Politics & Government

By leasing land for drilling, city leaders in Youngstown, Ohio, hope to generate funds to demolish vacant buildings.

What's Under Youngstown May Help What's On Top

7:18pm May 29, 2013

City leaders in Youngstown, Ohio, are hoping that by leasing land to drilling companies, they might generate funds to demolish vacant homes and buildings. Some refer to this as "frackmolishing," and opponents worry the drilling will cause environmental damage.

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President Obama speaks at the National Defense University in Washington, D.C., on May 23.

Why Obama Wants To Change The Key Law In The Terrorism Fight

7:18pm May 29, 2013

by Ari Shapiro

Almost all of the federal government's actions against terrorism — from drone strikes to the prison at Guantanamo Bay — are authorized by a single law: the Authorization for the Use of Military Force. But President Obama says that with the Afghan war ending and al-Qaida weakened, it's time to limit the law's scope and ultimately have it repealed.

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Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, has proposed cutting three seats from a key D.C. appeals court.

Senators Tussle Over Proposal To 'Unpack' Key D.C. Court

10:47am May 29, 2013

by Carrie Johnson

GOP Sen. Charles Grassley has floated legislation that would cut three seats from the important D.C. Circuit appeals court — just as President Obama prepares to announce his nominees for those jobs. The court is now evenly balanced with four appointees each from Republican and Democratic presidents.

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A bill proposed by the Senate's Gang of Eight (from left, Jeff Flake, R-Ariz.; Marco Rubio, R-Fla.; Charles Schumer, D-N.Y.; John McCain, R-Ariz.; Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.; Bob Menendez, D-N.J.; Dick Durbin, D-Ill.; and Michael Bennet, D-Colo.) has passed o

Immigration Measure Faces Test In Senate, Rival Bill In House

10:47am May 29, 2013

by David Welna

The immigration overhaul proposed by a bipartisan group of senators has been passed out of committee and will soon be brought before the Democratic-led Senate. Less clear, though, is where the issue is headed in the GOP-controlled House, where another bipartisan group is at work on its own bill.

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Politics & Government

Redistricting Issue Heats Up In Texas

10:47am May 29, 2013

by Ben Philpott, KUT News

Texas Gov. Rick Perry called state lawmakers into a special session to deal with district maps used in the 2012 elections. A federal court had ordered new maps to better represent the growing Hispanic population.

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Garment Industry Follows Threads Of Immigration Overhaul

9:31am May 28, 2013

by Sonari Glinton

One industry official says a path to citizenship would improve conditions in the industry, which relies heavily on immigrant labor.

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Politics & Government

Sen. Reid Threatens Nuclear Option To Confirm Nominees

7:59am May 28, 2013

by Ailsa Chang

Senate Republicans have continued blocking a number of President Obama's appointees to run his executive agencies. Majority Leader Harry Reid again has threatened a rules change to permit appointment confirmations with a simple majority vote.

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President Obama speaks about the Affordable Care Act at the White House on May 10.

Obama's Next Big Campaign: Selling Health Care To The Public

7:58am May 28, 2013

by Ari Shapiro

President Obama often tells audiences that he has waged his last campaign. But that's not exactly true. The White House is gearing up for a massive push this summer to get uninsured people to buy health care when sign-ups begin Oct. 1.

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IRS Hearings Highlight Ambiguity Of Nonprofits In Politics

1:19pm May 25, 2013

by Peter Overby

The congressional hearings about the IRS's handling of Tea Party applications for tax-exempt status raise the question of why and how tax-exempt groups engage in politics in the first place.

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President Obama speaks at Ellicott Dredges in Baltimore on May 17. The trip followed a visit by the company's president to Capitol Hill to testify in support of the Keystone XL pipeline. The White House says Obama's speech had nothing to do with Keystone,

Obama Group's Climate Push Puts President Under Scrutiny

12:54pm May 24, 2013

by Ari Shapiro

Organizing for Action — a group that formed out of President Obama's re-election campaign — has focused its ire on Republicans it calls "climate change deniers." But some environmentalists are frustrated with the president himself on issues like the Keystone pipeline.

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