Topic: U.S. Government Accountability Office

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Gay rights in America: How states stand on 7 hot-button issues

The tapestry of federal and state laws surrounding gay rights is enormously complex. Here is a look at each state's laws regarding issues ranging from gay marriage to hate crimes to hospital visitation.
Can AT&T buy T-Mobile? Five key factors.

The proposed merger of AT&T and T-Mobile presents the Obama administration with a major anti-trust dilemma. Federal regulators will consider several factors to determine whether to allow the two telecom competitors to merge:
National debt ceiling 101: Is a crisis looming?

In a year of high drama over federal budgets, the nation’s so-called national debt ceiling is becoming a prominent part of the political debate. The Treasury is close to hitting this borrowing limit, yet many in Congress say the ceiling shouldn’t be raised without new commitments to put America on a path of fiscal prudence. Here’s a guide to how the ceiling works and what’s at stake for the economy.

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Gay rights in America: How states stand on 7 hot-button issues

The tapestry of federal and state laws surrounding gay rights is enormously complex. Here is a look at each state's laws regarding issues ranging from gay marriage to hate crimes to hospital visitation.
Decoder Wire
Boehner says Obama misuses Air Force One for political trips. Is he right?

Using taxpayer dollars to fly to battleground states to make political points is 'pathetic,' Boehner says. But presidents running for reelection are often accused of using perks of office to unfair advantage – and guidelines are not clear.
Senate staves off postal Armageddon with USPS reform bill

Postal bill averts 3,700 post-office closings for at least two years, but fails to address deeper, structural problems in how the postal service manages a vast operation, rivaled only by Wal-Mart in total employment.
Postal Service closings? System faces cash crunch. Again.

Postal Service closings could mean longer lines and possibly slower delivery if Congress doesn't move to alleviate the system's cash crunch. But the alternative to Postal Service closings would mean using tax money.
How can Navy stop sexual assaults? First, admit they happen, admiral says.

Two to three sexual assaults were reported daily in the Navy in 2010, and alcohol was a key factor in most cases, the admiral says, adding that the attacks erode trust and readiness in the force.
Andrew Breitbart, conservative publisher, was powerful, polarizing force

Andrew Breitbart's website, bigjournalism.com, announced his death in Los Angeles on Thursday.
Lesson of L.A. teacher sex-crime case: Heed children who report abuse

Mark Berndt, who taught at a Los Angeles school for more than 30 years, is charged with 23 counts of committing lewd acts on children since 2005. Two former students say they reported him 20 years ago.
Way cleared for horse slaughter to resume in US after 5-year ban

Congress has restored funding for US inspectors to oversee horse slaughter, paving the way for slaughter and processing to resume for the first time since 2006. Animal rights groups are livid.
Another Solyndra already? Some worry even worse is coming.

Beacon Power, like Solyndra a recipient of a federal loan guarantee under the DOE's renewable energy program, has declared bankruptcy, leaving taxpayers to pay the tab. But the firm is tiny. Bigger ones are out there.
JetBlue flight sits on tarmac for seven hours. Will anyone be fined?

Airlines can be fined $27,500 per passenger for flights that sit on the tarmac for more than three hours. But critics say enforcement has been too soft. The JetBlue delay could be a test.
We Meant Well: How I Helped Lose the Battle for the Hearts and Minds of the Iraqi People

A US State Department insider examines the one thing no one in Iraq wanted to admit: defeat.
Payday lenders prey on the poor, costing Americans billions. Will Washington act?

The minimally regulated, fast growing payday lending industry strips Americans of billions annually. It's time for the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to implement regulations to curb predatory lending so that a $400 loan doesn't put a borrower thousands of dollars in debt.
Are federal social programs working? No one knows.

Most federal social programs have never been evaluated for true effectiveness. The good news is that they are ideally situated for just such study.
Common politics muddy waters in rare earth discovery

After a Japanese researchers found rare earths near Hawaii, some are questioning the timing of the announcement
How Capitol Hill sniping could set off a national debt ceiling bomb

Even as both parties cite the need for progress on the budget, the partisan sniping is becoming unusually personal. Could markets get the jitters if the rancor lasts up to the debt ceiling deadline?
Tax VOX
Should everybody pay income taxes?

A broad swath of Americans don't pay taxes. Do they have 'skin in the game' in America's success?
Freelance jobs: Half of all new jobs in recovery?

Freelance jobs are up 52 percent at Elance. The number of entrepreneurs are at a 15-year high. But the growth in freelance jobs mean less security for the workforce.
Identity theft on tax returns soars

Identity theft involving tax returns rose fivefold between 2008 and 2010, a new study shows. Taxpayer identity theft typically involves stealing Social Security numbers and filing for refunds early.
Follow the money: Should the US cut aid to Pakistan?

Secretary of State Clinton said today that the US wants 'long-term' security ties with Pakistan. But in the wake of the bin Laden raid, some Americans and Pakistanis alike want to downgrade ties – and aid.
Many industries reap tax breaks. Is picking on Big Oil unfair?

The oil industry is under fire from congressional Democrats for reaping big tax breaks even while amassing huge profits. Executives from major oil companies testified Thursday on Capitol Hill.
Obama immigration speech in Texas: a bald plea to Hispanic voters

The partisan tone of Obama's speech on immigration reform and the barbs he aimed at Republicans made it clear he was courting Hispanic voters whose support he will need in 2012.
Immigration reform and border security: Obama's standards

Immigration reform depends on sustainable, provable security along the southern border. But Obama, in a speech in El Paso today, hopes to change the meaning of security.
A space tourism trip to the moon? It could happen by 2015.

A space tourism study by Space Adventures suggests that 140 private citizens could reach orbit by 2020, and it is promoting its own 17-day excursion that includes orbiting the moon.
How the US is like North Korea

Much of North Korea’s population is starving, yet its government pours money into missile and nuclear programs. Such behavior seems to be the height of irrationality. But North Korea is only following the international community’s – especially America’s – example.
The New Economy
Libya turmoil highlights US military spending. Next step: cuts.

US military action in Libya has led to new concerns about defense spending in Washington. It's time for Congress to make cuts.