http://www.mail.com/subjects/1372-government-finance.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/subjects/1372-government-finance.html http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2092596-treasury-officials-told-irs-probe-june-2012.html WASHINGTON (AP) — Senior Treasury officials were made aware in June 2012 that investigators were looking into complaints from tea party groups that they were being harassed by the Internal Revenue Service, a Treasury inspector general said Friday, disclosing that Obama administration officials knew there was a probe during the heat of the presidential campaign. ... Fri, 17 May 2013 22:42:05 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2092596-treasury-officials-told-irs-probe-june-2012.html 2013-05-17T22:42:05Z 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/business/finance/2089482-wash-releases-draft-rules-legal-pot.html SEATTLE (AP) — Officials in Washington state took their first stab at setting rules for the state's new marijuana industry Thursday, nearly eight months after voters here legalized pot for adults. Among the preliminary regulations: They want to track marijuana from "seed to store." They'd put a cap on the number of retail outlets in each county, but not o... Fri, 17 May 2013 00:33:51 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2089482-wash-releases-draft-rules-legal-pot.html 2013-05-17T00:33:51Z http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2090968-house-bill-protects-homeland-security-budget.html WASHINGTON (AP) — A Republican-controlled House panel moved Thursday to protect the Department of Homeland Security from the big cuts facing other domestic agencies under the party's budget slashing plan. The move came as the Appropriations Committee leadership privately circulated plans to drastically reduce spending for labor, education and health progr... Fri, 17 May 2013 00:29:17 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2090968-house-bill-protects-homeland-security-budget.html 2013-05-17T00:29:17Z http://www.mail.com/business/economy/2090788-late-fade-wall-street-wal-mart-disney-slump.html NEW YORK (AP) — Signs of a slowing economy combined with comments from a Federal Reserve official helped pull the stock market down Thursday. There was plenty of discouraging news. Applications for unemployment benefits rose last week and manufacturing slowed in the mid-Atlantic region. Wal-Mart sank after warning that its customers were spending less at ... Thu, 16 May 2013 22:10:09 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/economy/2090788-late-fade-wall-street-wal-mart-disney-slump.html 2013-05-16T22:10:09Z http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2089586-badgered-obama-acts-republicans-unsatisfied.html WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama, seeking to regain his footing amid controversies hammering the White House, named a temporary chief for the scandal-marred Internal Revenue Service Thursday and pressed Congress to approve new security money to prevent another Benghazi-style terrorist attack. The efforts did little to satisfy Republicans, who see ... Thu, 16 May 2013 21:20:41 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2089586-badgered-obama-acts-republicans-unsatisfied.html 2013-05-16T21:20:41Z http://www.mail.com/business/economy/2090706-airlines-losses-narrowed-1q-to-552.html NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. airlines charged more in fares and fees and reduced debt as they improved their financial performance in the first quarter. They still lost money, which is typical for the year's first three months travel slows after the holidays and delays rack up from snow storms. But the deficit was $552 million — or $3.30 per passenger — compared ... Thu, 16 May 2013 19:40:58 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/economy/2090706-airlines-losses-narrowed-1q-to-552.html 2013-05-16T19:40:58Z http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2090860-house-advances-student-loan.html WASHINGTON (AP) — The days of fixed-rate student loans could be coming to a close, with House Republicans on Thursday advancing a proposal that would link rates to financial markets. The GOP-led House Education and the Workforce Committee sent to the full House a bill that would offer some students a better deal at first. Democratic critics warned that gr... Thu, 16 May 2013 19:34:09 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2090860-house-advances-student-loan.html 2013-05-16T19:34:09Z http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2090854-obama-walking-familiar-path-irs-allegations.html WASHINGTON (AP) — The Internal Revenue Service controversy dogging President Barack Obama is hardly the first time a White House and the tax agency have been accused of political meddling and bias. Nor is it the first time that political and social advocacy groups have searched for and exploited loopholes and fine points in the federal tax code. Over the ... Thu, 16 May 2013 19:25:35 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2090854-obama-walking-familiar-path-irs-allegations.html 2013-05-16T19:25:35Z http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2091336-ap-source-obama-to-tap-werfel-acting-irs-head.html WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama will appoint senior White House budget officer Daniel Werfel to be acting commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service, a White House official says. Werfel will replace Steven Miller, ousted Wednesday amid revelations that the IRS improperly singled out conservative groups for special scrutiny. The 42-year-old Werf... Thu, 16 May 2013 19:04:09 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2091336-ap-source-obama-to-tap-werfel-acting-irs-head.html 2013-05-16T19:04:09Z http://www.mail.com/business/economy/2090436-merkel-hollande-odds-europes-way-forward.html BERLIN (AP) — Germany and France recognize that their cooperation is key to overcoming Europe's persistent economic crisis, but comments Thursday by the leaders of the continent's No. 1 and 2 economies suggested they still have diverging priorities. French President Francois Hollande argued that the 17-nation eurozone should integrate more, calling for gr... Thu, 16 May 2013 17:55:11 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/economy/2090436-merkel-hollande-odds-europes-way-forward.html 2013-05-16T17:55:11Z http://www.mail.com/scitech/news/2090100-lawmakers-accuse-google-dishonesty-taxes.html LONDON (AP) — U.K. lawmakers subjected search giant Google to blistering criticism Thursday, accusing the U.S. Internet company of playing games with Britain's tax rules to avoid paying what it owed. In his second appearance before Parliament in roughly six months, Google Vice President Matt Brittin tried to defend his company's complex corporate structur... Thu, 16 May 2013 16:04:36 GMT http://www.mail.com/scitech/news/2090100-lawmakers-accuse-google-dishonesty-taxes.html 2013-05-16T16:04:36Z http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2089570-tea-party-groups-call-irs-process-nightmare.html WASHINGTON (AP) — Anger over President Barack Obama's policies drove businessman Tom Zawistowski to file paperwork with the Internal Revenue Service nearly three years ago to create the Ohio Liberty Coalition. His nonprofit organization largely attracted conservatives who were new to politics but concerned about the growth of government, fiscal issues and... Thu, 16 May 2013 12:10:56 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2089570-tea-party-groups-call-irs-process-nightmare.html 2013-05-16T12:10:56Z http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2089696-uk-campaign-group-loses-challenge-tax-deal.html LONDON (AP) — A U.K. pressure group Thursday lost its legal challenge to what it called a "sweetheart" tax deal between U.K. authorities and Goldman Sachs. UK Uncut Legal Action, which campaigns against tax avoidance, had sought a High Court declaration that it was unlawful for the U.S.-based investment bank to avoid a multimillion pound interest bill on ... Thu, 16 May 2013 09:57:13 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2089696-uk-campaign-group-loses-challenge-tax-deal.html 2013-05-16T09:57:13Z http://www.mail.com/business/economy/2089060-japanese-economy-grew-35-percent-pace-1q.html TOKYO (AP) — Japan's economy grew by a stronger-than-expected 3.5 percent in annual terms last quarter, giving Prime Minister Shinzo Abe a boost as his government tackles reforms needed to ensure a sustained recovery from two decades of malaise. Stronger consumer spending and public works investment coupled with aggressive monetary easing lent oomph to th... Thu, 16 May 2013 09:40:45 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/economy/2089060-japanese-economy-grew-35-percent-pace-1q.html 2013-05-16T09:40:45Z http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2089204-zealand-to-sell-stake-2nd-power-company.html WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — New Zealand will sell a minority stake in a second power company this year as part of a plan to balance its books. The government on Thursday announced it plans to list state-owned Meridian Energy on the stock market by the end of the year. Last week, the government raised 1.7 billion New Zealand dollars ($1.4 billion) by se... Thu, 16 May 2013 03:57:58 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2089204-zealand-to-sell-stake-2nd-power-company.html 2013-05-16T03:57:58Z 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/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/economy/2087240-stocks-climb-traders-shrug-economic-reports.html NEW YORK (AP) — Investors nudged the stock market to all-time highs Wednesday despite a handful of disappointing economic reports. Google's stock topped $900 for the first time after the company announced new versions of its prodcuts, and Macy's rose after beating Wall Street's profit estimates. The market headed lower at the start of trading, following n... Wed, 15 May 2013 22:08:14 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/economy/2087240-stocks-climb-traders-shrug-economic-reports.html 2013-05-15T22:08:14Z http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2088232-house-panel-boosts-veterans-spending.html WASHINGTON (AP) — With no broader budget deal in sight, a key House panel responsible for implementing sweeping cuts to agency budgets moved Wednesday to exempt veterans and largely protect spending on border safety and other homeland security programs in the coming year. The strategy by the pragmatic House Appropriations Committee is to begin advancing a... Wed, 15 May 2013 19:28:29 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2088232-house-panel-boosts-veterans-spending.html 2013-05-15T19:28:29Z http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2087790-foreign-holdings-us-treasury-debt-up-march.html WASHINGTON (AP) — Foreign demand for U.S. Treasury securities rose to a record level in March, signaling further confidence in U.S. debt. The Treasury Department said Wednesday that total foreign holdings increased 0.7 percent in March from February to $5.76 trillion. Holdings have increased nearly 11.9 percent in the 12 months that ended in March. ... Wed, 15 May 2013 18:07:15 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2087790-foreign-holdings-us-treasury-debt-up-march.html 2013-05-15T18:07:15Z http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2087946-obama-to-meet-with-mccain-immigration-budget.html WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House says President Barack Obama plans to meet with Republican Sen. John McCain on Wednesday to discuss ongoing efforts to pass an overhaul of immigration laws and budget issues. McCain, of Arizona, is one of the key Republicans in a bipartisan group of eight senators who drafted broad immigration legislation that would includ... Wed, 15 May 2013 17:46:20 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2087946-obama-to-meet-with-mccain-immigration-budget.html 2013-05-15T17:46:20Z http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2085416-justice-investigating-irs-targeting-tea-party.html WASHINGTON (AP) — As the investigation into the IRS' targeting of conservative political groups widens, House Speaker John Boehner says he has a question: "Who's going to jail over this scandal?" "There are laws in place to prevent this type of abuse. Someone made a conscious decision to harass and to hold up these requests for tax exempt status," Boehner... Wed, 15 May 2013 15:58:48 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2085416-justice-investigating-irs-targeting-tea-party.html 2013-05-15T15:58:48Z http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2087346-japan-oks-906-billion-budget-to-revive-economy.html TOKYO (AP) — Japan's parliament has approved a record-high 92.6 trillion yen ($906.2 billion) budget for this fiscal year, raising military spending for the first time in 11 years and boosting public works outlays to help revive the economy. The budget was approved late Wednesday after the lower house of parliament, whose decision takes precedence, overro... Wed, 15 May 2013 15:11:31 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2087346-japan-oks-906-billion-budget-to-revive-economy.html 2013-05-15T15:11:31Z http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2086648-projected-lower-deficit-slow-budget-deal.html WASHINGTON (AP) — The good news is the budget deficit for the current year is projected to come in well below what was estimated just a few months ago. The bad news for deficit hawks is that the development could further curb the already slowing momentum for a budget pact this year. A Congressional Budget Office study released Tuesday cites higher tax rev... Wed, 15 May 2013 07:37:36 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2086648-projected-lower-deficit-slow-budget-deal.html 2013-05-15T07:37:36Z http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2085354-2013-deficit-estimate-lowered-to-642-billion.html WASHINGTON (AP) — The budget deficit for the current year is projected to come in well below what was estimated just a few months ago, a development that could further curb the already slowing momentum for a budget pact this year. The Congressional Budget Office study released Tuesday cites higher tax revenues and better-than-expected payments from govern... Wed, 15 May 2013 00:16:26 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2085354-2013-deficit-estimate-lowered-to-642-billion.html 2013-05-15T00:16:26Z http://www.mail.com/business/economy/2084382-stock-market-rises-record-territory.html NEW YORK (AP) — The stock market marched back into record territory Tuesday as investors seized on the latest encouraging news about the economy. This time, it was a report on the health of small businesses. Small business owners were slightly more optimistic in April, according to a survey released by the National Federation of Independent Business befor... Tue, 14 May 2013 22:17:56 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/economy/2084382-stock-market-rises-record-territory.html 2013-05-14T22:17:56Z http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2083928-dod-poised-to-trim-furlough-days-add-exemptions.html WASHINGTON (AP) — After weeks of debate and number-crunching, the Defense Department announced plans Tuesday to furlough about 680,000 of its civilian employees for 11 days through the end of this fiscal year, allowing only limited exceptions for the military to avoid or reduce the unpaid days off. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, in a memo to the departmen... Tue, 14 May 2013 21:44:39 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2083928-dod-poised-to-trim-furlough-days-add-exemptions.html 2013-05-14T21:44:39Z http://www.mail.com/news/world/2084096-israeli-leader-under-fire-costly-lifestyle.html JERUSALEM (AP) — For years, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been saddled with an image of a cigar-smoking, cognac-drinking socialite. Now a new disclosure about his soaring spending on housekeeping, furniture, clothing and other expenses is increasing pressure on him in a country whose leaders once were known for washing their own dishes and taking out the garb... Tue, 14 May 2013 18:59:47 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/world/2084096-israeli-leader-under-fire-costly-lifestyle.html 2013-05-14T18:59:47Z http://www.mail.com/business/economy/2084204-irs-chief-agency-lacked-sensitivity-screenings.html WASHINGTON (AP) — The IRS acting chief acknowledged Tuesday that the agency demonstrated "a lack of sensitivity" in its screenings of political groups seeking tax-exempt status, but he said those mistakes won't be repeated. In his first public comment on the case, Steven Miller said there was "a shortcut taken in our processes" for determining which group... Tue, 14 May 2013 18:14:32 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/economy/2084204-irs-chief-agency-lacked-sensitivity-screenings.html 2013-05-14T18:14:32Z