May 22 Watch 7:30 The Patriot Act's strange divide By PBS News Hour On June 1, the NSA will lose legal authority to collect bulk phone records, as key provisions of the Patriot Act expire. The House has passed a new bill replacing bulk collection with more targeted searches. But some senators, including… Continue watching
May 22 VA must find millions to finish troubled Denver hospital By Dan Elliott, Associated Press DENVER — Construction crews are returning to work at the veterans hospital outside Denver after a last-minute deal with congressional leaders avoided a shutdown of the half-finished project. Continue reading
May 21 Watch 4:43 Obama's trade bill narrowly clears Senate, but then hurdles remain By PBS News Hour In a key vote Thursday, the Senate advanced legislation that would strengthen the administration's hand in global trade. The president said the action to move toward a final vote was a big step forward. Political editor Lisa Desjardins joins Gwen… Continue watching
May 15 Watch 4:21 GOP renews abortion battle with eyes on the Supreme Court By PBS News Hour This week Republicans passed a bill to ban most abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy, which House Speaker John Boehner called the "most pro-life legislation” to ever come before the House. The bill depends on a recent study that found… Continue watching
May 14 Watch 7:15 Another fallout from rail accident: Debate over Amtrak's funding By PBS News Hour Shortly after the deadly Amtrak train crash in Philadelphia, a House committee voted to cut money for Amtrak’s capital investment program, sparking a debate over Amtrak’s funding and infrastructure. Gwen Ifill gets views from Rep. John Mica, R-Fla., and Rep. Continue watching
May 14 Senate votes to advance trade bill By David Espo, Associated Press In a burst of bipartisanship, the Republican-controlled Senate put President Barack Obama's trade agenda back on course on Thursday, clearing the way for likely approval within days of legislation allowing the administration to negotiate global deals that Congress could support… Continue reading
May 13 What the fast-track trade bill actually says By Lisa Desjardins Editor's Note: As the trade debate rages in Congress, we wanted to understand the actual legislation now on the Senate floor. Political Director Lisa Desjardins read through the bill, which would give the president "fast-track" trade authority. This is the… Continue reading
May 12 Senate Democrats block debate on President Obama's proposed trade deal By Charles Babington, Associated Press Senate Democrats dealt President Barack Obama a stinging setback on trade Tuesday, blocking efforts to begin a full-blown debate on his initiatives. Continue reading
May 08 Watch 12:00 Brooks and Marcus on Cameron's victory, Senate vote to review Iran deal By PBS News Hour Continue watching
May 08 5 things to know about the NSA court ruling By Ken Dilanian, Associated Press WASHINGTON — A federal appeals court has declared illegal the National Security Agency program that collects data on the landline calling records of nearly every American. The ruling Thursday, the first of its kind by an appeals court, comes as… Continue reading