Bear hunting and sharia law among ballot measures in U.S. election
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – (This November 4, 2014 story was refiled to correct the last paragraph to state that Arkansas voters chose to keep laws prohibiting alcohol sales in the state’s dry counties, not that voters chose to end alcohol prohibition in th…
White House declines to say whether Obama would veto a Keystone bill
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The White House said on Thursday that President Barack Obama would consider any bill passed by Congress approving TransCanada’s Keystone XL crude oil pipeline, but declined to say whether Obama would veto such a bill.
Obama, Republicans sound conciliatory note but battles loom
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Barack Obama and his powerful U.S. Senate adversary struck a conciliatory tone on Wednesday, but Obama’s plans to proceed with new immigration rules foreshadowed a bumpy start to his relationship with a Republican-contr…
U.S. Veterans Affairs to seek more healthcare funds: secretary
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. Veterans Affairs Department will seek further budget increases to deal with medical appointment backlogs and the mounting costs of caring for Iraq and Afghanistan veterans, VA Secretary Bob McDonald said on Thursday.
Obama adds Kentucky presence to White House team
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Barack Obama will add a popular Kentucky Democrat to his team at the White House, naming Jerry Abramson, the state’s lieutenant governor who was mayor of Louisville for 21 years, as director of intergovernmental affairs…
Despite election defeat, foreign policy is not ‘game over’ for Obama
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – From marauding jihadists in Iraq to pro-Russian separatists in Ukraine and beheadings of Americans in Syria, a world in crisis has fanned perceptions of an overwhelmed U.S. president and contributed to a Republican sweep of U.S. …
Election results could boost Republican governors, Clinton campaign for 2016
NEW YORK (Reuters) – The sweeping Republican triumph in the midterm elections boosted the 2016 presidential prospects of three of the party’s highest-profile governors, but Democrats on Wednesday said there also could be a silver lining for Hillary Cli…
Missouri ban on same-sex marriage unconstitutional, court rules
(Reuters) – Missouri’s ban on same-sex marriage is unconstitutional, a St. Louis circuit judge ruled on Wednesday, adding momentum to efforts in states across the country to legalize gay nuptials.
Washington state voters approve measure to expand gun background checks
SEATTLE (Reuters) – Legislation to expand background checks for gun buyers in Washington state passed overwhelmingly, election results showed on Wednesday, making the state the first in the country to close the so-called gun-show loophole through popul…
Muni investors worried about tax impact from U.S. midterms
NEW YORK (Reuters) – Sweeping changes in the Senate have rekindled old worries for U.S. municipal bond investors about a clean-up of the tax code that could impact bonds, however, fundamental changes to the tax treatment of munis is seen unlikely.