House passes Puerto Rico debt relief bill with $1.9 billion payment looming

A worker takes off U.S and Puerto Rican flag after rally of Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on May 16, 2016. Following months of internal wrangling, the U.S. House of Representatives, on Thursday passed legislation creating a federal control board to help Puerto Rico cope with crippling debt that is wreaking havoc throughout the island's economy.

Elizabeth Warren on attack against Donald Trump as she gets behind Hillary Clinton

Sen. Elizabeth Warren threw her support behind Democrat Hillary Clinton for president Thursday, following President Barack Obama in sending a signal to progressive voters now backing Bernie Sanders that it's time to unite around the presumptive Democratic nominee. Sen. Elizabeth Warren threw her support behind Democrat Hillary Clinton for president Thursday, following President Barack Obama in sending a signal to progressive voters now backing Bernie Sanders that it's time to unite around the presumptive Democratic nominee.

House Benghazi panel interviews ‘John from Iowa’

The House Benghazi committee has interviewed two drone sensor operators who were working on the night of the deadly 2012 attacks in Libya, including one who identified himself on talk radio as "John from Iowa." The unidentified drone operator has earned derision from the Pentagon and committee Democrats, who say the GOP-led panel has made a series of costly, duplicative and unnecessary requests - including some based on claims made on Facebook or talk radio.

Republicans defend display of Confederate imagery in Capitol

Leaders of several Pacific Northwest tribes gathered Thursday near the site of last week's fiery oil train wreck in Oregon to condemn the shipping of fossil fuels through the Columbia River Gorge, a scenic... Leaders of several Pacific Northwest tribes gathered Thursday near the site of last week's fiery oil train wreck in Oregon to condemn the shipping of fossil fuels through the Columbia River Gorge, a scenic homeland and... A federal appeals court has rejected former Subway pitchman Jared Fogle's appeal of his sentence of more than 15 years in prison, finding his arguments unpersuasive.

Colombia to force Novartis to lower prices of cancer drug

Colombia's government will unilaterally force the world's largest drugmaker Novartis to lower prices of a popular leukemia medicine in a closely followed patent dispute, authorities said Thursday. Health Minister Alejandro Gaviria told reporters that two weeks of negotiations with the Swiss company had ended without an agreement.

Lawmakers spar over new overtime rule

Lawmakers split into fierce partisan camps Thursday over the impact of the Labor Department's new overtime rule, with Republicans highlighting its negative impact on nonprofits and universities while Democrats rallied to the rule's defense. The skirmishing presaged a larger battle expected later this year when the Republican majority will attempt to roll back the department's rule.

House GOP seeks to focus on security plan instead of Trump

House Republicans are laying out a national security agenda that seeks to turn the conversation away from Donald Trump's contentious presidential campaign and toward concrete policies for securing America's borders and defeating extremist groups. Speaking Thursday at the Council on Foreign Relations, Congressman Michael McCaul of Texas says Trump's proposed plan to ban all Muslims from coming into the United States isn't practical.

Donald Trump reignites La Raza debate: Supporters link Latino group to KKK

Donald Trump reignites La Raza debate: Supporters link Latino group to KKK Many Trump supporters have incorrectly linked judge's association with lawyers group to the National Council of La Raza Check out this story on azcentral.com: http://azc.cc/28nXwid House Speaker Paul Ryan said Tuesday that Donald Trump made the "textbook definition of a racist comment" in saying an American-born judge isn't qualified to preside over a case because of his Mexican heritage. Donald Trump's attacks on the judge presiding over the case against Trump University have raised concerns among some legal scholars who believe it shows a lack of concern for the separation of powers in government.

Paul Ryan releases national security plan

Ryan promoted the plan in his opening remarks at a Council on Foreign Relations event featuring speakers such as Homeland Security Committee Chairman, Texas Rep. Michael McCaul, and Virginia Rep. Bob Goodlatte. He called Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speech to US Congress on Wednesday a rarity in a time when "our friendships have frayed, our rivalries have intensified."

Facing calls from Dems to quit, Sanders sits down with Obama

With pressure growing for him to quit the presidential race, a subdued Bernie Sanders emerged from a meeting with President Barack Obama on Thursday vowing to work with primary rival Hillary Clinton to defeat Republican Donald Trump in the general election. But Sanders, speaking to reporters at the White House, stopped short of endorsing Hillary Clinton, the presumptive Democratic nominee.

Senator insulted after Dem accuses GOP of being bought off by oil firms

A Republican senator called accusations that the GOP is owned by the fossil fuel industry "insulting" after a Democratic senator said the party has become the political wing of oil companies. In a hearing Thursday of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee on the impact of the Supreme Court's stay of President Obama's Clean Power Plan, Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., used his five minutes of allotted time to read quotes from former Sen. John Chafee, R-R.I., from a hearing in 1986.

Bill would give vouchers to escape Obama school bathroom rule

Rep. Cynthia Lummis is sponsoring a bill that would allow parents who object to the latest federal guidelines on transgender students to receive education vouchers for private schools or homeschooling. Lummis, R-Wyo., said the bill comes in response to the May edict issued by the Justice Department advising the nation's public schools that transgender students may enter locker rooms, bathrooms and join sports teams that adhere to gender identity.

Senate Homeland Security Chair: – Islamic Terrorists’ Are – Root Cause’ of Airport Waits

Senate Homeland Security Chairman Ron Johnson says the "root cause" of long wait times in U.S. airports is the ongoing threat to the nation's aviation system from Islamic terrorists. "We have to understand the root cause of problem here is Islamic terrorists," Johnson said Tuesday regarding the current changes in airport security protocol made by the Transportation Security Administration that has caused tens of thousands of passengers to miss their flights..

Trump and ‘big ideas’ focus of Romney’s retreat for GOP elite

Former presidential candidate Mitt Romney is expected to deliver a speech tonight at his annual retreat for his big-money donors, where the focus is likely to be the future of a GOP with Donald Trump as the presumptive nominee. But Boyd Matheson, head of the Utah-based Sutherland Institute, said today he hopes to hear more about policy during the three-day private event, not the politics of the controversial billionaire businessman and reality TV star.

Trump Hires Pollster John McLaughlin to Focus on New York

Donald Trump has hired a pollster to work exclusively on his presidential campaign in New York, according to The New York Times. The pollster, John McLaughlin, predicted that then-House Majority leader Eric Cantor would win his 2014 race in Virginia, but Cantor lost to Dave Brat.

Warren slams Trump, Republicans over judges

Sen. Elizabeth Warren is using Donald Trump's criticism of a federal judge to launch a broadside against congressional Republican leaders and Trump himself, in her latest stinging attack on the presumptive GOP presidential nominee. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., have condemned Trump's claims that U.S. District Judge Gonzalo Curiel can't preside fairly over a case involving Trump University because the U.S.-born Curiel is of Mexican descent and Trump wants to build a wall with Mexico.

With debt payment looming, House weighs Puerto Rico bill

House Republican leaders and President Barack Obama pressured lawmakers in both parties to back legislation to help ease Puerto Rico's financial crisis as the U.S. territory faces a $2 billion debt payment in just over three weeks. The House is scheduled to begin debate Thursday on a bill that would create a financial control board and restructure some of Puerto Rico's $70 billion debt.