Bill could reduce illegal immigration 25 percent
WASHINGTON (AP) — Illegal immigration into the United States would decrease by only 25 percent under a far-reaching Senate immigration bill, according to an analysis by the Congressional Budget Office that also finds the measure reduces federal deficits by billions.
Obama renews calls for nuclear reductions
BERLIN (AP) — Appealing for a new citizen activism in the free world, President Barack Obama renewed his call Wednesday to reduce U.S. and Russian nuclear stockpiles and to confront climate change, a danger he called "the global threat of our time."
IRS draws new criticism over $70M employee bonuses
WASHINGTON (AP) — Already reeling from a pair of scandals, the Internal Revenue Service is drawing new criticism over plans to hand out millions of dollars in employee bonuses.
Oversight board concerned about NSA surveillance
WASHINGTON (AP) — The chairman of the group that President Barack Obama says will meet with him to discuss the National Security Agency's secret surveillance program is expressing concerns about the program and says the group will publish a report about its inquiry.
- Bipartisan proposal on student loans circulating
WASHINGTON (AP) — A bipartisan compromise on student loans started to take shape in the Senate on Wednesday linking interest rates to the financial markets. If approved, it would prevent rates for new borrowing from doubling in coming days.
Pruitt: DOJ broke rules in phone records seizure
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department violated its own rules when it secretly seized records for thousands of phone calls to and from journalists for The Associated Press as part of a leak investigation, the head of the company said Wednesday.
Social issues still fire up GOP despite 2012 loss
WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican lawmakers have a message for those who want the party to soften its emphasis on social conservatism in hopes of reaching a wider national audience: Not so fast.
- Kerry calls Karzai to ease anger on Taliban office
WASHINGTON (AP) — Secretary of State John Kerry called the Afghan president twice in the past 24 hours to ease Hamid Karzai's anger over the way the Taliban announced the opening of their political office in Qatar.
Mueller urges caution on NSA program changes
WASHINGTON (AP) — FBI Director Robert Mueller on Wednesday urged Congress to move carefully before making any changes that might restrict the National Security Agency programs for mass collection of people's phone records and information from the Internet.
Obama: 'Lives have been saved' by NSA programs
BERLIN (AP) — Trying to tamp down concerns about government over-reach, President Barack Obama on Wednesday defended U.S. Internet and phone surveillance programs as narrowly targeted efforts that have saved lives and thwarted at least 50 terror threats.
