Immigrant licenses complicate Real ID effort

Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka says the governor is working behind the scenes with Democrats to prevent passage of a Real ID bill unless it includes an opening for unauthorized immigrants to obtain drivers' licenses. Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka says the governor is working behind the scenes with Democrats to prevent passage of a Real ID bill unless it includes an opening for unauthorized immigrants to obtain drivers' licenses.

The Latest: Perry nomination for Energy heads to full Senate

The next Trump administration Cabinet nominee up for a vote in the Senate is c... Former Texas Gov. Rick Perry cleared a Senate hurdle in his bid to become Energy secretary in the Trump administration. At his confirmation hearing, Perry vowed to be an advocate for an agency he once pledged to eliminate and promised to rely on federal scientists, including those who work on climate change.

Trump promises ‘renewal of the American spirit’

US President Trump addresses Joint Session of Congress - Washington, U.S. - 28/02/17 - US President Donald Trump pauses as he speaks in front of Vice President Mike Pence and Speaker of the House Paul Ryan. Reuters/Jim Bourg Washington: President Donald Trump pledged a "renewal of the American spirit" Tuesday, as he tempered his most inflammatory rhetoric while fleshing out his nationalist agenda during a landmark speech to Congress.

Christie nominates ally to Port Authority board

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie has nominated a political ally whose name came up at the George Washington Bridge lane closure trial to serve on the board of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. Republican state Sen. Kevin O'Toole was not accused of playing a role in the scheme, which prosecutors say was aimed at punishing the Democratic mayor of Fort Lee for not endorsing Christie's re-election.

Kansas tries to discern Washington’s direction on Medicaid

As the nation's governors wrapped a weekend of meetings with each other and President Donald Trump that included discussions about healthcare, Kansas is attempting to discern what direction Washington will go. A group of Republican governors is pushing a plan that would change Medicaid - which provides healthcare to poor, elderly and disabled individuals - from an open-ended federal entitlement to a program designed by each state within a financial limit.

Bills Aimed at Raising Road Project Funding Collide Again This Week

The chairwoman of the House Transportation Subcommittee is defiant in her handling of legislation that could have derailed Gov. Bill Haslam's fuel-tax plan, a high-profile measure on the panel's calendar again Wednesday, March 1. The governor's proposal stalled in the subcommittee last week when Rep. Terri Lynn Weaver , an opponent of the fuel-tax increase, moved a bill to raise sales-tax revenue for transportation to the front of the calendar. The measure by Republican Rep. David Hawk is considered the main opposition to Haslam's IMPROVE Act, which would raise gas and diesel taxes along with several fees to bring in about $400 million annually and start attacking a $10.5 billion backlog of road and bridge projects.

In warning shot, Moody’s calls Brownback veto of tax bill a – credit negative’

After announcing he would veto the tax bill sent to him by the legislature, Gov. Sam Brownback officially signed the veto, in his ceremonial office Wednesday, February 22, 2017, as he stood in front of the assembled media. Gov. Sam Brownback's veto of tax legislation represents a "credit negative" to Kansas, a ratings agency said Monday - a label that amounts to a warning shot for the fiscally challenged state.

Kasich: GOP Should Side With Dems To Stop Conservatives

Republican Ohio Gov. John Kasich, a stalwart supporter of Obamacare's Medicaid expansion, thinks the congressional effort to repeal the health care law needs to shift left to court Democrats instead of conservative members of the GOP. Kasich was the first Republican governor to expand Medicaid in his own state and is vocally pushing Congress to preserve the extra federal funding for broadened Medicaid eligibility during Obamacare repeal.

Trump’s Cabinet has to work as a cleanup crew

After President Donald Trump said that deporting undocumented immigrants was "a military operation," Homeland Security Secretary John F. Kelly, speaking in Mexico, clarified that there would be "no use of military force in immigration operations." After Trump, standing next to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, upended decades of U.S. policy by saying he was open to a one-state solution to the conflict in the Middle East, U.N. envoy Nikki Haley asserted that the United States "absolutely" supports a two-state solution.

Historically black colleges push for financial support

Presidents from a majority of the country's historically black colleges and universities are in Washington this week, calling for $25 billion in the upcoming budget to help address priorities including infrastructure, college readiness and financial aid as President Trump prepares to sign an executive order aimed at signaling his commitment to the schools. Trump met briefly with the college leaders on Monday, posing for a photograph in the Oval Office before the group met with Vice President Mike Pence and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos.

Ohio Gov. John Kasich: House Republicans could foil Obamacare replacement

Ohio Gov. John Kasich: House Republicans could foil Obamacare replacement The longtime Trump critic vows to fight to keep Americans insured. Check out this story on ElPasoTimes.com: http://usat.ly/2lJlBPi WASHINGTON - Longtime Trump critic and Ohio Gov. John Kasich, two days after trying to mend fences at the White House, turned on Sunday to Republicans on Capitol Hill, saying that hard-line members of his own party in the House could be the biggest obstacle to passing an Obamacare replacement law.

Christie: White House, FBI facing perception problem

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie says Democrats are overreaching in asking for a special investigation into reported contacts between President Donald Trump's presidential campaign and Russians known to US intelligence. In an interview with CNN's Jake Tapper on "State of the Union" Sunday, Christie was critical of a meeting first reported by CNN between White House chief of staff Reince Priebus and FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe.