Governor Sam Brownback takes action to balance Kansas budget Vetoes two provisions; signs SB 249

Governor Sam Brownback today took action to balance the budget for Fiscal Years 2017 and 2018, subsequently signing Senate Bill 249 - the budget bill. The Governor announced allotments of $97 million creating a projected ending balance in FY 2017 of $87.5 million.

Facebook makes changes to avoid political bias

Facebook on Monday said it was making changes aimed at keeping political bias out of its "trending" stories list even though an internal investigation revealed no evidence it was happening. "Our investigation has revealed no evidence of systematic political bias in the selection or prominence of stories included in the Trending Topics feature," Facebook general counsel Colin Stretch said in a letter responding to a query from Republican US Senator John Thune, who chairs the commerce committee.

Facebook makes changes to ‘trending topics’ after review

Facebook says it is dropping its reliance on news outlets to help determine what gets posted as a "trending topic" on the giant social network following a backlash over a report saying it suppressed conservative views. Facebook's General Counsel Colin Stretch outlined this and other reforms in a 12-page letter sent Monday to Republican Sen. John Thune, chairman of the commerce committee, which oversees the Internet and consumer protections.

Senate passes bill to bar public funding to abortion providers

Planned Parenthood has an abortion clinic under construction on Claiborne Avenue in New Orleans that would replace its current clinic, shown in this file photo. A bill passed the Senate on Monday that would ban public funding for entities performing abortions.

Trump camp to Senate Republicans: No problem if you distance yourselves

Donald Trump's campaign is privately giving Senate Republicans in tough reelection races its blessing to avoid the presumptive nominee if he campaigns in their states, the latest effort by the unconventional candidate to build goodwill with a nervous GOP establishment. Last week at an off-the-record lunch meeting in Washington, Trump adviser Paul Manafort told Senate Republican chiefs of staff that the Trump campaign wants to be helpful to GOP senators in tough races, according to three sources in the room.

U.S. justices rule against Virginia Republicans in black voters case

The Supreme Court on Monday let stand a lower court ruling that Virginia's Republican-led legislature unlawfully considered race when drawing U.S. congressional districts by packing black voters into one of them in a move opponents said diluted black electoral clout. The case focused on the composition of a majority-black U.S. House of Representatives district held by Democrat Bobby Scott, the only black member of Virginia's congressional delegation.

IRS Chief Won’t Appear at House Hearing on His Impeachment

The commissioner of the IRS declined on Monday to appear at a congressional hearing this week examining whether he deserves to be impeached, but said in a written statement that allegations against him "are without merit." IRS chief John Koskinen has not had time to prepare for Tuesday's House Judiciary Committee hearing because of travel and because he is also getting ready for an unrelated hearing, the agency said in a statement.

In Trump Standoff, Ryan Risks Isolation Early in Speakership

That sense of isolation began with the unusual path that Ryan took to becoming speaker of the U.S. House and it's deepening now as his top Republican lieutenants climb aboard the Trump train. Ryan faces one of the trickier decisions in his career without the aid of a network of staunch allies.

U.S. to begin selling weapons to Vietnam

President Barack Obama announced Monday that the United States would begin selling weapons to the Communist nation of Vietnam, a move that marks a stunning shift four decades after the two countries were engaged in war. Vietnam has long sought an end to the moratorium.

House panel hearing lawmaker who wants IRS chief impeached

A sympathetic House Judiciary Committee is giving a high-profile forum to a top Republican who wants to impeach IRS Commissioner John Koskinen, a cause that excites conservatives but seems unlikely to go far in Congress this election year. House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Jason Chaffetz planned to testify to the GOP-run Judiciary panel on Tuesday.

Tim Carpenter: KDOT bypass survives environmental, political odyssey

The bridge to nowhere on the city's south side is about to find purpose after a 20-year wait through a traffic jam of protestation, litigation and construction. It may appear a distant concern for Shawnee County motorists, but completing the South Lawrence Trafficway offers a much easier transition from Interstate 70 to Kansas 10. It's a no-brainer for anyone familiar with stop-and-go headaches of snaking through Lawrence to or from those major four-lane highways.

Graham privately urges Republicans to support Trump

Sen. Lindsey Graham, one of Donald Trump's fiercest critics, is now calling on Republicans to support their presumptive nominee. Graham urged GOP donors at a private fundraiser Saturday in Florida to unite behind Trump's campaign and stressed the importance of keeping likely Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton from the White House.

Jeff Sessions: Trump Philosphy, Approach, ‘Close’ to Kissinger

The head of Donald Trump's national security advisory committee said Sunday the presumptive GOP nominee's defense philosophy is "close" to that of esteemed diplomat and political scientist Henry Kissinger. In an interview on "Fox News Sunday With Chris Wallace," Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions said after recent meetings with Kissinger and former Secretary of State James Baker, Trump is "focused on being even more prepared."