Trump wants a review of national monuments

President Donald Trump plans to sign an executive order Wednesday directing his interior secretary to review the designation of tens of millions of acres of land as "national monuments," an action that could upend protections put in place in Utah and other states as Trump tries to rack up accomplishments in his first 100 days. The Antiquities Act of 1906 authorizes the president to declare federal lands as monuments and restrict how the lands can be used.

US-Mexico wall demands eased as spending talks advance

Congressional negotiators have inched towards a potential agreement on a catch-all spending bill that would deny President Donald Trump's request for immediate funding to construct a wall along the Mexico border. The emerging measure would increase the defence budget and eliminate the threat of a government shutdown on Mr Trump's 100th day in office this Saturday.

Trump to propose massive tax cuts for businesses

President Donald Trump plans to propose massive tax cuts for businesses big and small as part of an overhaul that he says will provide the biggest tax cuts in U.S. history. In addition to big tax cuts for corporations, Trump also wants to cut taxes for small business owners from a top tax rate of 39.6 percent to a top rate of 15 percent, said an official with knowledge of the plan.

Oregon timber execs hope new Canadian duty leads to better times

Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, center, accompanied by White House press secretary Sean Spicer, left, smiles while speaking to the media about a new tariff on Canadian lumber during the daily press briefing at the White House, Tuesday, April 25, 2017, in Washington. Oregon timber executives said Tuesday they will consider adding jobs, instituting new shifts, and investing more in existing Northwest mills as a result of a new 20 percent duty on Canadian softwood lumber announced by the White House.

GOP drops US-Mexico wall demands as spending talks advance54 minutes ago

Congressional negotiators on Tuesday inched toward a potential agreement on a catchall spending bill that would deny President Donald Trump's request for immediate funding to construct a wall along the Mexico border. The emerging measure would increase the defense budget and eliminate the threat of a government shutdown on Trump's 100th day in office this Saturday.

Wisconsin AG: Undercover campaign videos reveal no crime

The Wisconsin Department of Justice has concluded that secretly recorded videos of a Democratic activist bragging about deploying troublemakers at Donald Trump presidential campaign rallies show no evidence that laws were broken. Conservative activist James O'Keefe and his investigative film group, Project Veritas, released secretly recorded and selectively edited video footage in October of Wisconsin -based liberal operative Scott Foval boasting about connections to the Democratic Party and Hillary Clinton 's campaign.

GOP senator from Matthew Shepard’s state: A ‘guy who wears a tutu to the bar’ is ‘asking for it’

At his Senate confirmation hearing, Attorney General Jeff Sessions lied under oath that he had never had contact with the... Here's what Wyoming's senior senator reportedly had to say about LGBTQ Americans in the state where Matthew Shepard was beaten, tortured, and left to die on a fence post two decades ago in one of the nation's most brutal anti-gay hate crimes: Sen. Mike Enzi told a group of high school and middle school students last week that it's fine to be a member of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer community - as long as you aren't too open about it.

John Kasich won’t rule out 2020 presidential run

Ohio Gov. John Kasich, who failed to make a mark in the 2016 GOP primaries, said it was "very unlikely" that he would run for president in 2020 - but he didn't rule it out. John Kasich won't rule out 2020 presidential run Ohio Gov. John Kasich, who failed to make a mark in the 2016 GOP primaries, said it was "very unlikely" that he would run for president in 2020 - but he didn't rule it out.

Progress seen on budget deal that would prevent government shutdown

Bipartisan bargainers are making progress toward a budget deal to prevent a partial federal shutdown this weekend, a major hurdle overcome when President Donald Trump signaled he would put off his demand that the measure include money to build his border wall with Mexico. Republicans are also vetting proposed changes to their beleaguered health care bill that they hope will attract enough votes to finally push it through the House.

Government shutdown, health bill rescue at stake in Congress

Bipartisan bargainers are making progress toward a budget deal to prevent a partial federal shutdown this weekend, a major hurdle overcome when President Donald Trump signaled he would put off his demand that the measure include money to build his border wall with Mexico. Republicans are also vetting proposed changes to their beleaguered health care bill that they hope will attract enough votes to finally push it through the House.

What today’s fascists don’t understand

Howard Dean thinks "hate speech" is not protected by the First Amendment. A New York University professor was given space in the New York Times to deride the idea of "a blanket permission to say anything anybody thinks" and to defend protestors who, using violence, shut down a speech that was to be delivered recently by Charles Murray, the social scientist.

Bush Beats Trump! And Other Insurance Political Giving News

Monumental views on insurance and risk in the nation's capital? S urely we jest. Well, we will take an occasional dip into the Potomac waters to poke fun, but overall we hope this reporting on insurance and risk as seen from the nation's capital will be worthy of reflection.

Roy Blunt

Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer on Tuesday said Democrats will block President Donald Trump's budget proposals on expanding federal immigration forces and starting the border wall project. "Senate Democrats are prepared to fight this all the way," the New York Democrat said at an event organized by the National Council of La Raza , the country's largest Hispanic civil rights advocacy group.

Trump backs away from demand for border wall money

President Donald Trump appears to be stepping back from demanding a down payment for his border wall, which could remove a major obstacle to a bipartisan deal on must-pass spending legislation just days ahead of a government shutdown deadline. Trump told a gathering of around 20 conservative media reporters Monday evening that he would be willing to return to the funding issue in September.