 | 2008 JULY
July 24, 2008
Housing Rescue Bill Awaits Senate, but Questions Linger
A hotly-debated housing bill aimed at helping struggling homeowners and shoring up Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac is next headed for the Senate. Sens. Chris Dodd, D-Conn., and Richard Shelby, R-Ala., discuss the details.
   
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| July 23, 2008
Wide-reaching Housing Rescue Legislation Moves Forward
The House approved Wednesday a hotly-debated housing rescue package aimed at helping strapped homeowners avoid foreclosures after President Bush dropped his opposition to the bill. Experts examine the measure.
 
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| July 23, 2008
President Bush Drops Veto Threat for Housing Bill
President Bush will sign into law a housing rescue bill hammered out in a compromise among House and Senate leaders, the White House said Wednesday.
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| July 22, 2008
Ariz. Breaks Ground in Reforming Prison System
The Arizona prison system is attempting to restructure its correction programs, in the aim of reducing repeat offenders. Jeffrey Brown reports on what these measures hope to achieve.
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| July 18, 2008
Bailout of Mortgage Firms Could Set Risky Precedent
As the nation's housing woes continue, the government announced a plan this week to shore up mortgage-giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Paul Solman weighs the role of government intervention and the possible ramifications of rewarding risky financial behaviors.
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| July 17, 2008
Fannie Mae CEO Defends Mortgage Giant's Stability
Fannie Mae CEO Daniel Mudd reacts to questions about the stability of the mortgage-lending giant after the government took steps earlier this week to back Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in order to maintain stability and confidence in U.S. financial markets.
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| July 17, 2008
Gore Aims High on Renewable Energy Goal for U.S.
Former Vice President and Nobel laureate Al Gore outlined a bold climate goal for the nation Thursday, challenging the U.S. to create every kilowatt of electricity through renewable energy sources within 10 years.
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| July 15, 2008
Government Bailouts, Poor Growth Fuel Concerns Over Banking Sector
Troubling economic reports and bleak forecasts from the nation's economic policymakers have fueled new concerns over the health of the economy and the stability of the nation's banks. Banking experts offer insight.
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| July 15, 2008
Continued Economic Concerns Draw Attention on Hill
Amid signs of continued economic distress, President Bush and the nation's top economic policymakers fanned out across Washington, seeking to reassure roiling markets, skittish investors, and a worried public. Ray Suarez wraps up the latest economic news.
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| July 15, 2008
Bernanke: Economy Faces 'Numerous Difficulties'
Amid a flurry of government-backed steps to fortify the U.S. economy, Fed chief Ben Bernanke told lawmakers Tuesday the economy continues to face "numerous difficulties" including turbulent financial markets, rising unemployment and housing troubles.
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| July 14, 2008
Treasury, Fed Propose Safety Net for Mortgage Giants
Congress must soon decide on a U.S. Treasury-Federal Reserve measure to save mortgage giants Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae from further crisis. An economics editor and House Financial Committee members weigh the options.
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| July 14, 2008
U.S. Government Takes Steps to Back Struggling Mortgage Giants
The Treasury Department and Federal Reserve laid out plans Sunday to help bolster lagging confidence in mortgage-finance giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
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| July 11, 2008
EPA Sidesteps Regulating Greenhouse Gases
The Environmental Protection Agency on Friday delayed making a decision about whether human health and welfare are being harmed by greenhouse gas pollution. In a federal notice, the agency instead called for more public comment, essentially bumping the decision to the next administration.
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| July 11, 2008
Worries of a Bailout of Mortgage Giants Hit Markets Hard
The market value of mortgage giants Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae slumped again Friday, but rebounded after officials downplayed the likelihood of government action. A reporter and analysts discuss the developments.
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| July 11, 2008
Paulson: No Bailout for Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac
Amid worries that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac might run short of capital, Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson said Friday the government would support them "in their current form as they carry out their important mission."
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| July 10, 2008
Alexander Hamilton's New York House Takes to the Road
The former home of Alexander Hamilton, the first secretary of the Treasury and coauthor of the Federalist Papers, has been moved through New York's streets to a new location where it will undergo restoration work.
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| July 10, 2008
Katrina Trailer Makers Defend Record in Congressional Testimony
The companies that manufactured trailers for displaced New Orleans residents after Hurricane Katrina knew that the trailers contained unsafe levels of toxic formaldehyde, but failed to inform the public, congressional Democrats charged Wednesday.
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| July 9, 2008
Senate Rejects Cut to Doctors' Medicare Payments
The Senate passed a bill Wednesday blocking a 10.6 percent drop in Medicare payments to doctors treating elderly, troops and veterans. Susan Dentzer discusses the short and long-term implications of the move by Congress, which President Bush will likely veto.
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| July 8, 2008
Fed Ready to Strengthen Regulations Tied to Lending Practices
Federal Reserve Chief Ben Bernanke outlined new rules Monday that are intended to protect homebuyers from risky lending practices blamed for a nationwide housing crisis. Wall Street Journal editor David Wessel examines the move.
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| July 8, 2008
Bernanke to Propose Stricter Mortgage Regulation
Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke outlined a new set of mortgage-lending rules Tuesday, which will be aimed at shielding future homebuyers from risky lending practices and avoiding a repeat of the country's current mortgage crisis.
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| July 7, 2008
Aid to Africa Tops Agenda for G-8 Leaders
World leaders entered the second day of their annual G-8 summit prepared to focus on whether Africa is receiving enough aid amid soaring food and oil prices and concerns over climate change.
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| July 2, 2008
FDA Expands Search for Source of Salmonella Outbreak
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Wednesday that it still did not know the source of a salmonella outbreak that has sickened 869 people and plans to expand its search beyond tomatoes, the first suspected culprit. A USA Today reporter updates the story.
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| July 1, 2008
After Delays and Criticism, Pentagon Shifts Priorities to Protect Soldiers
Beginning in 2007 the Pentagon shifted its spending priorities to meet the deadly threat of roadside bombs leading to the procurement of the MRAP, or 'Mine Resistant Ambush Protected'. The fourteen-ton vehicle is credited for a drastic decline in roadside bomb fatalities, but why did it take so long? Paul Solman investigates.
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| July 1, 2008
New G.I. Bill Aims to Provide Expanded Educational Benefits to Troops
A new G.I. bill signed into law Monday doubles funding for education benefits available to military personnel who have served since Sept. 11, 2001, and allows transfer of benefits to a spouse or children. Analysts discuss the law and its meaning for veterans.
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| JUNE
June 27, 2008
Supreme Court Term Left Door Open for Future Disputes
By the close of the Supreme Court's term Thursday, the justices made landmark decisions on cases regarding gun ownership, the death penalty and the legal rights of detainees. Legal experts weigh the rulings and what they indicate about future court battles.
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| June 23, 2008
U.S.-Funded Arab Language TV Network Under Scrutiny
A U.S. government-funded Arab language television network, Al Hurra, has been the focus of recent criticism over both its lack of viewership and content choices. Two experts discuss how the network has fared and its ties to U.S. diplomacy efforts in the Middle East.
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| June 23, 2008
Midwest's Levees, Land Use Questioned Amid Floods
More than two dozen levees along the Mississippi and its tributaries have broken under heavy flooding, leaving many communities questioning the region's levee system and land usage. Elizabeth Brackett reports from Illinois on the struggle to keep levees standing.
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| June 20, 2008
Wiretapping Bill Heads to Senate After Telecoms Debate
The House approved a wide-ranging terror surveillance overhaul Friday. Caroline Fredrickson of the ACLU and George Terwilliger, a former deputy attorney general for the first President Bush, examine the measure.
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| June 19, 2008
Three Years On, New Orleans Still Struggles With Hurricane Debris
Nearly three years after Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, the city is still coping with the toxic debris the storm left behind. Betty Ann Bowser reports from New Orleans on the ongoing controversy over the city's landfills.
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| June 19, 2008
Minority Leader Boehner Details War Funding Moves, Energy Policy Debate
Lawmakers met Thursday to debate funding allocations for the Iraq and Afghan wars, while continuing to mull how to best address soaring gas prices. House Minority Leader John Boehner explains GOP priorities in the House and how Congress has handled its most pressing issues.
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| June 19, 2008
Mortgage Fraud Sweep Nets Hundreds of Arrests
The Justice Department and the FBI announced hundreds of arrests Thursday for mortgage fraud, which is blamed for sparking a national credit crisis and nationwide housing crisis. An NPR correspondent and Columbia Law professor examine the government crackdown.
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| June 18, 2008
GAO Backs Boeing's Claims in Tanker Contract Dispute
Congressional investigators sided with Boeing Wednesday in a dispute over the awarding of a $35 billion Air Force tanker contract to competitor Northrup Grumman. A reporter discusses the decision.
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| June 17, 2008
In Rwanda, U.S.-Backed Program Improves Access to AIDS Drugs
A U.S. program to curb AIDS in Africa is having success providing antiretroviral drugs to AIDS patients in Rwanda -- particularly pregnant women and newborns. Health correspondent Susan Dentzer begins a series of reports examining the impact of the American effort.
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| June 17, 2008
Ongoing Midwest Flooding Threatens Mississippi River Levees
As the Mississippi River continues to rise through Iowa, Illinois and Missouri, federal officials fear many of the existing levees will fail, stressing the region's flood prevention system. A civil engineer discusses the science of levees.
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| June 11, 2008
Arizona's Illegal Immigration Laws Put to the Test
Last year, Arizona passed 15 bills and resolutions giving police more tools to go after illegal immigrants, one of several states tightening immigration laws. Jeffrey Kaye of KCET-Los Angeles examines the impact of the new regulations.
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| June 10, 2008
Salmonella Concerns Prompt Widespread Tomato Recalls
Concerns over salmonella contamination have led the FDA to issue nationwide health warnings for tomatoes. This in turn has led to many vendors recalling or prohibiting the use of tomatoes in their products. A food safety journalist discusses the tomato health scare.
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| June 10, 2008
Tomatoes Pulled From Shelves Over Salmonella
Federal officials are trying to locate the source of a 17-state salmonella outbreak linked to three types of raw tomatoes while the list of supermarkets and restaurants pulling the affected tomato varieties from shelves and menus continues to grow.
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| June 9, 2008
Military Buildup Seen as Boom, Test for Tiny Island of Guam
In the next six years, the population of Guam is expected to explode by 25 percent as the American military redploys thousands of its forces to the tiny Pacific Ocean island. The more than $15 billion project is expected to fuel the economy, but also threatens to strain its infrastructure and threaten its tourism industry.
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| June 5, 2008
Top Air Force Officials Ousted After Series of Missteps
Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates asked for the resignations Thursday of two senior Air Force leaders, a civilian official and the highest-ranking general. The move came in response to mishandling of nuclear delivery vehicle parts and a nuclear armed B-52 flight over the continental U.S.
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| June 2, 2008
Education Issues Weigh on Tribal Voters in South Dakota, Montana
With sizeable populations in the last two states to vote in the Democratic primary, Native American voters have emerged as a highly sought-after voting bloc ahead of Tuesday's voting in Montana and South Dakota.
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| MAY
May 22, 2008
Polygamy Ruling Raises Legal Debate on State Power
A Texas state appeals court ruled on Thursday that child welfare officials had no right to seize more than 400 children taken last month from the Yearning For Zion Ranch, a polygamous sect's compound in the state. The ruling however does not make clear what will happen to the children or the legal position of their parents.
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| May 21, 2008
Pelosi Predicts Democrats Will Have Nominee in June
With the race for the Democratic nomination reaching the home stretch and continued clashes between the president and Congress, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi assesses the fight between Sens. Obama and Clinton, the racial, economic and gender divisions in the party, and the Democrats' legislative battle to end the war Iraq.
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GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS