Politics: Issues

Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., apologized for an alleged sexual assault incident on a 2006 USO tour.

Sen. Al Franken Accused Of Sexual Assault By LA Model And Radio Host

4:05pm November 16, 2017

by Brian Naylor

The Minnesota Democrat put out a statement apologizing for the 2006 incident, in which he is accused of forcibly kissing a woman while on a USO tour and later groping her while she was sleeping.

Senators Introduce Bipartisan Deal To Tighten Reporting For Gun Purchases

12:19pm November 16, 2017

by Scott Neuman

A group of senators led by John Cornyn, R-Texas, unveiled legislation to ensure that federal agencies upload records to the national background check database.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., at a news conference on Tuesday where they announced that the individual mandate to have health insurance would be repealed in the Senate GOP tax bill.

Republican Senators Add Repeal Of Individual Health Care Mandate To Tax Bill

5:59pm November 14, 2017

by Kelsey Snell

Republican leaders expressed confidence that the measure could pass the Senate. It is likely to face even fewer hurdles in the House, as the GOP aims to pass a tax bill by Christmas.

Immigrants from El Salvador who entered the country illegally walk through a bus after they were released from a family detention center in San Antonio, Texas, in 2015.

National

More Jurisdictions To Provide Legal Defense For Immigrants At Risk Of Deportation

6:14am November 12, 2017

by Jose Olivares

More cities and counties across the U.S. will now be using public funds to provide representation for immigrants at risk of being deported.

Politics & Government

Rep. Mark Walker On How The GOP Plans To Pass Tax Legislation By The End Of 2017

9:26am November 11, 2017

NPR's Robert Siegel talks to Republican Mark Walker of North Carolina about what's in the tax legislation from Senate Republicans and how the party plans to get it passed by the end of the year.

Queue Listen Now

Seated behind a stack of IRS and tax volumes, Rep. Tom Reed, R-N.Y. (left), and Rep. Mike Kelly, R-Pa., attend a Ways and Means Committee debate on the GOP tax plan on Wednesday.

Politics & Government

Republicans Move On Tax Overhaul In House And Senate

6:52am November 09, 2017

by Kelsey Snell

The House Ways and Means Committee is expected to approve a sweeping plan to cut taxes for most individuals and businesses. Senate Republicans are set to unveil their own vision for taxes.

House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady, R-Texas, and Rep. Richard Neal, D-Mass., listen to debate on tax reform on Wednesday.

CBO: Repealing Health Coverage Mandate Would Save $338 Billion

9:50pm November 08, 2017

by Alison Kodjak

Republicans have been toying with repealing the Affordable Care Act insurance mandate in their tax bill. The Congressional Budget Office says that would save money but make coverage much more costly.

President Trump, shown speaking to reporters at the White House, has called the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act a "ridiculous" law.

Trump Used To Disparage An Anti-Bribery Law; Will He Enforce It Now?

5:41am November 08, 2017

by Jim Zarroli

The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, a 1977 U.S. law, bars payoffs to foreign officials by companies. Its global reach has helped fight corruption. But the law has critics, including President Trump.

House Speaker Paul Ryan talks about the GOP tax bill during a news conference at the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday.

Politics & Government

GOP Tax Bill Could Pass The House By Next Week

6:11pm November 07, 2017

by Kelsey Snell

A committee vote is expected this week that would send the bill to the full House for a vote. Meanwhile, Senate Republicans are releasing their version of tax legislation in the coming days.

House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady, R-Texas, places books of the current tax code on the dais during Monday's markup of the Republicans' tax overhaul plan.

A Math 'Gimmick'? GOP Proposes Creating New Tax Policies, Then Letting Them Expire

1:45pm November 07, 2017

by Danielle Kurtzleben

Republicans set up some of their most-touted tax overhaul ideas to expire in five years, but it's possible they have no intention of letting those proposals die.