Latest Politics Headlines

All the headlines from our Politics Topic Page, ordered by recency.

Senate to Take Up Chemical Safety Bill After West Virginia Spill

Feb 6 2014 // U.S. senators said they will take up a bill as soon as this week to require inspections and clean-up plans for chemical storage tanks, over the objection of industry, after a West Virginia spill tainted drinking...

Senate Joins House in Passing Farm, Crop Insurance Bill; President Says He Will Sign

Feb 4 2014 // The Senate passed and sent to President Barack Obama a measure that sets U.S. agricultural policy for five years, ending the toughest legislative battle on renewal of the farm bill in almost two decades with cuts to crop...

Key House Republicans Oppose Delaying Flood Insurance Increases

Feb 4 2014 // The effort to delay huge increases in insurance premiums for homeowners in flood-prone areas faces a skeptical House chairman who is largely standing behind the changes Congress oversaw in the nation’s flood...

Senate Clears Farm, Crop Insurance Bill for Final Vote

Feb 3 2014 // Long-delayed farm legislation easily cleared a procedural hurdle on Monday in the U.S. Senate, with final passage of the nearly $1 trillion bill expected as early as Tuesday.The House of Representatives last week...

Senate Passes Flood Insurance Delay, Agent Licensing Bill

Jan 30 2014 // The Senate passed a bill Thursday to delay certain flood insurance rate hikes and create a national registry for licensing insurance agents by a vote of 67-32. (See how senators voted at end of story.)The bill delays the...

Tennessee Senate to Vote on Guns-In-Parks Bill

Jan 30 2014 // A proposal that seeks to do away with local government’s power to decide whether to allow firearms in public parks in is headed for a full vote in the Tennessee Senate vote.The measure sponsored by Republican Sen....

Senate Begins Amending Bill to Halt Flood Insurance Rate Increases

Jan 30 2014 // The Senate has begun adopting amendments to the bill (S.1926) that seeks to delay flood insurance premium increases called for under the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012.The Senate bill would halt premium...

Senate Takes First Step on Flood Insurance, Agent Licensing Bill

Jan 27 2014 // The Senate voted 86-13 early Monday evening to proceed with debate on a bill to both delay some flood insurance premium increases and establish an optional national registry for insurance agent and broker licensing.That...

Republicans Vow to Develop Alternative to Obamacare

Jan 24 2014 // Top Republicans are saying they can no longer just be the party of “No” on Obamacare: They need to come up with an alternative healthcare policy.While many Americans are skeptical of President Barack...

Maryland Senate Approves Bill to Remedy Health Exchange Problems

Jan 23 2014 // The Maryland Senate has passed a measure to provide health insurance for people who tried to enroll online in the state’s health exchange, but couldn’t due to computer problems.The Senate voted 38-8 for the...

Senate Links Agent Licensing Reform with Flood Insurance Delay

Jan 21 2014 // There is a new political wrinkle in the attempt to stave off flood insurance rate hikes across the country.The Senate has attached an industry-supported bill to streamline agent and broker licensing to its bill to delay...

Senate Joins House in Approving Spending Bill with Narrow Flood Insurance Fix

Jan 17 2014 // The Senate (72-26) yesterday joined the House of Representatives (359-67) in passing a $1.1 trillion compromise omnibus spending bill that contains a delay for an estimated one quarter of those facing flood insurance...

Congressional Negotiations on Farm Bill Said Close to Deal

Jan 16 2014 // Negotiations in Congress on the long overdue U.S. farm bill could be completed this week after progress was stalled by a disagreement over a dairy price support program, a senator said on Wednesday.The five-year farm bill,...

Senate Re-Election Politics Boosts Flood Insurance Delay Proposals

Jan 16 2014 // Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid will do just about anything to help Louisiana’s Mary Landrieu.He arranged the chamber’s floor agenda this week so Landrieu could lead debate on a flood insurance rate reprieve...

Congressional Spending Plan Would Curb Some Flood Insurance Hikes

Jan 15 2014 // The $1.1 trillion government funding agreement unveiled by Congressional negotiators on Monday includes language to postpone for about eight months some of the flood insurance rate hikes triggered by reforms passed in...

Texas Insurance Executive Enters State Senate Race

Jan 8 2014 // Richard “Gordy” Bunch, founder, president and CEO of The Woodlands, Texas-based insurance agency, The Woodlands Financial Group (TWFG), has announced his candidacy for the state’s 4th Senate District.A...

Senate Bill Seeks More Disclosure of Government Settlements with Firms

Jan 8 2014 // Two U.S. lawmakers on Wednesday unveiled a new bill that would force enforcement agencies to provide more details about deals to resolve corporate misconduct by U.S. companies.Senators Elizabeth Warren, the Massachusetts...

Key Senate Vote on Flood Insurance Rate Delay Pushed to Next Week

Jan 7 2014 // The U.S. Senate is expected to take a key vote soon on a bill that would delay some of the flood insurance rate hikes triggered by the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012.The procedural vote will determine...

Obama Administration Considers Rules on Use of Explosive Chemicals

Jan 7 2014 // Farmers and oil drillers may be required to report their use of explosive chemicals under measures the Obama administration is considering to avoid disasters such as a Texas blast that killed 14 people last year.Policy...

Kansas Insurance Commissioner Isolated Within GOP

Dec 24 2013 // Sandy Praeger is approaching her final year as Kansas insurance commissioner with a national reputation for expertise on health care issues and a lengthy, unbroken string of election victories as a Republican in a...