KOAA.com

Tagged News

• Obama administration: Cuts to cause flight delays

  February 22, 2013 12:57 PM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - The Obama administration is warning that automatic spending cuts scheduled to take effect March 1 will result in travel delays at major airports and require traffic-disrupting shutdowns of air traffic control towers at smaller facilities. Transportation Secretary Ray La Hood says the across the board reductions will... more »

• HHS details overhaul rules and required benefits

  November 20, 2012 4:36 PM

  The Obama administration is strengthening the prescription drug coverage that will be available to the millions of people who will start getting insurance through the nation's health care overhaul. The Health and Human Services Department announced Tuesday a long-awaited package of rules, such as minimum requirements for health insurance coverage... more »

• Senate fails again to advance cybersecurity bill

  November 14, 2012 8:01 PM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - The Senate failed again to advance legislation to protect the U.S. electrical grid and other critical industries from cyberattack, setting the stage for President Barack Obama to sign an executive order to improve the country's digital defenses. A motion to limit debate and force a vote on... more »

• Shell still optimistic on Arctic offshore drilling

  September 30, 2012 12:09 PM

  ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - The stars lined up - almost - for Shell Oil to drill exploratory wells this year in waters off Alaska's north coast. The Arctic Ocean was on record pace for low sea ice. The Obama administration gave a qualified green light to drilling. Two drill ships... more »

• US hits Syrian cabinet members with sanctions

  July 18, 2012 11:40 AM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - The Obama administration is slapping financial sanctions on a huge swath of top members in Syrian President Bashar Assad's government, targeting the prime minister and 28 other cabinet ministers and senior officials. The Treasury Department announced the sanctions on Wednesday, hours after top Syrian officials were killed... more »

• High court protects Secret Service agents from incident in CO

  June 4, 2012 11:01 AM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - The Supreme Court has ruled that Secret Service agents are shielded from a lawsuit filed by a man they arrested after a confrontation with then-Vice President Dick Cheney. The 8-0 decision Monday comes in a case that began with the arrest of Steven Howards following a chance... more »

• Government not keeping up with information requests

  March 11, 2012 11:35 AM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - The Obama administration isn't keeping pace with the increasing number of people asking for copies of government documents, emails, photographs and more under the U.S. Freedom of Information Act. That's according to an Associated Press analysis of the latest federal data. Federal agencies did better last year... more »

• US preparing to restart military aid to Yemen

  March 10, 2012 12:38 PM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - The Pentagon is developing plans to restart programs that would fund military training and equipment in Yemen, nearly a year after they were shut down due to escalating chaos in the embattled country. While no agreements have been cemented, U.S. defense officials say military assistance, which could... more »

• Rule could cost child support debtors only income

  February 26, 2012 12:51 PM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - Advocates say thousands of poor and disabled men could lose their only income next year because of a change in how back child support is collected. Next year the government will start paying all federal benefits electronically. Under the old system, states could capture only 65 percent... more »

• Manning's status as gay soldier key to intel leak defense

  December 18, 2011 10:41 AM

  FORT MEADE, Md. (AP) - Lawyers for the Army private charged in the biggest leak of classified information in U.S. history say he was influenced by his struggles with being a gay soldier. The military hearing continued Sunday to determine whether Pfc. Bradley Manning will stand trial at a... more »

• High court to rule on Stolen Valor Act

  October 17, 2011 11:34 AM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - The Supreme Court will decide whether a law making it a crime to lie about having received military medals is constitutional. The justices said Monday they will consider the validity of the Stolen Valor Act, which passed Congress with overwhelming support in 2006. The federal appeals... more »

• House approves free trade pact with South Korea

  October 12, 2011 7:41 PM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - The House has approved a free trade agreement with South Korea, the world's 13th largest economy and the seventh largest trading partner with the U.S. The South Korea vote Wednesday came after the House also passed free trade agreements with Colombia and Panama. The Senate was... more »

• McConnell: Debt-ceiling deal may be for short-term

  June 19, 2011 3:55 PM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - The Senate's top Republican is suggesting a short-term increase in the nation's borrowing limit unless there's deal soon that includes changes to big entitlement programs. Economists and Obama administration officials are warning of a calamity if the government defaults on its obligations. The default deadline is... more »

• New app helps workers in wage disputes

  May 21, 2011 11:52 AM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - Workers who don't trust the boss to keep track of their wages can now do it themselves with a new smartphone application from the Department of Labor. But employers worry that the timesheet app, along with other new initiatives, could encourage even more wage and hour... more »

• Economic panel says recession ended in June 2009

  September 20, 2010 12:22 PM

  It's official: The longest recession the country has endured since World War II ended in June 2009, according to a group that dates the beginning and end of recessions. The National Bureau of Economic Research, a panel of academic economists based in Cambridge, Mass., says the recession lasted 18... more »

• White House sends spending wish list to Congress

  September 15, 2010 1:46 PM

  The Obama administration is pushing a pre-election shopping list on its Democratic allies in Congress as they prepare must-pass legislation to prevent a government shutdown next month. Republicans are protesting the spending requests, which include $1.9 billion for school grants, financial help for the Postal Service and more than... more »

• Appeals court allows stem cell funding for now

  September 9, 2010 2:22 PM

  A federal appeals court is permitting federal funding of stem cell research to proceed temporarily until the court rules on the merits of the Obama administration's position in the case. The government is asking the appeals court in Washington to strike down a preliminary order by U.S. District Judge... more »

• Immigration ruling puts states on guard

  July 29, 2010 8:13 AM

  States that had been planning to copy Arizona's new immigration law will have to wait and see what happens in the courts. The law was set to take effect today, but a federal judge yesterday put most of it on hold. The judge agreed with the Obama administration that... more »

• Obama nominates Jacob Lew as budget director

  July 13, 2010 1:41 PM

  President Barack Obama has nominated Deputy Secretary of State Jacob Lew to serve as his budget director, putting him in charge of a $1 trillion-plus deficit that's a burden for the economy. Appearing at the White House, Obama saluted Lew as "somebody who has proven himself already equal to... more »

• Experts: US should better define, counter Islamic extremism

  July 12, 2010 8:36 AM

  A report warns that the Obama administration's recent decision to drop references to Islamic radicalism ignores the role religion can play in motivating terrorists. Several prominent counterterror experts are challenging the administration's shift in its recently unveiled National Security Strategy. The experts say the terror threat should be defined... more »

• DOT: Airlines should pay bumped passengers more

  June 2, 2010 12:12 PM

  The Transportation Department wants to raise the amount airlines have to compensate passengers bumped from full flights to as much as $1,300. They pay up to $800 now. The DOT unveiled the proposals Wednesday. The proposed changes also would give passengers 24 hours to cancel reservations without penalty. And... more »

• Colorado submits second bid for school funding

  June 1, 2010 3:24 PM

  Colorado is taking another shot at winning millions of dollars for education reforms. Officials plan to submit the state's application on Tuesday for the second round of the Obama administration's Race to the Top competition. Colorado placed 14th out a field of 16 finalists in the first round... more »

• Pressure grows on BP to contain oil spill

  May 21, 2010 9:38 AM

  Thick, sticky oil crept deeper into delicate marshes of the Mississippi Delta Friday, an arrival dreaded for a month since the crude started spewing into the Gulf, as anger and frustration mounted over efforts to plug the gusher from a blown-out well and contain the spill. Up to now,... more »

• Government responds to court challenge of health care law

  May 12, 2010 4:15 PM

  The Obama administration has made a formal response to those who argue the new health care law is an infringement on personal freedom. In a federal court filing in Michigan, the Thomas More Law Center says the requirement that American buy health insurance represents an unprecedented government mandate on... more »

• Rule change favors unions at airlines, railroads

  May 10, 2010 10:17 AM

  The Obama administration has approved a new rule making it easier for labor unions to organize workers at airline and railroad companies. The move is a major victory for unions that have struggled to reverse years of membership declines. The most immediate impact of the change would be at... more »

• US unveiling new, more restrictive nuclear policy

  April 6, 2010 3:41 PM

  The Obama administration is pledging to reduce the role of nuclear weapons in the nation's defense. The administration's nuclear posture review, released Tuesday, asserts with caveats that the United States would not use nuclear weapons to respond to a chemical or biological attack. That assurance would only apply... more »

• US pledges $1.15 billion to Haiti

  March 31, 2010 12:11 PM

  A senior U.S. official says the Obama administration will pledge $1.15 billion in taxpayer dollars over the next two years to help with Haiti's post-earthquake reconstruction. The official says Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton will announce the pledge on Wednesday at a U.N. donors conference that is expected... more »

• Government to unveil plan to shrink some home loans

  March 26, 2010 8:20 AM

  After months of criticism that it hasn't done enough to prevent foreclosures, the Obama administration is expected to announce Friday a plan to reduce the amount some troubled borrowers owe on their home loans. People briefed on the plan said the effort will let people who owe more on... more »

• Government mortgage plan aids just 16% of borrowers

  March 12, 2010 2:29 PM

  The Obama administration's mortgage relief plan has helped only about 16 percent of borrowers who signed up since its launch last year, and hundreds of thousands of homeowners are in limbo without an answer. The Treasury Department says that as of last month, about 170,000 homeowners had completed the... more »

• Northrop Grumman drops out of tanker competition

  March 8, 2010 5:23 PM

  Northrop Grumman Corp. says it won't compete against Boeing Co. for a $35 billion contract to build refueling tankers for the Air Force because it doesn't think it can win. Northrop's chief executive officer and president, Wes Bush, said Monday that the Pentagon guidelines for the program favor Boeing's... more »

• Another black mark against government mortgage bailout

  January 15, 2010 11:38 AM

  The Obama administration's mortgage relief plan provided help to only 7 percent of borrowers who signed up last year, another black mark for the struggling program. About 900,000 borrowers have enrolled in the $75 billion program since it launched in March, the Treasury Department says. But as of last month,... more »

• Key security agencies lack permanent leaders

  December 29, 2009 9:56 AM

  Two federal agencies charged with keeping potential terrorists off planes and out of the country remain without their top leaders. The Obama administration took more than eight months to nominate anyone to head the Transportation Security Administration and the Customs and Border Protection agency. Those two agencies will be at... more »

• Housing plan reaches 1 in 5 borrowers

  November 10, 2009 11:03 AM

  After a slow start, the Obama administration's mortgage relief program has reached one in five eligible homeowners, a government report says. More than 650,000 borrowers, or 20 percent of those eligible, have signed up for trials lasting up to five months, the Treasury Department says. The modifications reduce monthly payments... more »

• Obama putting $3.4B toward a 'smart' power grid

  October 27, 2009 11:36 AM

  President Barack Obama is giving a jolt to the futuristic "smart" electric grid, hoping to bring America's power transmission system into the digital age more quickly. Obama is set to visit a solar energy facility Tuesday in Arcadia, Fla. He is expected to announce that he is making available $3.4... more »

• TARP head says pay cuts for executives are justified

  October 22, 2009 9:44 AM

  The head of a committee that oversees the federal bailout fund says executive compensation in the country's large corporations is excessive and must be brought under control. In confirming administration plans, Elizabeth Warren said Thursday the time had come to substantially cut back compensation for the top officers of several... more »

• Feds to leave medical marijuana users alone

  October 19, 2009 6:46 PM

  The Obama administration has ordered federal prosecutors to stop pursuing medical marijuana users and sellers in states, like Colorado, that have legalized its use. The new Justice Department guidelines say the US Attorneys will no longer target medical marijuana sellers on federal drug charges and only prosecute those who abuse... more »

• Rust Belt uneasy over climate change plan

  October 12, 2009 3:09 PM

  Nestled in Ohio's Amish country, Bill Belden's 124-year-old family owned brick company has thrived on the region's rich red clay and shale, and cheap energy from abundant coal. Which he's convinced that a climate bill being considered in Congress will end. A cap-and-trade system forcing businesses away from... more »

• Watchdog doubts goals of Obama loan relief plan

  October 9, 2009 9:14 AM

  A government watchdog says the Obama administration's effort to help homeowners avoid foreclosure may not achieve its goal of helping up to 4 million borrowers and may not be enough to dampen the impact of the foreclosure crisis on the economy. The Congressional Oversight Panel report says the program is... more »

• Salazar OKs some drilling on disputed Utah lands

  October 8, 2009 4:43 PM

  Interior Secretary Ken Salazar says he will permit oil and gas drilling on 17 of the 77 Utah land parcels that were hurriedly readied for leasing in the waning days of the Bush administration. Salazar also said at a news conference Thursday that leasing will be prohibited on eight parcels.... more »

• Mortgage relief plan hits goal early

  October 8, 2009 10:15 AM

  The government's mortgage relief program has hit its goal of helping 500,000 borrowers, almost a month ahead of schedule. The government in July gave the lending industry a Nov. 1 deadline to meet that goal for the $50 billion program, which is designed to reduce foreclosures by lowering borrowers' monthly... more »

• Government moves to curb greenhouse gas emissions

  October 1, 2009 12:02 PM

  Proposed regulations would require power plants, factories and refineries to reduce greenhouse gases by installing the best available technology and improving energy efficiency whenever a facility is significantly changed or built. The Environmental Protection Agency proposal announced Wednesday applies to any industrial plant that emits at least 25,000 tons... more »