Latest Politics Headlines

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

Bill Addressing Spinal Surgery Devices Passes California Senate

May 30 2012 // A bill aimed at ending double payments for spinal surgery devices passed state Senate resoundingly on Wednesday and is now on its way to Assembly.Senate Bill 959 will save taxpayers tens of millions of dollars per year,...

House Expected to Agree to Senate’s 60-Day Extension of Flood Program Tonight

May 30 2012 // The House of Representatives is expected to go along with a 60-day reauthorization of the federal flood insurance program already approved by the Senate.A vote will come on an amendment to H.R. 5740, the National Flood...

Senate Approves 60-Day Flood Program Extension; Will House Agree?

May 25 2012 // The Senate agreed yesterday in a unanimous consent to extend the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) for 60-days past its current expiration date of May 31. Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives voted 402 to 18...

Senate to Vote on 60-Day Extension of Flood Insurance Program

May 24 2012 // U.S. Sen. David Vitter, R.-La., said he and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D.-Nev., have forged a bipartisan agreement to allow floor time on a five-year extension of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) when it...

Florida Readies Storm Plan for Republican Convention

May 24 2012 // Florida Gov. Rick Scott will have the final say whether to cancel the Republican National Convention in the event of a hurricane.The convention where Mitt Romney is expected to be formally nominated as the Republican...

Senate Passes Tougher Iran Sanctions

May 22 2012 // The U.S. Senate unanimously approved on Monday a package of new economic sanctions on Iran’s oil sector just days ahead of a meeting in Baghdad between major world powers and Tehran.The sanctions add to a raft of...

Senate Expected to Decide Fate of Flood Insurance Program This Week

May 21 2012 // This week the Senate should reveal whether it will tackle a five-year extension with reform of the federal flood insurance program or another short-term authorization, or both.The National Flood Insurance Program is...

2 Republicans Face Run-Off in North Carolina Race

May 21 2012 // Republicans still have to pick their candidate for North Carolina insurance commissioner after cutting the field to two. Richard Morgan and Mike Causey topped a three-candidate field on May 8 to advance to a runoff...

N.H. Senate OKs Reimbursement for Naturopaths

May 17 2012 // Doctors of naturopathic medicine would be reimbursed by health insurance companies under a bill passed by the New Hampshire Senate.The Senate voted 16-8 Wednesday in favor of the bill. Opponents argued that the bill...

Senate Panel to Probe Ties Between Painkill Drugmakers, Medical Nonprofits

May 10 2012 // A U.S. Senate panel has launched a probe of possible links between three drugmakers and nonprofit medical groups that advocated for increasing the use of prescription painkillers, now the target of a nationwide law...

2 Republicans Face Run-Off in North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Race

May 10 2012 // Republicans still have to pick their candidate for North Carolina insurance commissioner after cutting the field to two.Richard Morgan and Mike Causey topped a three-candidate field on Tuesday to advance to a runoff...

Conn. Senate OKs Bill on Utilities’ Storm Response

May 7 2012 // The state Senate on Saturday, May 5, approved a wide-ranging bill that attempts to address many of the problems that developed last year when Connecticut was hit by the remnants of Hurricane Irene in August and again by an...

Kansas Senate Oks Disaster Funds Bill

May 2 2012 // The Kansas Senate has approved legislation creating a special fund to help cover the state’s costs after a federal disaster declaration. The bill authorizes the transfer of up to $22 million a year from the state...

Louisiana Senate Rejects Bill Removing Smoker Protection

Apr 30 2012 // Louisiana senators refused on April 26 to repeal a law that bans employers from discriminating against smokers, after opponents said the change could lead to widespread firings.More than 20 years ago, legislators passed a...

Kansas Senate Panel Considers Disaster Funding

Apr 30 2012 // Kansas legislators have begun work on a bill that would create a special fund to cover the state’s share of disaster assistance.Maj. Gen. Lee Tafanelli, the Kansas adjutant general, testified before the Senate...

Senate Committee Votes to End Direct Farm Subsidies, Backs New Insurance Plan

Apr 27 2012 // U.S. farmers will get a new crop-subsidy program that protects them from ruinous declines in revenue, the biggest threat to survival with today’s high and volatile prices, a Senate committee decided on Thursday.The...

Conn. Senate Passes Anti-Price-Gouging Bill to Help Homeowners

Apr 26 2012 // The Connecticut Senate has voted to expand consumer protections from price gouging during major storms, such as the freak October snow storm that hit the state last year. Senators voted 33-to-3 Wednesday in favor of the...

GOP: Set Up Panel To Pay Colo. Wildfire Victims

Apr 26 2012 // Republicans want to create a commission to pay victims of a wildfire southwest of Denver, Colo. that killed three people and damaged two dozen homes, lawmakers said.A bill expected to be introduced this week would...

Montana GOP Candidates Embrace Insurance Industry Bills

Apr 23 2012 // Republican candidates for governor said on April 19 at a forum that they would back key insurance industry legislation if elected, and largely held similar positions with each other on a variety of issues.Most of the GOP...

Senate Bill Would Revamp Federal Crop Insurance Program

Apr 23 2012 // U.S. farm subsidies would get a 21st Century make-over to protect grower revenue from ruinous losses, the biggest threat to their operations from today’s high and volatile market prices, under a bill unveiled by...