Latest Politics Headlines
All the headlines from our Politics Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Senate Deals Blow to Bank Deposit Insurance
Dec 14 2012 // Efforts by small banks to protect a financial crisis-era deposit insurance program suffered a significant setback on Thursday when a bill to extend the program failed to survive a procedural vote in the U.S. Senate. The...
Senate Debates Renewal of Federal Deposit Insurance But House May Balk
Dec 11 2012 // The U.S. Senate voted on Tuesday to begin debating a bill that would keep a financial crisis-era deposit insurance program in place for two more years, but it will likely face strong opposition from the...
Florida’s Ex-Republican Governor Crist Eyes Return as Democrat
Dec 10 2012 // Former Florida Gov. Charlie Crist, who was elected the state’s chief executive as a Republican and then ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate as an independent, has announced that he’s switching to the...
Time Running Out for Senate on Farm, Crop Insurance Bill
Dec 7 2012 // With a week left to act, agricultural leaders in Congress are still deadlocked on two major issues for a new U.S. farm bill, cuts in crop subsidies and reductions in food stamps, said two of the four key negotiators on...
US Senate OK’s Russia Trade w/ Human Rights Bill; Angry Russian Reaction
Dec 7 2012 // The U.S. Senate on Thursday approved legislation to punish Russian human rights violators as part of a broader bill to expand U.S. trade with Washington’s former Cold War enemy. Passage of the bill, by a 92-4 vote,...
Ohio Senate Panel Advances Asbestos Lawsuit Bill
Dec 6 2012 // An Ohio Senate committee advanced a bill on Dec. 4 aimed at curbing duplicate lawsuits over on-the-job asbestos exposure in a state with one of the largest backlogs of such cases in the nation. The bill cleared the...
GOP Support Helps Move Illinois Immigrant Driver’s License Bill
Dec 6 2012 // A plan that would allow illegal immigrants in Illinois to get driver’s licenses cleared another hurdle on Dec. 4, with the state Senate approving the measure hours after Republican leaders in the General Assembly...
Top Illinois Republicans Back Immigrants’ Drivers’ Licenses
Dec 5 2012 // Top Illinois Republicans have announced their support for providing driver’s licenses to illegal immigrants. House Minority Leader Tom Cross of Oswego and Senate Minority Leader Christine Radogno joined former GOP...
Illinois Senate Panel OKs Drivers Licenses for Illegal Immigrants
Dec 2 2012 // Supporters of licensing illegal immigrants to drive say it would make Illinois roads safer with trained motorists required to carry insurance. The Senate Executive Committee voted 12-2 to advance the plan for some of the...
Congressional Leaders Push to Pass Farm, Crop Insurance Bill
Nov 30 2012 // With time running out, agricultural leaders in Congress vowed on Thursday to do everything they can to pass a farm bill that cuts spending by at least $23 billion – savings that could assure support by lawmakers...
Senate Preparing New Iran Sanctions, Expanded Insurance Ban
Nov 28 2012 // New sanctions aimed at reducing global trade with Iran in the energy, shipping and metals sectors may soon be considered by the U.S. Senate as part of an annual defense policy bill, senators and aides said on Tuesday. The...
Five Republican Governors Reject State-Run Health Exchanges
Nov 19 2012 // Five Republican governors rejected on Friday a major provision of President Barack Obama’s healthcare reform law that calls on states to set up online health insurance markets where consumers can purchase private...
Senate Kills Cybersecurity Bill
Nov 15 2012 // Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid declared a U.S. cybersecurity bill, opposed by business and privacy groups, dead on Wednesday after it failed a test vote for the second time. The bill would have increased...
Obama Administration Gives States Extra Time on Health Exchanges
Nov 11 2012 // The Obama administration gave states extra time to work toward setting up new health insurance exchanges on Friday, days after President Barack Obama’s re-election ensured the survival of his healthcare reform...
GOP Holds on to Michigan Supreme Court Majority
Nov 9 2012 // Republicans will hold on to their 4-3 majority on the Michigan Supreme Court after winning two of three up-for-grabs seats. Voters selected GOP nominees Stephen Markman and Brian Zahra, both current justices who were...
Senate Banking Committee Post Possible for Wall Street Critic Warren
Nov 9 2012 // The chances are good, but not guaranteed, that Elizabeth Warren will secure a highly coveted seat on the Senate Banking Committee, a move that would dramatically elevate her campaign against Wall Street excess. Senior...
Tennessee Senate Hopeful Sues Government Over Nashville Flood Damage
Oct 18 2012 // A state Senate candidate is suing the Army Corps of Engineers and the National Weather Service over damage to his home during the 2010 Nashville flood. Phillip North’s suit claims that the two federal agencies were...
Ads for Mass. Senate Hopeful Warren Defend Legal Work in Asbestos Case
Oct 10 2012 // Democratic Senate hopeful Elizabeth Warren has launched two new television ads responding to criticism by Republican Sen. Scott Brown of her legal work in an asbestos-related case. Brown also released a new ad Monday,...
Republicans Opposing 3 Florida Justices
Sep 24 2012 // The Republican Party of Florida is injecting itself into this year’s state Supreme Court elections. The party’s executive board last week voted to oppose three justices who are seeking a new six-year term...
Delaware Commissioner Wins Democratic Primary
Sep 24 2012 // Delaware Insurance Commissioner Karen Weldin Stewart beat out three challengers in a competitive Sept. 11 Democratic primary. Of some 47,602 votes cast statewide, Commissioner Stewart won 15,590 votes — representing 32.7...
