Governing

Vice President Biden at a December 2012 meeting of police chiefs on gun control, held in Washington, D.C.

Administration Still Fighting For Assault Weapons Ban, Biden Says

12:00pm March 21, 2013

by Frank James

The vice president's comments in an interview with NPR come despite signs that such a ban doesn't have enough support, even from members of his own party, to make it through the Democratic-controlled Senate.

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Is your family budget really like the federal budget?

How The Federal Budget Is Just Like Your Family Budget (Or Not)

7:51pm March 19, 2013

by Tamara Keith

Amid the budget debate, there's one comparison you hear a lot. As House Speaker John Boehner has put it: "Every family in America has to balance their budget. Washington should, too." But just how accurate is that analogy?

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Michigan Sen. Carl Levin speaks in Dearborn on Feb. 4.

Politics & Government

Retiring Carl Levin Says He Wants To Leave The Senate Fighting

5:36pm March 13, 2013

by NPR Staff

The Michigan senator tells NPR he wants to focus on the fiscal battle, not campaigning, in his last two years. He wants to push for ending tax loopholes and advocate for programs like education, health care and infrastructure.

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The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives has not had a permanent administrator since Congress required that the director be confirmed by the Senate in 2006.

Politics & Government

Senate Mostly Blamed For Agency And Court Vacancies, But Obama Isn't Helping

11:50am March 08, 2013

by Brian Naylor

Lack of a director can leave a federal agency treading water on policy and personnel issues, and several major agencies have been leaderless for years. The Senate also needs to act before federal judgeships can be filled, and some 10 percent of those jobs are vacant.

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President Obama speaks to reporters in the White House briefing room on Friday following a meeting with congressional leaders.

Obama Looks For A Spring Thaw With Congress To Start Melting Deficit

12:44pm March 07, 2013

by Scott Horsley

With across-the-board spending cuts now on autopilot, there's a momentary lull in Washington's budget brinksmanship. So the president is using this window to try to craft a more lasting approach to the federal debt.

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House Speaker John Boehner answers reporters' questions after the weekly House Republican caucus meeting with (from left) Rep. Kevin McCarthy, Rep. Lynn Jenkins, Majority Leader Eric Cantor and Rep. Steve Daines on Tuesday.

Politics & Government

The Boehner Rule? Speaker Bucks House GOP For Some Legislation

11:18am March 06, 2013

by Tamara Keith

House Speaker John Boehner is getting things done at times in spite of his Republican majority. Three major pieces of legislation that passed the House this year did so without the support of the majority of his party's lawmakers.

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Mapping The Effects Of The Sequester On Science

1:03pm March 01, 2013

On Friday March 1, automatic cuts known as the 'sequester' go into effect across the federal budget. Michael Lubell of the American Physical Society discusses what scientific programs will likely be affected, in fields from medical research to renewable energy development.

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Countdown To Sequester: 3 Stories That Sum It Up

8:08am February 28, 2013

by Scott Neuman

A report says the biggest sequester burden will fall on the Washington, D.C., area, while the Pentagon is already shuffling deployments to save money.

Children eat breakfast at a federally funded Head Start program. Many Head Start administrators are concerned they may have to cut back on the number of enrolled children if the sequester moves ahead.

Sequester Spells Uncertainty For Many Public Schools

5:57pm February 27, 2013

by Claudio Sanchez

Most public schools are unlikely to feel the effects of the sequester before September. But educators and administrators nationwide are worried they may be forced to cut Head Start enrollment, after-school programs, reading coaches and even teachers when those budget reductions hit.

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Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood (left) answers questions during a briefing with White House Press Secretary Jay Carney on Friday.

What's The Sequester? And How Did We Get Here?

7:26pm February 22, 2013

by Scott Horsley

They've been everywhere this week: dire warnings about threats posed by across-the-board federal spending cuts. But what's the real story? Here are the answers to four burning questions about the cuts known as "the sequester."

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