Politics Feb 01 Federal regulators plan payday loan rules to protect borrowers Troubled by consumer complaints and loopholes in state laws, federal regulators are putting together the first-ever rules on payday loans aimed at helping cash-strapped borrowers avoid falling into a cycle of high-rate debt.
Politics Sep 11 Lawmakers push for legislation to protect pregnant workers WASHINGTON — More than 120 members of Congress urged the Supreme Court on Thursday to recognize that pregnant workers are entitled to reasonable accommodations such as light duty, saying it’s needed to ensure that expecting mothers are not forced out…
Nation May 21 Federal investigation reveals little oversight of U.S. chemical plants WASHINGTON — The government has no way of fully knowing which U.S. chemical facilities stock ammonium nitrate, the substance that exploded last year at a Texas fertilizer plant and killed 14 people, congressional investigators say. Outdated federal policies, poor information…
Nation May 12 U.S. skipped environmental inspections on high-risk oil wells WASHINGTON — The government has failed to inspect thousands of oil and gas wells it considers potentially high risks for water contamination and other environmental damage, congressional investigators say. The report, obtained by The Associated Press before its public release,…