House Republicans voted to weaken health care, hurt the poor and cut taxes for the wealthy

President Donald Trump speaks in the Rose Garden at the White House after the House pushed through a health-care bill on Thursday. How bad is the health care plan approved Thursday by the U.S. House of Representatives? Doctors , hospitals , the March of Dimes , Gov. Paul LePage and Republican senators are among the long list of groups who criticized the House vote because it will strip millions of Americans of health insurance and make it more expensive, and less comprehensive, for millions more.

Senate rejects Clifton woman’s place on civil rights commission

In a move rarely seen, Republicans in the Colorado Senate, on a party-line vote, rejected the reappointment of Clifton resident Heidi Hess, a Democrat, to the Colorado Civil Rights Commission. The rejection of a governor's appointment came as a surprise for most, since such things rarely occur regardless of what party controls the governor's office.

Indiana school faces backlash over Trump a resistancea class

A private college in Vice President Mike Pence's home state of Indiana is facing backlash after offering a "Trumpism & U.S. Democracy" course that described the president in class materials as a purveyor of "sexism, white supremacy, xenophobia, nationalism, nativism and imperialism." Now officials at Butler University in Indianapolis are doing damage control after conservative news outlets picked up on the description of the fall class, which also indicated students would discuss and "potentially engage" in "strategies for resistance" to President Donald Trump.

Fallin vetoes Oklahoma bill pushed by payday loan industry

Gov. Mary Fallin has vetoed a bill pushed by the payday lending industry that would have added to the kinds of high-interest loans to be offered in the state. Fallin issued her veto message late Friday, saying she had concerns about the impact that House Bill 1913 would have on low-income families in Oklahoma.

Interior IDs 27 monuments for possible end to protections

Republicans are claiming a triumph by pushing their bill scuttling much of President Barack Obama's health care law through the House, but it faces a bumpy road in the Senate. Republicans are claiming a triumph by pushing their bill scuttling much of President Barack Obama's health care law through the House, but it faces a bumpy road in the Senate.

Richard Corcoran commands the regular 60-day session, but will Rick Scott have his revenge?

The Florida Legislature's regular session ended Friday much as it began two months ago, with lawmakers ignoring Gov. Rick Scott's priorities and House Speaker Richard Corcoran dominating the agenda. Republicans wrapped up work on an $82.4 billion budget that strongly bears Corcoran's imprint, with an expansion of charter schools, more bonuses for teachers and principals and the elimination of most of Enterprise Florida, the state's economic development agency crucial to Scott's job expansion efforts that suddenly teeters on the brink of extinction.

Indiana school faces backlash over Trump ‘resistance’ class

A private college in Vice President Mike Pence's home state of Indiana is facing backlash after offering a "Trumpism & U.S. Democracy" course that described the president in class materials as a purveyor of "sexism, white supremacy, xenophobia, nationalism, nativism and imperialism." Now officials at Butler University in Indianapolis are doing damage control after conservative news outlets picked up on the description of the fall class, which also indicated students would discuss and "potentially engage" in "strategies for resistance" to President Donald Trump.

Business tax break mainly caused a tax avoidancea

As Kansas lawmakers look at repealing the pass-through income tax exemption for business, Gov. Sam Brownback and others doggedly stick to their assertion that it has created new business entities. They are correct, but those new businesses overwhelmingly were created to avoid taxes and resulted in little real economic growth.

Wisconsin GOP Senate candidates’ vote records may haunt them

Two potential Republican candidates for U.S. Senate in Wisconsin have voting records that could call into question their conservative credentials and hurt them in a potentially crowded GOP primary. Kevin Nicholson and Nicole Schneider are among several possible challengers to Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin in 2018.

Hickenlooper blasts House approval for American Health Care Act

Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper blasted the U.S. House of Representative's passage of the American Health Care Act on Thursday, saying that the bill, "threatens to end health insurance coverage for hundreds of thousands of hard working Coloradans." Hickenlooper's lieutenant governor, former health care executive Donna Lynne, said the AHCA scrambles the state's health safety net.

Georgia governor to sign limits on drug treatment centers

Gov. Nathan Deal's office says he'll sign the bill, which also limits the number of treatment centers that can open in parts of the state Thursday morning. Deal also is expected to sign bills allowing the sale of an overdose-reversing drug called naloxone over the counter and expanding the state's prescription drug-monitoring program, which aims to prevent over prescribing of opioids .

Trump to meet Australian PM on 1st presidential trip to NYC

In this Saturday, April 22, 2017, file photo, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, left, shakes hands with Australia's Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull at Admiralty House in Sydney. President Donald Trump and Turnbull will try to patch the rocky start to their working relationship when they meet in New York.

Problems from Hurricane Sandy prompt Christie calls for private flood insurance

WASHINGTON -- Hurricane Sandy homeowners who thought they were protected by their federal flood insurance received unwelcome surprises after the storm, when claims were rejected, payments delayed and damages minimized. Now the flood insurance program is up for renewal, and Gov. Chris Christie said the government should turn it over to the private sector.