Lawmakers Pass Bill Raising Debt Ceiling
Political leaders in Washington, D.C. reached an agreement about how America will continue to pay its bills, just hours before the country was expected to become unable to meet its debt obligations.07.27.11.

Republicans Step in to Challenge President Obama in 2012 Election
Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich are the most high-profile Republicans -- so far -- to announce they will challenge President Barack Obama in the 2012 presidential election. 05.13.11.

Deal Avoids Government Shutdown, But Budget Battle Continues
Minutes before a government shutdown was set to start, leaders in Congress and the White House brokered a last-minute deal to keep things open into next week as part of a larger deal, but bigger budget battles are still ahead. 04.12.11.

Cost of College Affecting Application and Acceptance Decisions
As many high school seniors decide where to attend college next year, an increasing number of factors are playing into their decisions, including rising tuition costs and the ability of finding steady work in a struggling economy after graduation. 04.05.11.

Census Data Reveals Dramatic Population Increase Among Minority Groups
The recently released 2010 U.S. Census reveals that America is rapidly diversifying, with a Hispanic population larger than ever and more children who come from multiple racial backgrounds. The new data has spurred a focus on improving education for minority children, who will be the country's workforce of tomorrow. 04.01.11.

Congress Holds Controversial Hearings on Muslim American Extremism
Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., the chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, is holding hearings on Capitol Hill to investigate "homegrown terrorism" and extremism in Muslim American communities. Some critics have compared the hearings to Sen. Joseph McCarthy’s investigations into communism in the 1950s. 03.11.11.

Budget Fight in Congress Could Lead to Government Shutdown
If Democrats and Republicans can't agree on a budget bill: the government will cease to operate as usual, shutting down nationally funded services until a settlement can be reached. 03.04.11.

President Obama to Deliver State of the Union Address
In his second State of the Union address, President Obama sets the agenda for the second half of his term and calls for both parties to work together. 01.25.11.

Chinese President's Visit Aims to Improve U.S.-China Relations
Chinese President Hu Jintao visited the White House this week in an attempt to set a better tone for relations between China and the United States, the two largest economies in the world and arguably the superpower rivalry of the 21st century. 01.21.11.

Arizona Shooter Showed Violent Tendencies, Warning Signs
he shooting of Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and several others at a Tucson supermarket has left the country reeling, debating the causes of violence and thinking about how to create a safer public environment. 01.11.11.

Arizona Bans Ethnic Studies for K-12th Students
As a debate about immigration and its role in American history and culture plays out around the nation, the state of Arizona has banned "ethnic studies" in all its public K-12 schools. 12.28.10.

U.S. Repeals Ban on Gays Serving Openly in Military
In the last days of its 2010 session, Congress voted to repeal a controversial policy known as “don’t ask, don’t tell,” which prohibits gays and lesbians from serving openly in the military. The vote comes as a victory to civil and gay rights activists and fulfills a campaign promise made by President Barack Obama. 12.21.10.

Deal Making Results in Tax Cut for Most Americans
After lengthy debates and a final compromise worked out between Republicans and President Obama, Congress passed a $858 billion tax deal that includes a two-year extension of the Bush-era tax cuts, unemployment benefits for 13 months, and other measures designed to lift the U.S. economy. 12.17.10.

Deal Making Results in Tax Cut for Most Americans
After lengthy debates and a final compromise worked out between Republicans and President Obama, Congress passed a $858 billion tax deal that includes a two-year extension of the Bush-era tax cuts, unemployment benefits for 13 months, and other measures designed to lift the U.S. economy. 12.17.10.

School Lunch Gets a Makeover in Hunger-Free Kids Act
President Obama has signed a landmark child nutrition bill that improves the quality of school lunches by giving schools more money to serve healthier food. The legislation, called the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, also helps provide breakfast and dinner at school. 12.14.10.

Math, Science, Reading Scores Show U.S. Schools Slipping Behind
The United States received a stark wake-up call this week with the release of international test results showing students in other countries are surpassing American students when it comes to math, science and reading. China and Australia outperformed the U.S. in each of the three subject areas tested. 12.10.10.

World Debates Ethics, Legality of Latest WikiLeaks Release
After a massive online release of secret U.S. State Department communications by the website WikiLeaks, governments around the world and free press advocates are having a heated debate about whether such activities are illegal security breaches or acts of free speech. 12.03.10.

U.S. Schools Make Progress, But ‘Dropout Factories’ Persist
In the decade since educators launched a nationwide campaign to improve schools and stop students from dropping out, progress has been made, according to a new report, but more than 1 million public high school students failed to graduate with their class this year and 2 million attend so-called "dropout factory" schools where their chance of graduating is only 50-50. 11.30.10.

Republicans Take Control of House, But Not Senate
Republicans will have a much greater say in what happens in Washington now that they have won a majority of the seats in the House of Representatives. Democrats held on to their majority in the Senate, but lost several seats, heating up the power struggle between President Obama and Congress. 11.03.10

Republicans Hope Midterm Elections Will Help Undo Obama's Agenda
The 2010 midterm elections on Nov. 2 could turn over control of Congress from Democrats to Republicans and define the agenda in Washington until the next presidential election in 2012. 10.29.10

President Obama's 'Gatekeeper' Leaves White House
The man who decides who can meet with the president and when, White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, is leaving the Obama administration to run for mayor of Chicago. 10.01.10

"Superman" Doc Sparks School Reform Debate
Films focusing on the struggle of students trying to get a good education at public schools have set off a debate about how America can compete in an increasingly competitive global marketplace. 09.17.10

Midterm Elections Could Hand Congress to Republicans
On Nov. 2, Americans will vote in state and local elections that could turn over control of the House of Representatives and/or the Senate from the Democrats to the Republicans, posing a great challenge for President Obama and his agenda. 09.14.10

Congress Debates Ending Bush Tax Cuts
The tax cuts implemented during former President George W. Bush's first term in office are scheduled to expire at the end of 2010, sparking a debate over whether lower tax rates are a good thing for Americans during a recession or whether they deprive the government of much needed cash. 08.13.10

'Race to the Top' Aims To Overhaul the U.S. Education System
For the past two decades, incoming presidents have promised to fix America’s public school system, but U.S test scores and graduation rates continue to fall further behind other countries. President Obama’s plan, called Race to the Top, is designed to encourage and reward states for creating conditions for education innovation and achieving significant improvement in student test scores, graduation rates and success in college and careers. 08.04.10

Financial Reform Law Aims to Prevent Next Economic Crash
Congress has passed a bill to overhaul the rules that control banks and financial regulations, two years after the meltdown of the country's financial system sparked the ongoing recession. 07.16.10

Magazine Article Forces Resignation of Top U.S. General in Afghanistan
In a significant shakeup for the Afghan war effort, Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the top commander of American forces in Afghanistan, resigned over statements he made in a Rolling Stone magazine article. The article described a military commander at odds with the president's leadership tactics, a phenomenon not uncommon in U.S. history. 06.25.10

Obama and BP Set Up $20 Billion Fund for Oil Spill Victims
Amid much public anger over the oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico, President Obama has called upon BP (British Petroleum) to set up a $20 billion fund to pay claims for the worst oil spill in American history. 06.16.10

Largest Oil Spill in U.S. History Continues Despite Efforts to Stop the Leak
An oil leak beneath the water in the Gulf of Mexico continues to spew oil, killing wildlife along thousands of miles of coastline. The spill had already officially surpassed the 1989 Exxon Valdez disaster as the worst in U.S. history. 05.31.10

Voters Shake Up Washington Establishment in Primary Elections
In primary elections held on May 18, voters in Pennsylvania, Kentucky and Arkansas showed they are seeking fresh faces and a change in leadership in Washington. Political analysts are examining these early races for signs of things to come in November's mid-term elections, when numerous Senate seats, gubernatorial positions and House seats will be contested. 05.18.10

President Obama’s Supreme Court Nomination Sets off Political Debate
A month after Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens announced his retirement after 35 years of service, President Barack Obama this week made his second nomination to the court in as many years: Solicitor General Elena Kagan. 05.11.10

Failed NY Bomb Plot Raises Old and New Security Questions
As investigators dig deeper into the failed bombing of New York City's famous Times Square, they are uncovering links between the man who made the bomb and terrorist groups in Pakistan, as well as gaps in the national security system. 05.07.10

Gulf Oil Spill Could Be Most Damaging in History
An explosion at an oil drilling platform in the Gulf of Mexico off the U.S. coast created a leak that is threatening wildlife, beaches and ecosystems near the mouth of the Mississippi River. 04.30.10

Arizona Immigration Law Opens Up Old Wounds, New Battles
Arizona, home to nearly a half million undocumented people and the most illegal U.S. border crossings, has enacted a broad new law making it a crime to be an undocumented person there and requiring all people suspected of questionable status to carry proof. 04.27.10

‘Confederate History Month’ in Virginia Sparks Political Furor
NVirginia Gov. Bob McDonnell came under fire this week for failing to mention slavery when he proclaimed April as Confederate History Month in his home state. McDonnell later apologized for the oversight, calling it "a major omission," and changed the proclamation to acknowledge the commonwealth’s history of human bondage. 04.09.10

U.S. Puts Up Real Barriers to “Virtual Fence” Along Mexican Border
The U.S. government's plan to build a “virtual fence” along the U.S.-Mexico border is on hold as the head of Homeland Security reevaluates the best way to combat drug violence and illegal immigration from Latin America. 04.02.10

Democrats Push Through Historic, Controversial Health Care Legislation
After months of bitter and divisive debate, President Barack Obama signed into law a bill that makes the most dramatic changes to the health care system in four decades. 03.23.10

Political Clout and Money at Stake in U.S. Census Count
Next week, American households will begin receiving their census questionnaires in the mail. Conducted every 10 years, the census is the government's attempt to count every single person living in the United States, which paints a picture of the country and determines political representation in Congress. 03.11.10

With Reconciliation Tactic, Democrats Forge Ahead on Health Care Reform
President Barack Obama and congressional Democrats launched a last-chance push for health care reform this week and will likely use a tactic called "reconciliation" to pass the controversial legislation this year. 03.05.10

President Obama Unveils New Plan Ahead of Health Care Summit
After months of bitter debate between Democrats and Republicans in Congress over how to fix the country’s health care system, President Barack Obama has offered a reform proposal to jumpstart a bipartisan health care summit at the White House this week. 02.23.10

Stimulus Turns One Amid Public Skepticism
President Obama and his team hit the road this week for the one year anniversary of the federal stimulus, the Recovery Act, which pumped billions of dollars into the economy in an attempt to prevent a second Great Depression. 02.19.10

Major Education Reforms Part of Obama's Budget Proposal
President Obama asked Congress for a 7.5 percent, $3.5 billion, increase in funding for education, even while he seeks to freeze most other domestic spending. His budget proposal also seeks sweeping changes to the No Child Left Behind Act that has divided the education community for almost a decade. 02.02.10

Supreme Court Decision Opens Elections to More Corporate Spending
In a split 5-4 ruling, the Supreme Court said that corporations have the same First Amendment rights to free speech as individuals when it comes to the election process, overturning decades of limits on how much money corporations and labor unions can spend on campaign ads. 01.22.10

Massachusetts Special Election Results Challenge Obama's Agenda
A relatively unknown Republican state senator, Scott Brown, won a shocking upset in a special Senate election in Massachusetts Tuesday that will have a major effect on the Democrat's ability to pass health care reform and other legislation. 01.20.10

Airport Body Scanners: Security or Invasion of Privacy?
Personal privacy advocates are opposing plans for more widespread use of full-body scanners at airports following the blocked attempt by an alleged bomber to set off explosives in his underwear on a flight from Europe to the U.S. 01.12.10

Hot-Button Amendments Complicate Health Reform Bill
The Senate will vote on an amendment attached to the health care reform bill Tuesday that would restrict an individual's access to abortion and is expected to further complicate efforts to pass the legislation. 12.08.09

Amid Flagging Support for War, Obama Unveils New Afghan Strategy
President Barack Obama outlined his new plan for the U.S. war in Afghanistan this week after months of deliberation, pledging to send an additional 30,000 U.S. soldiers to stabilize and rebuild the country, but to begin withdrawing American forces in July 2011. 12.02.09

Fort Hood Community Pulls Together After Shooting Rampage
President Barack Obama and victim families paid last respects at Fort Hood, Texas, this week, as the alleged shooter in the attack, Army psychiatrist Nidal Malik Hasan, continues to recuperate, and investigators look into possible motives. 11.11.09

Election Day 2009: Republicans Win Back Virginia and New Jersey
One year after President Obama's historic election, Republicans took back two states run by Democrats. But fighting between conservatives and moderates may have lost a Republican seat in the House of Representatives. 11.04.09

Congress Widens Hate Crimes Law to Include Gender Identity
In the first expansion of a federal hate crimes law since 1968, President Barack Obama signed a bill Wednesday that extends hate crime protections to include sexual orientation and gender identity. 10.30.09

Copenhagen Climate Summit Challenges World Leaders
The United Nations Climate Change Summit, to take place this December in Copenhagen, Denmark, is a major event in the worldwide effort to deal with the problem of global warming, which scientists say is accelerated by human activity.
October 23, 2009

Health Care Reform is Tricky Balancing Act for Obama
Leaders in Congress and the White House are working together to craft a health care reform bill to fix the nation's health care system, one of the most expensive and complicated in the world.
October 15, 2009

President Revisits 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' Policy for Gays in the Military
Facing criticism from the gay community for failing so far to live up to campaign promises, President Barack Obama addressed gay advocacy group Human Rights Campaign over the weekend, pledging to end the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy that prohibits gay and lesbian soldiers from serving openly in the armed forces. 10.13.09

Obama Welcomes Students Back to School
Students at Wakefield High School in Arlington, Virginia had an unusual back-to-school assembly this Tuesday when President Barack Obama arrived on campus to deliver a speech urging students to work hard, stay in school and to take personal ownership of their education and their future. 09.09.09

"Liberal Lion of the Senate," Edward Kennedy Dies
The last surviving brother of the Kennedy political dynasty and champion of liberal causes, Senator Edward Kennedy, died after a year-long battle with brain cancer at the age of 77. He will be remembered as one of America's most influential senators. 08.26.09

Dissent on Display as Congress Debates Health Reform
President Obama and his fellow Democrats in Congress are pushing for a major overhaul in how Americans obtain health insurance, and that effort is exposing a deep division between citizens who think reform is essential and those who think the government has too large a role in their lives. 08.16.09

Obama Urges School Districts to Pay Teachers More and Open Charter Schools
School districts across the country are about to get a lot of money under President Barack Obama's "Race to the Top" program, but only if they follow specific rules set out by Education Secretary Arne Duncan. 07.29.09

Sotomayor Sparks Debate on Role of Judges
Judge Sonia Sotomayor, President Obama’s nominee for the Supreme Court, appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee as part of the constitutionally-mandated confirmation process for new justices. 07.15.09

Democrats Reach Magic 60, as Former Comedian Takes Senate Seat
After months of recounts and legal challenges, Democrat Al Franken has been declared the winner of the Minnesota Senate seat previously held by Republican Norm Coleman, after the Minnesota Supreme Court rejected Coleman’s legal appeal and he resigned from the race. 07.02.09

Higher Unemployment Rates Hamper Economic Recovery
As the national unemployment rate climbs above 9 percent, the highest rate in 26 years, President Barack Obama is urging states and local governments across the country to spend stimulus funds to improve parks, build roads and other projects. 06.09.09

President Obama Nominates New Supreme Court Justice
President Barack Obama nominated Judge Sonia Sotomayor of New York to the U.S. Supreme Court Tuesday. If confirmed, Sotomayor would be the third female justice and the first person of Hispanic descent to sit on the High Court. 05.26.09

President Obama Encourages 'Civil Debate' on Abortion
President Obama used his commencement address at the Catholic university Notre Dame Sunday to call for all sides in the abortion debate to treat each other with respect and search for common ground and work toward a world with fewer unexpected and unwanted pregnancies. 05.19.09

Torture Fight Rages On, Even After Obama's Policy Change
President Barack Obama has called for an end to interrogation techniques of terrorism suspects he considers torture, but there is an intense debate about whether to prosecute Bush administration officials who authorized the interrogations and whether top Democrats in Congress knew about them. 05.15.09

Privacy Concerns Arise As Digital Life Trends Toward Cloud Computing
As more people rely on the Internet for applications and data storage, those technologies are raising tough questions about user privacy. 05.05.09

Supreme Court Justice Retiring; Obama Will Help Shape High Court
Supreme Court Justice David Souter is planning to retire this year, giving President Obama an opportunity to choose a member of the high court and begin to shape the institution that helps form the laws and rules that govern everyday life. 05.01.09

Court Weighs School's Right to Strip Search Students
In a case that could affect students across the country, the United States Supreme Court is considering whether it is constitutional for school officials to strip search students on suspicion of hiding contraband such as drugs. 04.24.09

Obama Goes After Credit Card Companies That Target Young People
As a new study shows students are carrying record levels of credit card debt, President Barack Obama and Congress are working on legislation to rein in the actions of some credit card companies. 04.21.09

April Looms Large for American Taxpayers
For a nation that strongly values individual achievement and right to property, the U.S. income tax system remains a complex and sensitive issue, and many Americans have mixed feelings about giving part of their yearly income to the government. 04.14.09

Will Facebook “Friend” the Stock Market?
Amidst changes in management at Facebook headquarters, there’s growing speculation that the popular social networking site might soon go public, meaning that anyone would be able to buy a share of the company on the stock market. 04.07.09

Cyber Crime and Spying Threaten National Security
Criminals and foreign agents are using the Internet to infiltrate personal computers, spy on governments and perpetrate old-fashioned scams. 04.10.09

New Grads Increasingly Turning to AmeriCorps, Teach for America
With the nation's unemployment rising to a 25-year high this month and the financial sector in turmoil, many recent graduates are turning to service-oriented job programs like Teach for America and Peace Corps. 03.17.09

Fear of "Zombie Banks" Drives Government to Deal With "Toxic Assets"
America’s largest banks are in serious trouble, and the Obama administration faces difficult choices about how to untangle the modern financial system without making the crisis worse. 03.13.09

Supreme Court Considers First Amendment, Sherman Act
The U.S. Supreme Court began a new session Feb. 23, and has already ruled on a freedom of speech case and another that questioned whether AT&T violated the Sherman Antitrust Act of 1890. 02.27.09

Obama Outlines Economic Plan in Address to Congress
While not technically a State of the Union address, President Barack Obama went before the joint houses of Congress and the American public Tuesday to lay out his plans for the nation, saying that the United States is “a nation that has seen promise amid peril and claimed opportunity from ordeal.” 02.25.09

In New Role as Chief Diplomat, Secretary of State Clinton Tours Asia
Promising to usher in a new era of American diplomacy, Hillary Clinton is touring Asia on her first trip abroad as secretary of state, amid growing concerns over North Korea’s nuclear program and Japan's sinking economy.02.20.09

Massive Spending Bill Aims to Create Jobs, Strengthen Economy
President Barack Obama signed a massive economic stimulus bill into law this week, a major piece of legislation aimed at helping America’s economy via hundreds of billions of dollars in government spending. 02.18.09

Obama Orders Review of Fuel Efficiency Policies
President Barack Obama on Monday ordered federal regulators to reexamine two policies that could lead to more fuel-efficient new cars and trucks. 01.27.09

Obama Moves Quickly in First Days
The newly minted President Barack Obama is acting swiftly to reverse some of President Bush’s controversial policies and to set a new tone for the Obama administration.01.23.09

Obama Inauguration Draws Celebrities and Citizens to Washington DC
Millions of people from around the world are in Washington DC to witness the inauguration of America’s first black president, Barack Obama. 01.16.09

Bush Legacy Lies in 9/11, Iraq, Economy, Education and AIDS Relief
As President-elect Barack Obama prepares to take the oath of office next week, out-going President George W. Bush is leaving behind a controversial legacy shaped by the war in Iraq and a broken economy. 01.13.09

New Congress Convenes Amid Questions Over Senate Seats
The 111th U.S. Congress opened Tuesday even though two Senate seats are mired in scandal and legal challenges, and several more are in flux as lawmakers move into the new Obama administration. 01.06.09

Obama Inauguration Plans Celebrate America's Diversity
For Inauguration Day, the historic ritual that celebrates the long history of peaceful passage of power in the United States, President-elect Barack Obama has chosen a civil rights leader, a Pulitzer Prize finalist author, a multi-Grammy winning artist, decorated military officers and a controversial conservative minister.12.23.08

Obama Cabinet Picks Create Open Senate Seats, and Controversy
As top Democrats move from the U.S. Senate into jobs in President-elect Barack Obama's White House, the process of filling those Senate seats without elections has, in some instances, led to charges of nepotism or bribery.12.16.08

American Automobile Industry Seeks Rescue Plan to Survive
The White House is considering a plea from the “Big Three” U.S. automotive companies, Chrysler, Ford and General Motors, for billions of dollars in government loans if they are to survive. 12.12.08

U.S. Economy Officially in a Recession
After months of job losses, tumbling markets and low retail and home sales, the research organization with the authority to declare a recession made it official on December 1: the U.S. economy is in a recession. 12.05.08

Obama Team Takes Shape, Includes One-time Rival Hillary Clinton
A month and a half before he officially becomes president, Barack Obama has announced many of the key appointments in his new administration, including former rival Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State. 11.25.08

Destructive Fires in Southern California Highlight Risks of Dry Season
I Families are beginning to return to the burnt remains of homes and melted cars after firefighters gained control of wildfires that raged through southern California, forcing thousands of people to flee last week. 1.18.08

Plans Change Dramatically for U.S. Financial Bailout
The U.S. government is shifting the focus of the $700 billion financial rescue plan away from buying up bad mortgage assets, instead trying to help consumers get credit by investing in banks and other financial institutions. 11.14.08

Transition From Bush to Obama Presidency Presents Challenges
President-elect Barack Obama began announcing plans for his new administration just days after winning the election, but he doesn't officially become president until he takes the oath of office at noon on January 20. 11.07.08

High Voter Turnout Helps Barack Obama Win Presidency
After a campaign that is destined to redefine American politics, Sen. Barack Obama solidly won the U.S. presidency Tuesday, making him the country's first black leader. 11.05.08

Iraqis, U.S. Military Negotiate Future of American Troop Presence
Heated debates in the Iraqi cabinet have stalled negotiations over a deal allowing 150,000 U.S. troops to stay in the country after a United Nations mandate expires December 31. 10.28.08

U.S. Economy's Troubles Hurt Alternative Energy Plans
As the economy falters, investment money dries up, demand for gas goes down and oil prices fall, causing advocates for more American alternative energy sources to worry that previous excitement for new energy technology will be lost. 10.24.08

Obama Shatters Fundraising Records, Reigniting Public Finance Debate
Democrat Barack Obama's campaign raised a record-smashing $150 million in the month of September, putting him on track to inject the most money into any election in history, and perhaps making the public financing system irrelevant. 10.21.08

Shifting Away From Free Market Ideals, U.S. Government Buys Big Stakes in Banks
Following the lead of several European nations, the United States decided to use $250 billion in taxpayer money to buy pieces of some of America's largest banks in an effort to help fix a struggling financial system. 10.17.08

Electoral College Turns Presidential Election into State-to-State Combat
While voters might think they're voting for Barack Obama or John McCain on Election Day, they're not. They're voting for a member of the Electoral College — a uniquely American institution responsible for George W. Bush's win in 2000 despite his losing the popular vote to Al Gore, and the reason the campaigns have spent over $25 million on ads in Ohio and nothing in Utah. 10.14.08

Financial Worries, Credit Crisis Are Felt Around the Globe
As the financial crisis continued to have a ripple effect around the globe this week, U.S. stocks plummeted to five-year lows, affecting half of all Americans who have some sort of savings invested in stocks. 10.10.08

Vice Presidential Candidates Hold Their Own in Closely Watched Debate
As they sparred over the economic bailout, Iraq, and education, both insisted that their presidential candidate was the one to lead the country through tough times ahead. 10.03.08

Markets Falter After Congress Fails to Agree on Rescue Plan
Stock prices tumbled Monday after the House of Representatives voted against a $700 billion emergency rescue package, ignoring pleas from President Bush and the leaders of both parties. 09.30.08

Financial Crisis Tests Notions of the President's Role in the Economy
As the Bush administration and Congress try to prevent what many fear is the biggest economic meltdown since the Great Depression, presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama face a new era in government intervention in the economy. 09.23.08

Big Banks Fail, Signaling More Economic Troubles Ahead
The collapse of one of America's oldest and largest investment banks, and the weakened state of other important Wall Street companies shook stock markets worldwide as the financial crisis tied to falling home prices continues to shake the economy. 09.16.08

Obama, McCain Push Different Visions for Schools, Teachers and Students
Democratic nominee Senator Barack Obama and Republican nominee Senator John McCain sparred over education policy this week, as the campaigns kept up a furious pace with just two months left in the race for the White House. 09.12.08

Democrats Hope to Increase Obama's Support at Convention
A Democrats hold their national convention in Denver the week as the party rallies behind the Obama-Biden ticket in hopes of building momentum for the final three months of the 2008 presidential campaign. 08.25.08

Obama World Tour Highlights Foreign Policy Differences With McCain
As the 2008 presidential campaign chugs along, Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama is traveling to the Middle East and Europe -- attracting plenty of media attention along the way while trying to win some political points on foreign policy. 07.22.08

Supreme Court Rules Individuals Have Right to Own Guns
In a landmark ruling, the Supreme Court said Americans have the right to own guns for self defense -- the court's first ruling on the Second Amendment in nearly 70 years. 06.27.08

New Measures Aim to Make Buildings Accessible for Disabled People
The House of Representatives and the Bush administration are pursuing separate measures to expand the scope and enforcement of laws aimed at making it easier for disabled people to access courthouses, stadiums and hotel rooms. 06.24.08

Supreme Court Rules Terror Suspects Can Appeal Detentions
The Supreme Court ruled last week that detainees held at the U.S. Guantanamo Bay prison in Cuba have the constitutional right to challenge their imprisonment in U.S. federal courts. 06.17.08

Families in Katrina Temporary Housing Face Health Problems
The U.S. government is rushing to move families from trailers used as emergency housing since Hurricane Katrina in 2005 after the mobile homes were found to contain formaldehyde, a chemical that can cause severe health problems, including cancer. 06.10.08

Obama Claims Democratic Nomination as Clinton Concedes
After one of the longest primary races in recent history, Senator Barack Obama won the support of enough delegates to claim the Democratic presidential nomination and his rival Senator Hillary Clinton suspended her campaign June 9. 06.09.08

McCain Follows Unlikely Path to Republican Nomination
After a lifetime of public and military service Arizona Senator John McCain is in place to be the presidential nominee of the Republican Party, despite significant differences with some of its more conservative members. 05.21.08

California Supreme Court Overturns Same-sex Marriage Ban
The California Supreme Court overturned a ban on same-sex marriages, declaring it unconstitutional and paving the way for the state to become the second to permit same-sex couples to marry. 05.19.08

Obama Solidifies Delegate Lead after N.C., Indiana Primaries
Senator Barack Obama cruised to a double-digit victory in North Carolina while Senator Hillary Clinton won by a razor-thin margin in Indiana, raising questions about Clinton's prospects in the race for the nomination. 05.07.08

Congress Passes Anti-Genetic Discrimination Bill
A new law would outlaw discrimination based on a person's genetic information, making it more attractive for people to get tested for genetic mutations that could make them susceptible to certain diseases. 05.05.08

Democrats Face Continued Battle After Clinton's Pa. Victory
Facing another must-win political battle, Hillary Clinton emerged victorious in the Pennsylvania Democratic primary, but it's unclear how much the victory will help close her delegate deficit against the better-funded Barack Obama. 04.23.08

Memo Reveals Bush Administration Legal Theory on Interrogation
A recently released 2003 Department of Justice memo has rekindled debate over interrogation tactics with its assertion that the president's authority in times of war overrides laws against torture and cruel treatment. 04.09.08

Democratic Super Delegates Face Pressure Over Presidential Pick
Nearly 800 Democratic super delegates are playing an unexpectedly important role in this year's Democratic primary between Senators Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. 04.02.08

Democrats Fight on for Nomination, McCain Seals GOP Spot
John McCain clinched the Republican presidential nomination Tuesday, while Democrats must continue state-by-state as attention shifts to the Pennsylvania primary on April 22. 03.05.08

Free Trade Agreement is Key Issue for Ohio Voters
Democratic rivals Senator Hillary Clinton and Senator Barack Obama have accused each other of supporting the NAFTA trade agreement in an attempt to sway working-class voters in Ohio. 03.03.08

U.S. Military Intentions in Outer Space are Focus of U.N. DebateOuter space is emerging as the newest frontier in the quest for a technical military advantage, sparking a war of words between the United States, Russia and China. 02.13.08

California Recycles Water 'Toilet to Tap'
In response to Southern California's dwindling water supply, several California cities are trying out new water reclamation projects that turn wastewater into drinking water. 02.11.08

Upcoming Primaries Gain Importance as Candidates Vie for Delegates
All five Democratic and Republican presidential candidates vowed to fight for each state in upcoming primary elections, following inconclusive results from 24 states on Super Tuesday. 02.06.08

President Bush Focuses on Economy in Last State of the Union
In a speech outlining his plans for his remaining months in office, President Bush spoke about government spending in response to stock market troubles and sluggish economic growth. 01.29.08

Congress and President Debate Ways to Ease Impact of Mortgage Crisis
The government is working on ways to help Americans pay their mortgages and stay in their homes so that a growing housing crisis does not weaken other areas of the economy. 01.14.08

Presidential Candidates Turn to Next Big Contest: Super Tuesday
New Hampshire's primary voters rejected the winners of Iowa's caucuses, breathing life into two presidential campaigns that had been showing recent signs of faltering, and setting up Feb. 5 as a critical contest in the race to the White House. 01.09.08

Obama and Huckabee Win at Iowa Caucus
Democratic Senator Obama and Former Republican Governor Huckabee are the clear winners in the first test for the White House. 01.04.08

Candidates Make Final Push Before Voting
The 2008 presidential candidates are making their final push before the Iowa caucuses, the first real test in the race for the White House. 12.28.07

Sliding U.S. Dollar Affects Worldwide Markets
The U.S. dollar continues to loose value in the wake of the recent housing crunch. 12.18.07

Farm Bill Changes May Affect Food Industry
Republicans and Democrats in the Senate are squaring off over a new version of the farm bill, which affects what we eat and how it is grown. 11.20.07

U.S. Ally Pakistan Faces Political Crisis
Clashes between protesters and police renewed pressure on President Pervez Musharraf to hold democratic elections in Pakistan. 11.12.07

Candidates Pick Up Steam in Run-up to Presidential Primaries
Presidential candidates are turning up the rhetoric as several states battle for early 2008 presidential primary dates. 11.05.07

Children's Health is Political Battleground
Democrats failed to override the president's veto of a bill expanding SCHIP, a health insurance program for poor children and their families. 10.29.07

Dalai Lama Award Angers China
In a move that has upset China, the United States awarded the Dalai Lama, Tibet's exiled spiritual leader, the Congressional Gold Medal. 10.17.07

Genocide Resolution Outrages Turkey
The U.S. House of Representatives is considering a resolution that labels the 1915 mass killings of Armenians by Ottoman Turks as a genocide. 10.15.07

Contractors Criticized for Violence in Iraq
The American security firm Blackwater is under scrutiny after its contractors shot and killed 17 Iraqis. 10.10.07

Central Bank Attempts to Reboot Economy
The Federal Reserve lowered two key interest rates to prevent problems in the housing market from causing a recession the U.S. economy. 09.19.07

Iraq War Central Issue in 2008 Primary
Although the 2008 presidential primaries are still months away, candidates are scrambling to define their positions on the war in Iraq. 09.05.07

Politics Topples Attorney General Gonzales
Attorney General Alberto Gonzales resigned after investigations into the firing of U.S. attorneys and the legality of a secret wiretapping program. 08.29.07

Bill Would Make College More Affordable
As college tuition continues to skyrocket, Democrats in Congress are trying to make good on their promise to make college more affordable. 08.16.07

Social Networks Aid Presidential Candidates
Presidential candidates for the 2008 election are using Facebook and MySpace as new tools to generate voter support and raise money. 07.25.07

President Bush Cancels Libby's Jail Term
Mr. Bush commuted the prison sentence of Vice President Cheney's former chief of staff, who was convicted of perjury and obstruction of justice. 07.09.07

States Seek Stricter Car Emissions Standards
Following a Supreme Court decision that called carbon dioxide a "pollutant," California is leading the charge for stricter car emissions standards. 5.29.07

Government Looks to Regulate TV Violence
The Federal Communications Commission called on Congress to regulate violent TV programming for its effects on children. 05.02.07

President Bush Pushes Immigration Reform
During a visit to Yuma, Ariz., President Bush inspected border security measures and called for an overhaul of the nation's immigration laws. 4.11.07

Congress Seeks End to War in Iraq
Both houses of Congress are looking to pull out U.S. troops in Iraq by setting deadlines for the President in an emergency funding bill. 3.28.07

Too Much Testing?
Congress debates the mandatory achievement testing required by President Bush's controversial No Child Left Behind education policy. 3.21.07

President Bush Visits Latin America
President Bush spent six days in Latin America trying to strengthen U.S. economic ties and address social issues affecting the region. 3.14.07

Treatment of Wounded Soldiers Criticized
Investigative news stories describing inadequate treatment of soldiers wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan have sparked political finger-pointing. 3.07.07

Lowest Paid Workers May Get Raise
The House of Representatives and Senate are debating two bills that would increase the federal minimum wage by 40 percent over the next two years. 2.21.07

President Bush Pitches $2.9 Trillion Budget
The president's new budget proposal would increase spending on the military and limit spending on health care and social security. 2.07.07

Set, Go: 2008 Presidential Race Starts Early
More than a dozen presidential hopefuls are lining up for the primary races -- the first since 1928 without a sitting president or vice president running. 1.31.07

President Bush Outlines 2007 Agenda
In his State of the Union address, the president defended his strategy in Iraq and introduced goals for the environment and health care. 1.24.07

New Passport Rules Take Effect
All U.S.-bound air travelers, even those coming from Canada or Mexico, are now required to carry a passport as part of new security measures. 1.22.07

President Bush Sends More Troops to Iraq
President Bush's plan to deploy 21,000 more U.S. troops to Iraq received harsh criticism from many Democrats and some Republicans. 1.16.07

Democrats Aim for Change in New Congress
Democrats control both houses of the 110th Congress and will take up the issues of stem cell research, the minimum wage, and Iraq war funding. 1.08.07

Juneteenth: Celebrating the Day Texas Slaves Learned They Were Free
In small towns and big cities around the country, June 19 is a special holiday commemorating the day Union soldiers enforced the President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation and freed all remaining slaves in Texas on June 19, 1865. 06.18.12

Washington Celebrates 150th Anniversary of Emancipation Day
On April 16, 1862, Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of the United States, signed the Compensated Emancipation Act, an act that freed more than 3000 slaves in Washington D.C. 04.16.12

Filmmaker Explores Meaning of Black History Month
Every February, students across the country learn about the contributions and stories of African-Americans during Black History Month. 02.16.12

Young Americans Still Feeling Effects of 9/11, Ten Years On
Ten years ago, America experienced the most devastating terrorist attacks on U.S. soil in the country’s history. 09.11.11

Youth Remember 9/11
Youth from Adobe Youth Voices, Mercy Corps, iEARN, Millennial Youth and People's Production House all contributed to a video remembrance quilt and classroom activity to mark the 10th anniversary of 9/11. 09.11.11

MLK Memorial Opens on Anniversary of Historic March
Almost 50 years after his “I Have a Dream” speech, Martin Luther King Jr. will have his own memorial on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., the first dedicated to an African-American or a non-U.S. president. 08.23.11

New Freedom Rides Highlight America’s Changes in 50 Years
May 2011 marks the 50th anniversary of the Freedom Rides, when more than 400 courageous young people embarked on a dangerous journey to desegregate interstate buses in the Deep South. A new PBS documentary, “Freedom Riders,” chronicles that historic event and follows 40 college students on a 10-city re-enactment tour. 05.17.11

150th Anniversary of the Civil War Fraught With Emotion
The first shots of the Civil War were fired on April 12, 1861, a century-and-a-half ago, at Fort Sumter in South Carolina. Events commemorating the battle and the most traumatic era in American history are taking place this week with a concert and battle re-enactment. 04.12.11

1911 New York Factory Fire Was Fuel for Labor Laws
One hundred years ago, on March 25, 1911, 146 workers died in an enormous fire at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory, the deadliest workplace disaster in New York City’s history. The tragedy sparked a series of labor and union laws that continue to impact workers today. 03.17.11

Anniversary of Challenger Tragedy Highlights Perils of Exploring Space
n a month filled with significant historical anniversaries -- the 25th official Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, 50 years since John F. Kennedy’s famous inauguration speech -- Jan. 28, 2011, marks the somber 25th anniversary of the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster that killed seven astronauts and left the nation reeling. 01.28.11

Martin Luther King Day Came Out of Legislative Struggle
Jan. 17, 2011, is the 25th official Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, honoring the legacy of the slain civil rights leader. While the federal holiday began as day of commemoration for King and his nonviolent protest of racial discrimination, the holiday has grown into a national call to service. 01.18.11

Amid Flagging Support for War, Obama Unveils New Afghan Strategy
President Barack Obama outlined his new plan for the U.S. war in Afghanistan this week after months of deliberation, pledging to send an additional 30,000 U.S. soldiers to stabilize and rebuild the country, but to begin withdrawing American forces in July 2011. 12.02.09

Fort Hood Community Pulls Together After Shooting Rampage
President Barack Obama and victim families paid last respects at Fort Hood, Texas, this week, as the alleged shooter in the attack, Army psychiatrist Nidal Malik Hasan, continues to recuperate, and investigators look into possible motives. 11.11.09

"Liberal Lion of the Senate," Edward Kennedy Dies
The last surviving brother of the Kennedy political dynasty and champion of liberal causes, Senator Edward Kennedy, died after a year-long battle with brain cancer at the age of 77. He will be remembered as one of America's most influential senators. 08.26.09

Massive Spending Bill Aims to Create Jobs, Strengthen Economy
President Barack Obama signed a massive economic stimulus bill into law this week, a major piece of legislation aimed at helping America’s economy via hundreds of billions of dollars in government spending. 02.18.09

Obama Moves Quickly in First Days
The newly minted President Barack Obama is acting swiftly to reverse some of President Bush’s controversial policies and to set a new tone for the Obama administration.01.23.09

Bush Legacy Lies in 9/11, Iraq, Economy, Education and AIDS Relief
As President-elect Barack Obama prepares to take the oath of office next week, out-going President George W. Bush is leaving behind a controversial legacy shaped by the war in Iraq and a broken economy. 01.13.0

High Voter Turnout Helps Barack Obama Win Presidency
After a campaign that is destined to redefine American politics, Sen. Barack Obama solidly won the U.S. presidency Tuesday, making him the country's first black leader. 11.05.08

Big Banks Fail, Signaling More Economic Troubles Ahead
The collapse of one of America's oldest and largest investment banks shook stock markets worldwide as the financial crisis tied to falling home prices continues to shake the economy. 09.16.08

Obama Claims Democratic Nomination as Clinton Concedes
After one of the longest primary races in recent history, Senator Barack Obama won the support of enough delegates to claim the Democratic presidential nomination and his rival Senator Hillary Clinton suspended her campaign June 9. 06.09.08

Yale Returns Incan Artifacts to Peru
Yale University agreed to return a massive collection of artifacts taken from Peru's Machu Picchu ruins nearly 100 years ago. 11.14.07

Sputnik Launches 50 Years of Space Race
When the Soviet Union launched a basketball-sized satellite into space October 4, 1957, it shocked the world and set off a space race. 10.03.07

Jena Six Rally Highlights Racial Tensions
Protesters rallied Sept. 20 in support of an imprisoned Louisiana teenager, calling his case a symbol of a racist criminal justice system. 09.24.07

Jamestown Celebrates 400th Anniversary
Britain's Queen Elizabeth II's trip to Virginia highlights the founding of the first permanent English settlement in the New World. 4.30.07

Facebook Moves to Sell Stock and Go Public
Facebook, the place where 800 million people share photos, dating status, likes and dislikes, has taken the first steps towards becoming a public company, which means that soon anyone with enough cash can own a share of Facebook itself. 02.02.12

Deal Making Results in Tax Cut for Most Americans
After lengthy debates and a final compromise worked out between Republicans and President Obama, Congress passed a $858 billion tax deal that includes a two-year extension of the Bush-era tax cuts, unemployment benefits for 13 months, and other measures designed to lift the U.S. economy. 12.17.10.

Obama Visits India, World’s Second-Fastest Growing Economy
President Barack Obama began his 10-day trip to Asia by stopping first in India, the world’s largest democracy. The president announced his support for India’s quest to become a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council and worked on trade deals to help the U.S. economy. 11.09.10.

Foreclosure Crisis Pushes More Americans Out of Their Homes
Since the economic crisis began in December 2007, millions of Americans have lost their homes to foreclosure, sending families scrambling to find a place to live -- sometimes moving into relatives' houses, settling in homeless shelters or on the streets. 10.22.10

Stimulus Turns One Amid Public Skepticism
President Obama and his team hit the road this week for the one year anniversary of the federal stimulus, the Recovery Act, which pumped billions of dollars into the economy in an attempt to prevent a second Great Depression. 02.19.10

Hungry in America: New Food Insecurity Numbers Are A Wake Up Call
A new report released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture confirms that almost 50 million Americans had a hard time putting food on the table in 2008 -- one in seven American households, an increase of 13 million people from the year before. 11.24.09

Basic Needs Threatened by Busted State Budgets
States across America face difficult choices as the troubled economy eats away at the tax money they use to pay for important services such as libraries, health care and education. 09.18.09

Finance Reform Still on the Agenda, One Year After Collapse
A year after the collapse of investment giant Lehman Brothers that set off global financial crisis and unprecedented government involvement in the financial system, President Barack Obama gave a speech warning bankers against complacency and called for stronger government oversight of Wall Street. 09.15.09

Higher Unemployment Rates Hamper Economic Recovery
As the national unemployment rate climbs above 9 percent, the highest rate in 26 years, President Barack Obama is urging states and local governments across the country to spend stimulus funds to improve parks, build roads and other projects. 06.09.09

New Grads Increasingly Turning to AmeriCorps, Teach for America
With the nation's unemployment rising to a 25-year high this month and the financial sector in turmoil, many recent graduates are turning to service-oriented job programs like Teach for America and Peace Corps. 03.17.09

Fear of "Zombie Banks" Drives Government to Deal With "Toxic Assets"
America’s largest banks are in serious trouble, and the Obama administration faces difficult choices about how to untangle the modern financial system without making the crisis worse. 03.13.09

Obama Outlines Economic Plan in Address to Congress
While not technically a State of the Union address, President Barack Obama went before the joint houses of Congress and the American public Tuesday to lay out his plans for the nation, saying that the United States is “a nation that has seen promise amid peril and claimed opportunity from ordeal.” 02.25.09

Massive Spending Bill Aims to Create Jobs, Strengthen Economy
President Barack Obama signed a massive economic stimulus bill into law this week, a major piece of legislation aimed at helping America’s economy via hundreds of billions of dollars in government spending. 02.18.09

Obama Orders Review of Fuel Efficiency Policies
President Barack Obama on Monday ordered federal regulators to reexamine two policies that could lead to more fuel-efficient new cars and trucks. 01.27.09

Bush Legacy Lies in 9/11, Iraq, Economy, Education and AIDS Relief
As President-elect Barack Obama prepares to take the oath of office next week, out-going President George W. Bush is leaving behind a controversial legacy shaped by the war in Iraq and a broken economy. 01.13.09

American Automobile Industry Seeks Rescue Plan to Survive
The White House is considering a plea from the “Big Three” U.S. automotive companies, Chrysler, Ford and General Motors, for billions of dollars in government loans if they are to survive. 12.12.08

U.S. Economy Officially in a Recession
After months of job losses, tumbling markets and low retail and home sales, the research organization with the authority to declare a recession made it official on December 1: the U.S. economy is in a recession. 12.05.08

Plans Change Dramatically for U.S. Financial Bailout
The U.S. government is shifting the focus of the $700 billion financial rescue plan away from buying up bad mortgage assets, instead trying to help consumers get credit by investing in banks and other financial institutions. 11.14.08

U.S. Economy's Troubles Hurt Alternative Energy Plans
As the economy falters, investment money dries up, demand for gas goes down and oil prices fall, causing advocates for more American alternative energy sources to worry that previous excitement for new energy technology will be lost. 10.24.08

Obama Shatters Fundraising Records, Reigniting Public Finance Debate
Democrat Barack Obama's campaign raised a record-smashing $150 million in the month of September, putting him on track to inject the most money into any election in history, and perhaps making the public financing system irrelevant. 10.21.08

Shifting Away From Free Market Ideals, U.S. Government Buys Big Stakes in Banks
Following the lead of several European nations, the United States decided to use $250 billion in taxpayer money to buy pieces of some of America's largest banks in an effort to help fix a struggling financial system. 10.17.08

Financial Worries, Credit Crisis Are Felt Around the Globe
As the financial crisis continued to have a ripple effect around the globe this week, U.S. stocks plummeted to five-year lows, affecting half of all Americans who have some sort of savings invested in stocks. 10.10.08

Markets Falter After Congress Fails to Agree on Rescue Plan
Stock prices tumbled Monday after the House of Representatives voted against a $700 billion emergency rescue package, ignoring pleas from President Bush and the leaders of both parties. 09.30.08

Financial Crisis Tests Notions of the President's Role in the Economy
As the Bush administration and Congress try to prevent what many fear is the biggest economic meltdown since the Great Depression, presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama face a new era in government intervention in the economy. 09.23.08

Big Banks Fail, Signaling More Economic Troubles Ahead
The collapse of one of America's oldest and largest investment banks shook stock markets worldwide as the financial crisis tied to falling home prices continues to shake the economy. 09.16.08

High Gas Prices Changing Habits, Consumer Choices
With gasoline costing a national average of more than $4 a gallon -- over a dollar more than the same time last year -- people all across the United States are changing the way they shop, vacation and even go to school. 07.15.08

Math Madness: Statistics Might Help Choose NCAA Brackets Statisticians have found ways to improve the odds of picking the winners of the NCAA men's basketball tournament, but have not been able to conquer the uncertainties that make it nearly impossible to create the perfect bracket. 03.17.08

Stagflation Threatens U.S. Economy
As the U.S. economy slows in part from a lagging housing market, economic indicators point to the possibility of stagflation -- a slowdown in economic activity combined with rising prices not seen since the 1970s. 02.25.08

Congress and President Debate Ways to Ease Impact of Mortgage Crisis
The government is working on ways to help Americans pay their mortgages and stay in their homes so that a growing housing crisis does not weaken other areas of the economy. 01.14.08

Sliding U.S. Dollar Affects Worldwide Markets
The U.S. dollar continues to loose value in the wake of the recent housing crunch. 12.18.07

Facebook, MySpace Launch New Targeted Ads
MySpace and Facebook developed tools that allow advertisers to target users based on wall postings and other personal information. 11.07.07

Central Bank Attempts to Reboot Economy
The Federal Reserve lowered two key interest rates to prevent problems in the housing market from causing a recession the U.S. economy. 09.19.07

Chinese Toy Recall Impacts U.S. Businesses
Following a massive recall by Mattel, toymakers and other manufacturers are reexamining how they do business with China. 08.22.07

Bill Would Make College More Affordable
As college tuition continues to skyrocket, Democrats in Congress are trying to make good on their promise to make college more affordable. 08.16.07

Teen Found Guilty in Landmark Texting-While-Driving Case
A Massachusetts teenager is the first person in the state to be convicted of causing a deadly traffic accident while texting. 06.07.12

Shooting Death of Teen Raises Questions About Florida Law
The death of a teenager in Florida and the lack of an arrest for the man who shot him has provoked passionate discussions around the country about racial profiling and the Florida law that allows people to defend themselves with deadly force. 03.22.12

Roommate Found Guilty of Hate Crimes in Online Bullying Case
Former Rutgers University student Dharun Ravi was found guilty of hate-crime charges and invasion of privacy for using a webcam to secretly record his college roommate, Tyler Clementi, who later committed suicide. 03.19.12

Wikipedia and YouTube Battle Hollywood in SOPA Showdown
To hear some Internet companies tell it, a bill making its way through the U.S. Congress would kill the “open” nature of the web. But if you listen to Hollywood and big-brands like Nike, the same bill is necessary to protect artists and nurture American ingenuity and creativity. 01.17.12

'No Child Left Behind' Education Reform Law Turns 10
A law geared toward improving education for all students regardless of learning differences, race or economic background is turning 10 years old. 01.09.12

Supreme Court Considers Health Care in ‘Trial of the Century’
The U.S. Supreme Court is considering the controversial health care law known as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act in a historic case that some are calling the ‘trial of the century.’ 03.26.12

Supreme Court Ends Ban on Sale of Violent Video Games
The Supreme Court recently struck down a California law that blocked the sale of violent video games to children. The justices ruled that the ban violated the First Amendment protection of free speech. 06.28.11

Supreme Court Rules Age Matters in Miranda Warnings
Teenagers who are removed from class for questioning by the police must be informed of their rights to remain silent and to a lawyer, according to a recent decision from the Supreme Court. 06.22.11

Supreme Court Considers Free Speech and Protests at Military Funerals
The limits of free speech are at issue in a case before the Supreme Court having to do with a church that stages protests at military funerals because members believe the Iraq war is God's punishment for America's acceptance of homosexuality. 10.12.10

High Court Rules Against City Gun Ban
A divided Supreme Court ruled that the Constitution's Second Amendment right "to keep and bear arms" extends to state and local governments, a victory for guns rights advocates and a blow to cities that have tried to fight violent crimes by banning guns. 06.30.10

Supreme Court Decision Opens Elections to More Corporate Spending
In a split 5-4 ruling, the Supreme Court said that corporations have the same First Amendment rights to free speech as individuals when it comes to the election process, overturning decades of limits on how much money corporations and labor unions can spend on campaign ads. 01.22.10

Airport Body Scanners: Security or Invasion of Privacy?
Personal privacy advocates are opposing plans for more widespread use of full-body scanners at airports following the blocked attempt by an alleged bomber to set off explosives in his underwear on a flight from Europe to the U.S. 01.12.10

Supreme Court Allows D.C. Football Team to Keep Redskins Mascot
The Supreme Court protected the Washington Redskins' trademark team name against a lawsuit from a group of Native Americans who say the name is racially offensive. 12.17.09

Constitutional Questions Raised in New Supreme Court Session
The Supreme Court is open for business, considering questions such as: do big businesses have the same free speech rights as people? Are movies depicting animal cruelty free speech? And how rigid is the line separating church from state? 10.07.09

Sotomayor Hearings Feature Debate Over Role of Judges
Judge Sonia Sotomayor, President Barack Obama’s nominee for the Supreme Court, appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee this week as part of the constitutionally-mandated confirmation process for new justices. 07.15.09

President Obama Nominates New Supreme Court Justice
President Barack Obama nominated Judge Sonia Sotomayor of New York to the U.S. Supreme Court Tuesday. If confirmed, Sotomayor would be the third female justice and the first person of Hispanic descent to sit on the High Court. 05.26.09

President Obama Encourages 'Civil Debate' on Abortion
President Obama used his commencement address at the Catholic university Notre Dame Sunday to call for all sides in the abortion debate to treat each other with respect and search for common ground and work toward a world with fewer unexpected and unwanted pregnancies. 05.19.09

Supreme Court Justice Retiring; Obama Will Help Shape High Court
Supreme Court Justice David Souter is planning to retire this year, giving President Obama an opportunity to choose a member of the high court and begin to shape the institution that helps form the laws and rules that govern everyday life. 05.01.09

Court Weighs School's Right to Strip Search Students
In a case that could affect students across the country, the United States Supreme Court is considering whether it is constitutional for school officials to strip search students on suspicion of hiding contraband such as drugs. 04.24.09

Supreme Court Considers First Amendment, Sherman Act
The 111th U.S. Congress opened Tuesday even though two Senate seats are mired in scandal and legal challenges, and several more are in flux as lawmakers move into the new Obama administration. 02.27.09

New Congress Convenes Amid Questions Over Senate Seats
The 111th U.S. Congress opened Tuesday even though two Senate seats are mired in scandal and legal challenges, and several more are in flux as lawmakers move into the new Obama administration. 01.06.09

Supreme Court Rules Individuals Have Right to Own Guns
In a landmark ruling, the Supreme Court said Americans have the right to own guns for self defense -- the court's first ruling on the Second Amendment in nearly 70 years. 06.27.08

Supreme Court Rules Terror Suspects Can Appeal Detentions
The Supreme Court ruled last week that detainees held at the U.S. Guantanamo Bay prison in Cuba have the constitutional right to challenge their imprisonment in U.S. federal courts. 06.17.08

California Supreme Court Overturns Same-sex Marriage Ban
The California Supreme Court overturned a ban on same-sex marriages, declaring it unconstitutional and paving the way for the state to become the second to permit same-sex couples to marry. 05.19.08

Congress Passes Anti-Genetic Discrimination Bill
A new law would outlaw discrimination based on a person's genetic information, making it more attractive for people to get tested for genetic mutations that could make them susceptible to certain diseases. 05.05.08

Supreme Court Takes 2nd Amendment Case
The U.S. Supreme Court will rule on the constitutionality of Washington, D.C.'s handgun ban, which challenges the Second Amendment. 11.26.07

Court Rules on Students with Disabilities
The Supreme Court affirmed a ruling requiring school districts to pay for the private special education for learning disabled students. 10.08.07

Jena Six Rally Highlights Racial Tensions
Protesters rallied Sept. 20 in support of an imprisoned Louisiana teenager, calling his case a symbol of a racist criminal justice system. 09.24.07

D.C. Appeals Gun Ban to Supreme Court
Washington, DC is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to decide if its handgun ban is legal, and the ruling could affect gun laws nationwide. 09.12.07

Politics Topples Attorney General Gonzales
Attorney General Alberto Gonzales resigned after investigations into the firing of U.S. attorneys and the legality of a secret wiretapping program. 08.29.07

President Bush Cancels Libby's Jail Term
Mr. Bush commuted the prison sentence of Vice President Cheney's former chief of staff, who was convicted of perjury and obstruction of justice. 07.09.07

Race Criteria Struck Down in Public Schools
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that public schools may not consider an individual's race when trying to create a diverse student body. 7.02.07

Supreme Court Rules to Allow Censorship in High Schools
The Supreme Court ruled 5-4 to limit student speech after a high-school senior was suspended for displaying a sign with a drug reference at a school-sponsored activity. 6.26.07

Lawsuit Alleges Vaccine Caused Autism
A class-action lawsuit brought by parents of autistic children claims that a preservative in vaccines caused the neurological disorder. 6.20.07

Bald Eagle May Fly off Endangered List
Once on the brink of extinction, the bald eagle has rebounded and may soon be removed from the list of endangered species. 6.13.07

States Seek Stricter Car Emissions Standards
Following a Supreme Court decision that called carbon dioxide a "pollutant," California is leading the charge for stricter car emissions standards. 5.29.07

Opinion Mixed on Raising Drop-out Age
In an effort to encourage more students to earn high school diplomas, some states are raising the age that kids can elect to drop out of school. 05.14.07

High School Student's Free Speech on Trial
The Supreme Court is considering a First Amendment rights case focused on a high schooler suspended for displaying a sign reading "Bong Hits 4 Jesus." 3.19.07

Calling All Gamers: U.S. Navy Wants You!
The U.S. military is turning to the video-gaming public to to develop new energy use strategies for both the Navy and Marine Corps. 05.21.12

Young Football Players Are Taking Big-League Hits
Kids who play football make -- and take -- hits to the head just as hard as any high school, college or NFL player, according to a new study. 04.05.12

Soldier Accused With Disclosing Military Secrets Awaits Fate
U.S. soldier Bradley Manning, a whistleblowing folk hero to some, and a traitorous villain to others, could soon learn the fate of his trial. 03.16.12

Roommate Found Guilty of Hate Crimes in Online Bullying Case
Former Rutgers University student Dharun Ravi was found guilty of hate-crime charges and invasion of privacy for using a webcam to secretly record his college roommate, Tyler Clementi, who later committed suicide.03.19.12

Hazing in Schools Gains National Attention
Hazing—comprised of humiliating tasks expected of someone joining a group – is on the rise in the United States, and recent incidents in Massachusetts and Florida show that these acts of bullying are degrading and often dangerous. 12.06.11

Kansas Governor Apologizes to Tweeting Teen
Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback has apologized to a high school student for overreacting to an unpleasant message she sent via the social networking service Twitter. Her tweet sparked a controversy over free speech issues and how young people interact with social media. 11.29.11

HIV/AIDS Pandemic Turns 30
June 5, 2011 marks the 30th anniversary of the first documented case of the disease known as AIDS. What began as a fatal plague has become a treatable chronic illness in many parts of the world. 6.3.11

U.S. Navy Calls on Video Gamers for Strategic Help
The U.S. Navy is turning to the video-gaming public to track and fight pirates. Massively Multiplayer Online War Game Leveraging the Internet, or MMOWGLI, is an interactive message board where players collect points by presenting their ideas and getting votes from other players. 6.1.11

On Memorial Day, Americans Reflect on Military Service
For many, Memorial Day marks the beginning of summer, but it is also a time when many Americans reflect on the sacrifices of members of the armed forces. With more than 1 million people on active U.S. military duty around the world, many people will spend the weekend honoring Americans who have died while serving in the military.
5.27.11

Arizona Shooter Showed Violent Tendencies, Warning Signs
he shooting of Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and several others at a Tucson supermarket has left the country reeling, debating the causes of violence and thinking about how to create a safer public environment. 01.11.10.

Arizona Bans Ethnic Studies for K-12th Students
As a debate about immigration and its role in American history and culture plays out around the nation, the state of Arizona has banned "ethnic studies" in all its public K-12 schools. 12.28.10.

U.S. Repeals Ban on Gays Serving Openly in Military
In the last days of its 2010 session, Congress voted to repeal a controversial policy known as “don’t ask, don’t tell,” which prohibits gays and lesbians from serving openly in the military. The vote comes as a victory to civil and gay rights activists and fulfills a campaign promise made by President Barack Obama. 12.21.10.

U.S. Schools Make Progress, But ‘Dropout Factories’ Persist
In the decade since educators launched a nationwide campaign to improve schools and stop students from dropping out, progress has been made, according to a new report, but more than 1 million public high school students failed to graduate with their class this year and 2 million attend so-called "dropout factory" schools where their chance of graduating is only 50-50. 11.30.10.

Millions Will Be Homeless for the Holidays
As families gather this week to celebrate Thanksgiving, the homeless, including an estimated 1.5 million young people, will struggle to find a meal and a place to stay. The economic downturn has increased the number of homeless people and families nationwide, and children whose families are frequently on the move also often have trouble staying in school. 11.23.10.

Graphic Warnings Proposed for Cigarette Packages, Ads
In a move that is the first of its kind in the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has proposed new warning labels for cigarette packages that will feature visual images, such as a toe tag on a corpse, as a way to depict smoking’s harmful side effects. 11.12.10.

Head Injuries Raise Questions About Safety of Football
The sport of football is at a crossroads after several recent tackles have resulted in concussions, raising the question of whether athletes are risking their lives for their sport. 10.26.10.

Sept. 11 Anniversary Highlights Different Attitudes Toward Islam
On the ninth anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks, protests against a proposed community center and mosque near Ground Zero, along with a “burn a Koran” rally hosted by a small Florida church have made headlines and prompted a debate about religious freedom and religious tolerance in America. 09.10.10.

New Orleans Five Years after Hurricane Katrina
August 29 marks the fifth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. All over the Gulf coast, people will remember one of the most destructive hurricanes in U.S. history through memorials and marches in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia and Florida. 08.25.10.

Report Says Many Youths Are ‘Too Fat to Fight’
A panel of retired military leaders has joined the fight against childhood obesity, saying that unhealthy school lunches are making America's youth unfit for military service and therefore pose a threat to national security. Their report, titled "Too Fat to Fight," states that 27 percent of all young adults are too overweight to serve in the armed forces. 04.23.10.

Alleged Teen Bullies Charged After Classmate's Suicide
Nine teenagers in Massachusetts are facing criminal charges after one of their classmates committed suicide, allegedly because she was upset over relentless teasing and taunting at school. 04.06.10

Political Clout and Money at Stake in U.S. Census Count
Next week, American households will begin receiving their census questionnaires in the mail. Conducted every 10 years, the census is the government's attempt to count every single person living in the United States, which paints a picture of the country and determines political representation in Congress. 03.11.10

Millennials: A New Generation Takes Center Stage
Teenagers and twenty-somethings are part of what is being called the "Millennial Generation" and were the subject of a study by the Pew Research Center, which found that today's young people are more diverse, optimistic and technologically reliant than older Americans. 02.26.2010

China-Google Battle Over Internet Freedom
Google has threatened to pull its business out of China, ending a 2006 compromise in which the popular search engine company agreed to allow the government to filter taboo topics on searches done inside the populous Communist Party-run country. 01.26.2010

Hungry in America: New Food Insecurity Numbers Are A Wake Up Call
A new report released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture confirms that almost 50 million Americans had a hard time putting food on the table in 2008 -- one in seven American households, an increase of 13 million people from the year before. 11.24.09

Fort Hood Community Pulls Together After Shooting Rampage
President Barack Obama and victim families paid last respects at Fort Hood, Texas, this week, as the alleged shooter in the attack, Army psychiatrist Nidal Malik Hasan, continues to recuperate, and investigators look into possible motives. 11.11.09

Congress Widens Hate Crimes Law to Include Gender Identity
In the first expansion of a federal hate crimes law since 1968, President Barack Obama signed a bill Wednesday that extends hate crime protections to include sexual orientation and gender identity. 10.30.09

President Revisits 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' Policy for Gays in the Military
Facing criticism from the gay community for failing so far to live up to campaign promises, President Barack Obama addressed gay advocacy group Human Rights Campaign over the weekend, pledging to end the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy that prohibits gay and lesbian soldiers from serving openly in the armed forces. 10.13.09

Chicago Teen's Violent Death Spurs Plans to Reduce Youth Violence
The Obama administration promised a "sustained national effort" to combat youth violence this week, after a cell phone video camera captured the beating and killing of 16-year-old Derrion Albert when he crossed paths with rival gangs on his way home from school. 10.09.09

President Obama Encourages 'Civil Debate' on Abortion
President Obama used his commencement address at the Catholic university Notre Dame Sunday to call for all sides in the abortion debate to treat each other with respect and search for common ground and work toward a world with fewer unexpected and unwanted pregnancies. 05.19.09

Privacy Concerns Arise As Digital Life Trends Toward Cloud Computing
As more people rely on the Internet for applications and data storage, those technologies are raising tough questions about user privacy. 05.05.09

New Grads Increasingly Turning to AmeriCorps, Teach for America
With the nation's unemployment rising to a 25-year high this month and the financial sector in turmoil, many recent graduates are turning to service-oriented job programs like Teach for America and Peace Corps. 03.17.09

Obama Inauguration Draws Celebrities and Citizens to Washington DC
Millions of people from around the world are in Washington DC to witness the inauguration of America’s first black president, Barack Obama. 01.16.09

Destructive Fires in Southern California Highlight Risks of Dry Season
I Families are beginning to return to the burnt remains of homes and melted cars after firefighters gained control of wildfires that raged through southern California, forcing thousands of people to flee last week. 1.18.08

New Measures Aim to Make Buildings Accessible for Disabled People
The House of Representatives and the Bush administration are pursuing separate measures to expand the scope and enforcement of laws aimed at making it easier for disabled people to access courthouses, stadiums and hotel rooms. 06.24.08

Families in Katrina Temporary Housing Face Health Problems
The U.S. government is rushing to move families from trailers used as emergency housing since Hurricane Katrina in 2005 after the mobile homes were found to contain formaldehyde, a chemical that can cause severe health problems, including cancer. 06.10.08

Obama Claims Democratic Nomination as Clinton Concedes
After one of the longest primary races in recent history, Senator Barack Obama won the support of enough delegates to claim the Democratic presidential nomination and his rival Senator Hillary Clinton suspended her campaign June 9. 06.09.08

California Recycles Water 'Toilet-to-Tap'
In response to Southern California's dwindling water supply, several California cities are trying out new water reclamation projects that turn wastewater into drinking water. 02.11.08

Facebook, MySpace Launch New Targeted Ads
MySpace and Facebook developed tools that allow advertisers to target users based on wall postings and other personal information. 11.07.07

California Battles Devastating Wildfires
Fierce winds and no rain in California continue to fuel wildfires that have destroyed more than 1,400 homes or businesses and killed five people. 10.24.07

Schools Fighting Deadly "Superbug"
Schools in the northeastern U.S. are using Lysol and better hygiene to combat outbreaks of a bacteria known as the MRSA "superbug." 10.22.07

Jena Six Rally Highlights Racial Tensions
Protesters rallied Sept. 20 in support of an imprisoned Louisiana teenager, calling his case a symbol of a racist criminal justice system. 09.24.07

Chinese Toy Recall Impacts U.S. Businesses
Following a massive recall by Mattel, toymakers and other manufacturers are reexamining how they do business with China. 08.22.07

Collapse Reveals Problems with U.S. Bridges
The collapse of the Interstate 35W bridge in Minnesota has spurred transportation regulators to examine bridge testing procedures. 08.08.07

Social Networks Aid Presidential Candidates
Presidential candidates for the 2008 election are using Facebook and MySpace as new tools to generate voter support and raise money. 07.25.07

New Fees Put Pressure on Internet Radio
Internet-based radio stations are battling the record industry -- and the clock -- as they face hefty new copyright fees in two months. 05.21.07

Opinion Mixed on Raising Dropout Age
In an effort to encourage more students to earn high school diplomas, some states are raising the age that kids can elect to drop out of school. 05.14.07

Government Looks to Regulate TV Violence
The Federal Communications Commission called on Congress to regulate violent TV programming for its effects on children. 05.02.07

Virginia Tech Begins Healing Process
Two days after a 23-year-old student went on a shooting rampage at Virginia Tech, the university community mourns and shares feelings. 4.18.07

Owners, Vets Question Pet Food Safety
As the list of recalled dog and cat food continues to grow, pet owners and veterinarians are questioning the lack of manufacturer regulation. 4.09.07

Daylight-saving Time Lasts Longer This Year
Most of the United States begins daylight-saving time three weeks earlier this year -- Congress' attempt to save energy and money. 3.09.07

Treatment of Wounded Soldiers Criticized
Investigative news stories describing inadequate treatment of soldiers wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan have sparked political finger-pointing. 3.07.07

Lowest Paid Workers May Get Raise
The House of Representatives and Senate are debating two bills that would increase the federal minimum wage by 40 percent over the next two years. 2.21.07

New Passport Rules Take Effect
All U.S.-bound air travelers, even those coming from Canada or Mexico, are now required to carry a passport as part of new security measures. 1.22.07