Latest Politics Headlines

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

Republicans Release Own Financial Services Regulation Proposal

Apr 28 2010 // Senate Republicans have proposed an alternative to Democrats’ financial regulation legislation, according to a document obtained by Reuters on Tuesday. Below are their key proposals.No resolution fund. Three-part...

Louisiana Senate Passes Ban on Insurance Cancellations Due to Drywall

Apr 28 2010 // The Louisiana Senate has passed a measure that would ban against property insurers dropping or changing coverage for homes or businesses that contain Chinese-made drywall, which has been blamed for home corrosion and...

Financial Reform Bill Stumbles in U.S. Senate

Apr 27 2010 // The most sweeping overhaul of U.S. banking rules since the Great Depression stumbled in the Senate Monday as Republicans united to prevent action on the bill.The vote gives Republicans leverage to extract more concessions...

Financial Reform Hits First Hurdle in U.S. Senate

Apr 26 2010 // The most sweeping overhaul of U.S. financial regulation since the Great Depression appeared unlikely to clear its first hurdle in the U.S. Senate Monday as Republicans held out for a bipartisan deal.Even as Wall Street...

Senate Panel Sought Action Against Goldman Before SEC Suit

Apr 23 2010 // A Senate investigations panel looking into Goldman Sachs’ role in the financial crisis subpoenaed the investment bank as early as June 30, 2009, long before securities regulators sued it for fraud, according to a...

How to Handle Firms ‘Too Big To Fail’ Divides Democrats, Republicans

Apr 14 2010 // U.S President Barack Obama will try to turn up the pressure for an overhaul of Wall Street regulations as he meets Wednesday with top Democratic and Republican lawmakers to discuss a sweeping package of reforms.Republicans...

Bill Restoring Jobless Aid, Flood Insurance Clears Senate Hurdle

Apr 14 2010 // A measure that would restore lapsed jobless aid for hundreds of thousands of Americans and reauthorize the federal flood insurance program cleared a hurdle in the Senate Wednesday, clearing the way for passage later in the...

Senate Ends Fillibuster on Jobless Benefits, Flood Insurance Program

Apr 13 2010 // The U.S. Senate voted Monday to end debate on a bill to extend unemployment benefits and COBRA health insurance subsidies that also includes a reauthorization of the national flood insurance program.The vote to end a...

Senate to Consider Restarting Flood Insurance Program Today

Apr 12 2010 // Congress today could advance a provision reinstating the flood insurance program as part of a bill extending unemployment benefits and subsidies for COBRA health insurance premiums.The Senate is scheduled to vote on...

Michigan Senate Backs Bill to Thwart Fremont Insurance Takeover

Apr 9 2010 // The Michigan Senate recently advanced a bill to make it more difficult for outsiders to take over the domestic insurer Fremont Michigan InsurCorp.The measure, which passed the Senate 27-10 and was sent to the House...

Kentucky Senate Advances Bill to Ban Texting While Driving

Apr 2 2010 // The Kentucky Senate has used some late maneuvering in pushing a bill aimed at banning people from sending text messages while driving in the state.Senators found a House bill to attach the provisions that would prohibit...

Georgia Senate Revives Pickup Truck Seat Belt Bill

Mar 26 2010 // The Georgia Senate this week revived and approved a proposal that would force pickup truck drivers to wear their seat belts. The bill passed with a vote of 45-2. Bill sponsor Sen. Don Thomas, a physician and Republican...

Kentucky Senate Advances Texting While Driving Ban

Mar 26 2010 // A bill seeking to ban people from sending text messages while driving in Kentucky has won approval from the state Senate.The measure would prohibit drivers from writing, sending or reading text messages when their vehicle...

House Approves Healthcare Bill with Fixes; Senate Vote Next

Mar 22 2010 // On a late-night 219-212 vote, House Democrats approved the most dramatic health policy changes in four decades. The vote sends the bill, already passed by the Senate, to Obama to sign into law.The overhaul will extend...

Oklahoma GOP Forges Ahead With Workers’ Comp Overhaul

Mar 18 2010 // Oklahoma Senate Republicans are continuing their push to completely overhaul Oklahoma’s workers’ compensation laws, arguing the system is too expensive for businesses.The Senate Judiciary Committee has approved...

Senate Republicans Expected to Change Dodd Financial Reform Bill

Mar 17 2010 // The new financial reform bill introduced in the U.S. Senate will likely be approved at the committee level next week, but its shape could change substantially once it comes before the full Senate and winning Republican...

Senate Passes Flood Insurance Extension; No House Vote Yet

Mar 17 2010 // The U.S. Senate has passed a measure to extend the federal flood insurance program until Dec. 31, 2010.The Senate-approved extension is a provision in a bill, American Workers, State, and Business Relief Act of 2010 (H.R....

Senate Reforms Boost Federal Reserve’s Powers Over Non-Banks

Mar 15 2010 // The Federal Reserve would gain new powers over non-bank financial firms and keep much of its authority over banks under a new bill to be unveiled on Monday by the U.S Senate’s architect of financial reform.In a...

Kansas Democrats File Complaint Against Speaker Over Comp Fund Suit

Mar 15 2010 // Top Democrat lawmakers in Kansas filed a complaint in the Kansas House against its Republican speaker, accusing him of misconduct for representing businesses, trade groups and insurance funds in a lawsuit against the...

Florida Insurers Pin Hopes on Broad Bill Passed by Senate Panel

Mar 11 2010 // With the prospects for a controversial rate deregulation bill dimmed by Gov. Charlie Crist’s threat of a veto, the insurance industry is betting on a new wide-ranging insurance proposal to bring some reform to...