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GOP senators boycott vote on McCarthy for EPA
Frustrated by what they call a lack of transparency from the EPA, all eight Republican senators on the Environment and Public Works committee boycotted a scheduled vote on Obama nominee Gina McCarthy to head the EPA.
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Fertilizer plant blast: how lax security hints at regulatory gaps in Texas
The Texas fertilizer plant, targeted for years by thieves who wanted anhydrous ammonia to produce drugs, reportedly had no fence, alarms, or guards. Yet state regulators raised few security concerns before the deadly blast.
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Hagel to review Air Force sexual assault case
Newly confirmed Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said Monday he will review the case of an Air Force lieutenant colonel, convicted of sexual assault, whose conviction was thrown out by the Air Force general overseeing the court martial.
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Opinion: The fall and rise of Chuck Hagel: a good sign for US-Israel relations
Chuck Hagel, President Obama's controversial nominee for secretary of Defense, faces his Senate confirmation hearing today. His rise after a wave of objections is a welcome sign that 'daylight' between US and Israeli policies may be becoming more politically acceptable in Washington.
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Police in schools 'not the answer,' coalition says, urging broader strategy
Civil rights groups, educators, and law enforcement representatives say police in schools, 'while well-intentioned,' can end up causing other problems for students the police are there to protect.
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Decoder Wire Taxing the rich: why $250,000 became the benchmark
Some Democrats had sought an income threshold well above $250,000. But since the election campaign and in 'fiscal cliff' talks, that's the number President Obama has settled on. Here's what's behind it.
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Decoder Wire Rand Paul slams Ashley Judd as too liberal for Kentucky. Is he right? (+video)
Actress/activist Ashley Judd has adopted causes that, however worthy, are national as opposed to Kentuckian in scope. Sen. Rand Paul (R) talked about her activism in a radio interview Wednesday.
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Decoder Wire Is Donald Trump trying to sabotage the Republican Party? (+video)
The discredited 'birther' stuff and more insinuations about Obama’s character won't appeal to the slice of the electorate Mitt Romney needs to win in the campaign's waning days. We’re pretty sure Donald Trump knows that.
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California gas prices take a dip, amid calls to investigate the spike
Californians are still reeling from the unprecedented spike in gas prices last week – for no apparent reason. Lawmakers call for a federal investigation of whether foul play sent prices soaring.
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Fed easing: How many homeowners will it really help?
Federal Reserve's new push to ease mortgage rates won't help underwater homeowners and those with bad credit. Despite current low rates, two-thirds of homeowners have interest rates above 5 percent.
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US, Israel play down differences over Iran
As the presidential election approaches, the US and Israel are playing down any differences regarding Iran’s nuclear capabilities, although defining any 'red line' remains elusive. In the Strait of Hormuz, the US is leading a major naval exercise aimed at Iran.
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In keeping student loan rates low, Congress sends hidden message
The House and Senate passed measures to address student loan rates, transportation funding, and flood insurance, showing that when Congress wants to get things done, it can.
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Saving Money Hitting the road for July 4th? 7 ways to save on rental cars.
Checking for recalled models and not overpaying for gas are good ways to ensure that renting a car isn't a ripoff.
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Congress moves toward passage of highway bill, takes action on student loans
The burst of legislating comes just four months before the November elections, giving lawmakers achievements to show off to voters who have increasingly held Congress in low esteem.
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New EPA guidelines on soot: a political cloud for Obama?
Forced by a federal court to act, the EPA issued new clean air guidelines lowering permissible levels of soot. The move was attacked by Republicans and industry leaders as harming the economy.
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Transportation bill, not yet passed, already blasted by critics
House and Senate negotiators are considering how to mesh two very different transportation bills, but experts and lobbyists say neither bill addresses the fundamental problems.
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'War on women' rhetoric turns nuclear power spat radioactive
The head of the US nuclear power watchdog on Friday refuted allegations that he bullies women colleagues in a controversy that involves several political subplots.
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Highway bill clears Senate, but GOP dissenters foreshadow House fight
Some senators challenged not just how to pay for a $109 billion highway bill, but also whether Washington should even continue its role financing the nation's roads, bridges, and ports.
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Blunt amendment brings culture wars to Congress
The Blunt amendment would attach a provision to a key highway bill that would let employers opt out of a new federal health-care mandate for their employees if they have religious objections.
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Boehner vows Congress will reverse Obama birth control policy
Congress enters the church-state fray over the Obama policy on birth control, with House Speaker John Boehner saying Wednesday that lawmakers will reverse it if the White House doesn't.
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Is Gary Johnson right about shovel-ready jobs? 5 infrastructure challenges.
Republican presidential candidate Gary Johnson scored a rhetorical winner in a Republican debate Thursday by saying that his neighbor's dogs 'have created more shovel-ready jobs than this current administration.' But President Obama's latest jobs plan includes a call for more spending on roads and bridges, an idea that has at least some Republican support. Here's a look at the debate over infrastructure and the economy.
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Targeting the rich, Obama takes Democrats back to their roots
By saying the rich should pay their 'fair share' in taxes, President Obama is taking up an argument that Democrats have largely avoided for years. With a presidential election and 'supercommittee' budget cuts in the balance, the political stakes could hardly be higher.
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In countering Obama on jobs plan, Boehner gives hint of compromise (VIDEO)
While Republicans and Obama are still far apart on how to create new jobs, Boehner signals the possibility of agreement on new infrastructure spending.
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Obama drops smog plan: Is it all about the presidential election?
Environmentalists say President Obama is dropping a plan to set new air-quality standards with one eye on on the presidential election. The administration says it is waiting for more research.
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Obama says Congress will kill jobs if highway funds aren't extended
Funding for road projects and the gasoline tax expire on Sept. 30, leaving Congress not much time to act when lawmakers return from vacation. Obama says 1 million jobs are at stake.
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