GM emails show more unheeded warnings about ignition defects
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. lawmakers on Wednesday accused General Motors Co of a “disturbing pattern” of neglecting safety and revealed emails from 2005 in which a GM employee warned a “big recall” may be necessary over an ignition-switch problem that…
California lawmakers consider expanding teacher tenure despite court ruling
SACRAMENTO Calif. (Reuters) – A union-backed bill in the California legislature to expand tenure protections for public school teachers to other employees stalled on Wednesday amid concern about a court ruling last week that said the practice is uncons…
Defense officials press Congress to back Pentagon spending plans
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Senior defense officials urged lawmakers on Wednesday to accept Pentagon plans to cut troop levels and weapons systems to meet tight federal budgets, saying excessive tinkering could increase risk to the military and leave it poo…
Oakland City Council votes to oppose coal, crude oil trains
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) – The Oakland City Council has unanimously backed a resolution opposing the use of the city’s rail lines to transport crude oil and coal, a move that supporters hope will call attention to proposed projects that would sharply in…
Louisiana governor moves to scrap Common Core education standards
NEW ORLEANS (Reuters) – Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal outlined plans on Wednesday to remove Louisiana schools from the Common Core English and math education standards that he helped usher in four years ago.
New York lawmakers announce measures to confront heroin epidemic
NEW YORK (Reuters) – New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and state lawmakers announced a deal on Wednesday on a series of bills to help address the state’s growing heroin epidemic.
Obama, Congress leaders reviewed options for Iraq: White House
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Barack Obama updated congressional leaders on Wednesday on the situation in Iraq and reviewed what he sees as options for “increased security assistance” for the country, which is grappling with insurgents led by the Is…
Senate panel votes to advance Bay, LaFleur at FERC
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Senate Energy Committee voted on Wednesday to advance the nominations of Norman Bay to be a commissioner of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and Cheryl LaFleur for a second term as commissioner at the utility agency.
U.S. senators want to hike gasoline tax for first time since 1993
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Two U.S. senators on Wednesday said they want to raise the federal gasoline and diesel tax by 12 cents a gallon to prevent a fund that pays for about half of the country’s transportation projects from running out of money in Augu…
Texas court hears arguments on reinstating conviction of ex-Rep. DeLay
AUSTIN Texas (Reuters) – Prosecutors asked the highest criminal court in Texas on Wednesday to reinstate the 2010 convictions of former U.S. House of Representatives Majority Leader Tom Delay for money laundering and conspiracy, saying a lower court er…
