Senate votes to renew expired jobless benefits
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A White House-backed bill to renew expired jobless benefits for 2.2 million Americans cleared a final Republican procedural hurdle on Wednesday in the Democratic-led Senate.
Obamacare enrollment exceeds seven million target despite setback
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Barack Obama’s national healthcare program signed up more than 7 million people by the end of March, the president said on Tuesday, notching a rare victory after a months-long, glitch-filled rollout of the law.
Key senator says U.S. office can lift part of oil export ban
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A U.S. government office has the power to approve exports of an abundant type of petroleum and help energy companies begin to partially bypass a 40-year ban on crude exports, according to a report released on Tuesday by Lisa Murk…
California city weighs minimum wage of $12.30, among nation’s highest
RICHMOND, California (Reuters) – A California city in the pricey San Francisco Bay Area postponed a vote on Tuesday to raise its minimum wage to $12.30, which if passed would be among the highest municipal “living wage” rates in the United States.
Scandal-tainted Washington mayor loses Democratic primary
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – District of Columbia city council member Muriel Bowser swept to victory over scandal-plagued Mayor Vincent Gray in the U.S. capital’s crowded Democratic Party primary on Wednesday.
Stung by scandals, California Democrats cancel signature fundraiser
SACRAMENTO, California (Reuters) – Stung by a string of corruption charges against state lawmakers, California Democrats on Tuesday canceled a golf fundraiser that costs as much as $65,000 per foursome, saying it was time to re-evaluate the relationshi…
U.S. missile defense system could see added costs, delays: report
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. missile defense system could see additional costs and delays after several test failures and technical challenges in 2013, a congressional watchdog agency warned in a new report released Tuesday.
Lawmakers outraged over Iran U.N. choice, seek change in law
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Hardline U.S. lawmakers said on Tuesday they were concerned about Iran’s selection of a U.N. envoy linked to the 1979-1981 hostage crisis, and called on the Obama administration to do what it can to prevent him from taking up the…
House OKs bill calling for weather, not climate, forecasts
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Republican-led U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday advanced a bill that would require U.S. government weather agencies to focus more on predicting storms and less on climate studies.
CEO Barra calls GM’s actions on deadly defect ‘unacceptable’
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – General Motors Co CEO Mary Barra on Tuesday called her company’s slow response to at least 13 deaths linked to faulty ignition switches “unacceptable,” but could not give U.S. lawmakers many answers as to what went wrong as she p…
