Obamacare enrollment in California surges
NEW YORK (Reuters) – California’s Obamacare insurance marketplace experienced a surge in enrollment last week, officials said on Thursday, offering welcome news for President Barack Obama’s sweeping healthcare law from a state crucial to its success.
U.S. House passes bill authorizing $633 billion in defense spending
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. House of Representatives approved the annual defense policy bill on Thursday, authorizing $633 billion in spending for 2014, strengthening protections for victims of sexual assault in the military and easing some transfe…
Stopgap farm bill passes U.S. House, averts ‘dairy cliff’
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. House of Representatives passed a stopgap farm measure on Thursday to avert a potential doubling in dairy prices next month while lawmakers wrap up a new farm bill that cuts food stamps for the poor and expands subsidize…
U.S. House passes two-year budget plan; Senate vote next week
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Republican-controlled U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday passed a two-year, bipartisan budget plan that would end some automatic spending cuts on federal agencies and replace them with more targeted government savings….
U.S. Treasury official urges Senate action on tax treaties
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A U.S. Treasury official on Thursday called on the Senate to ratify five tax treaties the United States has signed with other nations but that have languished without a vote since 2011.
U.S. Congress poised to limit contractor pay: Is $487,000 a year enough?
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Congress is poised to nearly halve the salary cap for U.S. government contractors after years of dramatic increases driven by skyrocketing executive pay.
Biden, Japan PM Abe discuss East China Sea dispute
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. Vice President Joe Biden and Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Thursday discussed tensions with China in the East China Sea and stressed the importance of security cooperation between the United States, Japan and South Kore…
U.S. lays out steps to smooth Obamacare coverage in January
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Obama administration called on private health insurers on Thursday to make it easier for Americans to obtain coverage and access medical services starting January 1, even if technical troubles or other issues prevent timely e…
U.S. Congress, CIA still feuding over interrogations and secret prisons
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Senate Intelligence Committee and Central Intelligence Agency still have major disagreements over a huge report the committee is trying to complete that is highly critical of harsh counter-terrorism practices such as “waterbo…
White House bid to hold off Iran sanctions gains backing
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Barack Obama’s campaign for Congress to hold off on new sanctions over Iran’s nuclear program won a key endorsement on Thursday when the chairman of the U.S. Senate Banking Committee rejected tightening measures against…
