http://www.mail.com/organizations/2752-united-senate.html Mail.com - the best personalized free web-based Email en en http://sec-s.uicdn.com/mail.com/2.28/img/mailcom_logo_rss.png http://www.mail.com/organizations/2752-united-senate.html http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2099768-apple-case-spur-to-tax-action.html WASHINGTON (AP) — Now that tech darling Apple Inc. has been dragged front and center into the debate over the U.S. tax code, lawmakers are hoping that the spotlight on such a high-profile company could be the catalyst for Congress to take action to close loopholes or reform the law. At a hearing Tuesday, members of the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Inv... Wed, 22 May 2013 04:04:57 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2099768-apple-case-spur-to-tax-action.html 2013-05-22T04:04:57Z http://www.mail.com/news/politics/2099474-senate-panel-approves-immigration-bill.html WASHINGTON (AP) — Far-reaching legislation that grants a chance at citizenship to millions of immigrants living illegally in the United States cleared the Senate Judiciary Committee on a solid bipartisan vote Tuesday night after supporters somberly sidestepped a controversy over the rights of gay spouses. The 13-5 vote cleared the way for an epic showdown... Wed, 22 May 2013 03:06:18 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/politics/2099474-senate-panel-approves-immigration-bill.html 2013-05-22T03:06:18Z http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2099500-irs-official-to-take-5th-house-hearing.html WASHINGTON (AP) — Summoned by Congress, a key figure in the Internal Revenue Service's targeting of conservative groups plans to invoke her constitutional right against self-incrimination and decline to testify at a congressional hearing on Wednesday. Lois Lerner heads the IRS division that singled out conservative groups for additional scrutiny when they... Tue, 21 May 2013 22:45:29 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2099500-irs-official-to-take-5th-house-hearing.html 2013-05-21T22:45:29Z http://www.mail.com/news/world/2100320-key-senator-to-myanmar-sanctions-bill-lapse.html WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell, easing up on his long-held tough stance on Myanmar, said Tuesday he planned to allow key sanctions legislation against the Southeast Asian nation to lapse because of the country's progress toward democracy. McConnell, R-Ky., made the announcement after meeting with Myanmar President Thein Sein, who is m... Tue, 21 May 2013 22:10:55 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/world/2100320-key-senator-to-myanmar-sanctions-bill-lapse.html 2013-05-21T22:10:55Z http://www.mail.com/news/politics/2098672-obama-aides-knew-irs-audit-obama-told.html WASHINGTON (AP) — White House chief of staff Denis McDonough and other senior advisers knew in late April that an impending report was likely to say the IRS had inappropriately targeted conservative groups, President Barack Obama's spokesman disclosed Monday, expanding the circle of top officials who knew of the audit beyond those named earlier. But McDon... Tue, 21 May 2013 03:04:40 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/politics/2098672-obama-aides-knew-irs-audit-obama-told.html 2013-05-21T03:04:40Z http://www.mail.com/news/politics/2098840-house-passes-bill-lying-military-medals.html WASHINGTON (AP) — People who falsely claim they have received a military medal in order to obtain money or government benefits could face up to a year in jail under legislation that easily passed the House Monday. The Stolen Valor Act, sponsored by Nevada Republican Joe Heck, is a second attempt by the House to revive a law on fraudulent claims to medals ... Mon, 20 May 2013 23:15:37 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/politics/2098840-house-passes-bill-lying-military-medals.html 2013-05-20T23:15:37Z http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2098798-white-house-farm-subsidy-cuts-needed.html WASHINGTON (AP) — The Obama administration said Monday it wants to see more cuts to agriculture subsidies in a massive farm bill moving through the Senate this week. The bill would cost almost $100 billion a year over five years and would set policy for farm programs and food aid. The legislation would cut about $2.4 billion annually from overall farm spe... Mon, 20 May 2013 22:14:44 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2098798-white-house-farm-subsidy-cuts-needed.html 2013-05-20T22:14:44Z http://www.mail.com/news/politics/2097428-ap-ceo-calls-records-seizure-unconstitutional.html WASHINGTON (AP) — The Associated Press' president and chief executive says the government's secret seizure of two months of reporters' phone records has already had a chilling effect on newsgathering, a week after the subpoenas were revealed publicly. Gary Pruitt on Sunday called the Justice Department's actions "unconstitutional" and said the AP hasn't r... Mon, 20 May 2013 07:58:27 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/politics/2097428-ap-ceo-calls-records-seizure-unconstitutional.html 2013-05-20T07:58:27Z http://www.mail.com/news/politics/2094950-why-benghazi-issue-coming.html WASHINGTON (AP) — The night of smoke, chaos, gunfire and grenades that killed four Americans in Benghazi, Libya, is well-documented. Eight months later, it is the decisions made back in Washington that remain murky and in perpetual dispute. Why were a diplomatic outpost and the visiting U.S. ambassador left so poorly protected? Should the Pentagon have ru... Sun, 19 May 2013 12:26:04 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/politics/2094950-why-benghazi-issue-coming.html 2013-05-19T12:26:04Z http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2094734-obama-agenda-marches-despite-controversies.html WASHINGTON (AP) — Despite Democratic fears, predictions of the demise of President Barack Obama's agenda appear exaggerated after a week of cascading controversies, political triage by the administration and party leaders in Congress and lack of evidence to date of wrongdoing close to the Oval Office. "Absolutely not," Steven Miller, the recently resigned... Sat, 18 May 2013 19:47:26 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2094734-obama-agenda-marches-despite-controversies.html 2013-05-18T19:47:26Z http://www.mail.com/news/world/2094922-irs-probe-ignored-influential-groups.html WASHINGTON (AP) — There's an irony in the Internal Revenue Service's crackdown on conservative groups. The nation's tax agency has admitted to inappropriately scrutinizing smaller tea party organizations that applied for tax-exempt status, and senior Treasury Department officials were notified in the midst of the 2012 presidential election season that an ... Sat, 18 May 2013 15:41:12 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/world/2094922-irs-probe-ignored-influential-groups.html 2013-05-18T15:41:12Z http://www.mail.com/news/politics/2094882-conn-ntsb-officials-to-tour-train-crash-site.html HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — Officials in Gov. Dannel P. Malloy's office say the governor will meet with representatives from the National Transportation Safety Board and Connecticut's two U.S. senators at the site of a Metro-North Railroad crash that injured 70 people. Sens. Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy and other Connecticut officials will also particip... Sat, 18 May 2013 12:02:42 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/politics/2094882-conn-ntsb-officials-to-tour-train-crash-site.html 2013-05-18T12:02:42Z http://www.mail.com/news/world/2082480-correction-honduras-death-squads-story.html TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras (AP) — In a story May 13 about suspects disappearing or dying after being in the custody of the Honduran National Police, The Associated Press misquoted U.S. Assistant Secretary of State William Brownfield as suggesting that the Honduran armed forces have engaged in vigilantism. In fact, Brownfield was speaking of the danger of communities carrying out ... Fri, 17 May 2013 19:03:23 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/world/2082480-correction-honduras-death-squads-story.html 2013-05-17T19:03:23Z http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2089492-obama-picks-budget-official-to-troubled-irs.html WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama picked a senior White House budget official to become the acting head of the Internal Revenue Service on Thursday, the same day another top official announced plans to leave the agency amid the controversy over agents targeting tea party groups. Obama named longtime civil servant Daniel Werfel as the acting IRS com... Fri, 17 May 2013 02:04:42 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2089492-obama-picks-budget-official-to-troubled-irs.html 2013-05-17T02:04:42Z http://www.mail.com/news/world/2090950-house-immigration-group-reaches-deal.html WASHINGTON (AP) — A bipartisan group of House members announced a deal Thursday on sweeping immigration legislation, a breakthrough that could boost chances for one of President Barack Obama's top second-term priorities. It came after months of secretive talks among the four Republican and four Democratic House members had seemed to stall in recent days e... Fri, 17 May 2013 00:27:37 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/world/2090950-house-immigration-group-reaches-deal.html 2013-05-17T00:27:37Z http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2091378-round-house-obamacare.html WASHINGTON (AP) — One more time, with feeling! The Republican-led House voted yet again Thursday to repeal President Barack Obama's health care law, knowing full well that won't stop it. Only months away from the rollout of coverage for uninsured Americans, it was the 37th attempt in a little more than two years by House Republicans to eliminate, defund o... Thu, 16 May 2013 22:46:28 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2091378-round-house-obamacare.html 2013-05-16T22:46:28Z http://www.mail.com/news/politics/2089568-obama-calls-congress-to-fund-embassy-security.html WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama on Thursday tried to turn the tables on Republicans who have criticized his administration's response to last year's deadly attack in Benghazi, Libya, calling on lawmakers to approve his request to increase funding for diplomatic security. Obama's call was the second step in as many days designed to combat GOP char... Thu, 16 May 2013 20:44:56 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/politics/2089568-obama-calls-congress-to-fund-embassy-security.html 2013-05-16T20:44:56Z http://www.mail.com/news/politics/2091516-congress-rethinks-911-law-military-force.html WASHINGTON (AP) — Congress is rethinking the broad authority it gave the president to wage a war on terror after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in light of how President Barack Obama has used the power to target suspected terrorists with lethal drone strikes. Senior Pentagon officials insisted on Thursday that the law should remain unchanged as the... Thu, 16 May 2013 20:17:14 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/politics/2091516-congress-rethinks-911-law-military-force.html 2013-05-16T20:17:14Z http://www.mail.com/news/politics/2089620-deep-divide-congress-domestic-food-aid.html WASHINGTON (AP) — The House and Senate Agriculture Committees laid the groundwork this week for reducing the size of the federal food stamp program, approving farm bills that would shrink food aid and alter the way people qualify for it. The two chambers are far apart on how much the $80 billion-a-year program should be cut, however, reflecting a deep ide... Thu, 16 May 2013 18:42:17 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/politics/2089620-deep-divide-congress-domestic-food-aid.html 2013-05-16T18:42:17Z http://www.mail.com/news/world/2090850-epa-nominee-advances-without-gop-support.html WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama's pick to lead the Environmental Protection Agency has moved one step closer to getting the job, but it came without Republican support. The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee on Thursday voted 10-8, along party lines, to advance Gina McCarthy's nomination to the full Senate. McCarthy now leads the EPA's... Thu, 16 May 2013 16:47:04 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/world/2090850-epa-nominee-advances-without-gop-support.html 2013-05-16T16:47:04Z http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2086582-timeline-irss-scrutiny.html A look at events leading to the disclosure that the Internal Revenue Service placed conservative groups under special scrutiny for 18 months before the 2012 elections, a practice that has prompted congressional inquiries, a Justice Department criminal investigation and the ouster of the agency's acting chief: 2010: March-April: IRS agents begin giving ext... Thu, 16 May 2013 03:21:44 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2086582-timeline-irss-scrutiny.html 2013-05-16T03:21:44Z http://www.mail.com/news/politics/2087348-petraeus-email-objected-to-benghazi-talking-points.html WASHINGTON (AP) — Then CIA-Director David Petraeus objected to the final talking points the Obama administration used after the deadly assault on a U.S. diplomatic post in Benghazi, Libya, because he wanted to see more details revealed to the public, according to emails released Wednesday by the White House. Under pressure in the investigation that contin... Thu, 16 May 2013 00:21:49 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/politics/2087348-petraeus-email-objected-to-benghazi-talking-points.html 2013-05-16T00:21:49Z http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2087680-irs-commissioner-ousted-tea-party-targeting.html WASHINGTON (AP) — Hurrying to check a growing controversy, President Barack Obama ousted the acting commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service late Wednesday amid an outcry over revelations that the agency had improperly targeted tea party groups for scrutiny when they filed for tax-exempt status. Obama said Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew had asked for an... Wed, 15 May 2013 23:53:10 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2087680-irs-commissioner-ousted-tea-party-targeting.html 2013-05-15T23:53:10Z http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2088342-gop-dems-challenge-holder-subpoenas-to-ap.html WASHINGTON (AP) — Congressional Republicans and Democrats on Wednesday challenged Attorney General Eric Holder over the Justice Department's handling of the investigation of national security leaks and its failure to talk to The Associated Press before issuing subpoenas for the news service's telephone records. In exchanges that often turned testy, Holder... Wed, 15 May 2013 20:27:03 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2088342-gop-dems-challenge-holder-subpoenas-to-ap.html 2013-05-15T20:27:03Z http://www.mail.com/news/politics/2084640-correction-immigration-story.html WASHINGTON (AP) — In a story May 14 about a Senate immigration bill, The Associated Press erroneously reported that two of the Sept. 11, 2001, hijackers entered the U.S. on student visas. In fact only one of them did. A corrected version of the story is below: Senators tackle student visas in immigration bill Senators move to strengthen student visa secur... Wed, 15 May 2013 19:01:41 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/politics/2084640-correction-immigration-story.html 2013-05-15T19:01:41Z http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2087716-senate-dem-revives-media-shield-law.html WASHINGTON (AP) — A top Senate Democrat plans to revive legislation that would protect journalists and their employers from revealing their sources, days after it was revealed that the Justice Department secretly obtained Associated Press phone records. A congressional official said Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York plans to reintroduce the 2009 bill. The le... Wed, 15 May 2013 16:33:12 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2087716-senate-dem-revives-media-shield-law.html 2013-05-15T16:33:12Z http://www.mail.com/scitech/news/2087620-senate-votes-to-extend-federal-water-projects-law.html WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate on Wednesday put aside its partisan differences to extend the federal government's main water resources law, which promotes investment in port improvements, flood protection, dam and levee projects and environmental restoration. The smooth passage of the Water Resources Development Act on a 83-14 vote was in sharp contrast to ... Wed, 15 May 2013 16:23:33 GMT http://www.mail.com/scitech/news/2087620-senate-votes-to-extend-federal-water-projects-law.html 2013-05-15T16:23:33Z http://www.mail.com/news/world/2086074-soldier-sexual-assault-office-accused-abuse.html WASHINGTON (AP) — A soldier assigned to coordinate a sexual assault prevention program in Texas is under investigation for "abusive sexual contact" and other alleged misconduct and has been suspended from his duties, the Army announced Tuesday. Just last week an Air Force officer who headed a sexual assault prevention office was himself arrested on charge... Wed, 15 May 2013 03:23:34 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/world/2086074-soldier-sexual-assault-office-accused-abuse.html 2013-05-15T03:23:34Z http://www.mail.com/news/world/2085106-holder-played-role-ap-phone-subpoena.html WASHINGTON (AP) — Attorney General Eric Holder on Tuesday defended the Justice Department's secret examination of Associated Press phone records though he declared he had played no role in it, saying it was justified as part of an investigation into a grave national security leak. The government's wide-ranging information gathering from the news cooperati... Tue, 14 May 2013 22:26:52 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/world/2085106-holder-played-role-ap-phone-subpoena.html 2013-05-14T22:26:52Z