May 26 President Obama lobbies Senate to extend Patriot Act provision that allows phone record monitoring By Erica Werner, Associated Press President Barack Obama called on the Senate Tuesday to extend key Patriot Act provisions before they expire five days from now, including the government's ability to search Americans' phone records. Continue reading
May 25 Watch 7:28 Will hawkish Republican candidates resonate with voters? By PBS News Hour Amy Walter of the Cook Political Report and Tamara Keith of NPR join Judy Woodruff to discuss what Republican candidates are saying about U.S. surveillance rules and the strategy against the Islamic State, plus three more politicians plan to announce… Continue watching
May 25 Watch 2:37 Can lawmakers come up with a deal for U.S. surveillance rules? By PBS News Hour The Senate failed to extend key provisions of the Patriot Act before the holiday recess, leaving little time before the expiration deadline for lawmakers to come to a consensus. Judy Woodruff talks to political editor Lisa Desjardins about what lies… Continue watching
May 23 Senate to reconsider Patriot Act extension after break By Ken Dilanian, Associated Press Unable to end a struggle over how to deal with government surveillance programs, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell scheduled a last-minute session to consider retaining the National Security Agency's bulk collection of domestic phone records. Continue reading
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