track.

Can Federal Funds Help Social Service Groups Work Smarter?

6:20pm June 11, 2013

by Pam Fessler

The Obama administration's Social Innovation Fund has spent millions to help scores of nonprofits develop innovative solutions to pressing social problems. While participating groups say they're helping thousands of people, it's not yet clear what the government is getting for its money.

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Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, is among the lawmakers who say they were never briefed about the government's surveillance programs.

What Did Congress Really Know About NSA Tracking?

6:20pm June 11, 2013

by Ailsa Chang

The White House maintains it had sufficiently briefed Congress on the Internet and phone data monitoring programs leaked last week, but many lawmakers vehemently disagree.

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Third-generation Oklahoma farmer Scott Neufeld says crop insurance is important to his family's business.

How The Senate Farm Bill Would Change Subsidies

3:40pm June 11, 2013

by Tamara Keith

The Senate passed legislation Monday that would do away with direct payments to farmers and instead create an expanded crop insurance program. It's designed to protect farmers from losses, but some say it amounts to a highly subsidized gift to agribusiness.

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As Government Surveillance Powers Grow, Privacy Is Redefined

5:33am June 11, 2013

by Martin Kaste

Since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, the public has had several glimpses of the government's growing surveillance powers. The Bush administration had a program so secret, it dispensed with judicial warrants altogether. The resulting scandals and lawsuits appear to have done little to roll back the spying.

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Feds Buckle On Emergency Contraception Age Restrictions

5:23am June 11, 2013

The administration had been trying to appeal a judge's ruling to make the morning-after birth control pill available over the counter with no age restrictions. The Justice Department said it would obey the order — sort of. The FDA may soon approve the over-the-counter sale of Plan B One Step without a prescription.

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Will Surveillance Disclosure Lead To More Oversight Of NSA?

5:23am June 11, 2013

by Larry Abramson

When surveillance laws were revised in 2012, Congress expressed great concerns that without proper oversight intelligence agencies would engage in the sort of monitoring that has been uncovered in recent days. Congress put a number of safeguards in place, but rejected others that would have guarantee more public discussion about what the NSA does.

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