Stephen Dinan

Obama to attend Denmark climate summit

President Obama will commit the U.S. to dramatic reductions in greenhouse gases by 2050 and will personally travel to a U.N. climate summit next month to drive the pledge, the White House said Wednesday.

November 25, 2009

20-pound, 2,074-page bill steals show

The real star of the health care debate this weekend has been the 2,074-page bill — a physical manifestation of the size and scope of what's at stake as senators consider the overhaul of one-sixth of the nation's economy.

November 22, 2009

Key Democrat breaks with Obama on terror trials

House Armed Services Chairman Ike Skelton on Friday said the Obama administration may be making a big mistake by trying the men accused of planning the Sept. 11 attack in U.S. criminal courts, becoming the highest-ranking Democrat to challenge the decision announced last week by Attorney General Eric H. Holder.

November 21, 2009

Massive bill steals show in health care debate

The real star of the health care debate this weekend has been the Democrats' 2,074-page bill — a physical manifestation of the size and scope of what's at stake as senators consider the overhaul of one-sixth of the nation's economy.

November 21, 2009

Key Dem breaks with Obama on trials

House Armed Services Chairman Ike Skelton on Friday said the Obama administration may be making a big mistake by trying in U.S. criminal courts the men accused of planning the Sept. 11 attacks, becoming the highest-ranking Democrat to publicly question the decision announced last week by Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr.

November 21, 2009

Work site arrests of illegals fall dramatically

Arrests of illegal immigrant workers have dropped precipitously under President Obama, according to figures released Wednesday.

November 19, 2009

Republicans threaten to block terror trials

House Republicans say they'll make Democrats feel the political heat for President Obama's decision to try Sept. 11 attack plotters in U.S. civilian courts by trying to force a vote on a bill to block those trials.

November 17, 2009

Environmental laws put gaps in Mexico border security

On the U.S.-Mexico border, border security suffers in National Park Service areas that have blocked construction of parts of the "virtual fence" and that allow easier crossings for illegal immigrants.

November 16, 2009

Immigration bill is promoted for 2010

Declaring success in border security and immigration enforcement, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said Friday that the federal government has done its work and now it's time for Congress to pass a broad bill to legalize illegal immigrants.

November 14, 2009

ACORN sues government over funding

ACORN sued the federal government Thursday, charging that efforts by Congress and President Obama to stop federal money from going to the community activist organization are unconstitutional because they single the group out for punishment.

November 13, 2009

ACORN sues feds over funding cuts

ACORN has sued the federal government, charging that Congress and President Obama's efforts to stop federal funding are unconstitutional because they single out the group as bad actors.

November 12, 2009

Airport rules changed after Ron Paul aide detained

After being detained for carrying $4,700 through airport security, an angry aide to Rep. Ron Paul caused the Transportation Security Administration quietly changing its rules.

November 11, 2009

‘Fuzzy math’ could drive health bill cost higher

Despite the official $1.1 trillion price tag for the House Democrats' health care bill, dozens of unfunded programs could drive the actual cost even higher.

November 10, 2009

U.S. trials OK’d for 9/11 suspects

The Senate on Thursday gave the green light to President Obama to transfer the accused plotters of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks to the United States to be tried in civilian courts.

November 6, 2009

60 Plus leader: Senior ‘tsunami’ coming

After years of Republicans taking shots for proposing changes to Medicare and Social Security, the tables have turned and now "it's payback time," said James L. Martin, president of the 60 Plus Association.

November 6, 2009

Need for Republican unity seen as election lesson

"Tea party" activists say Tuesday's elections show that the Republican Party needs conservatives for victory, but the results suggest solidarity is more important: unified Republicans steamrolled in Virginia, while they fractured in New York and lost a House seat that they had held for more than a century.

November 5, 2009

Independents fuel GOP victories in Va., N.J.

The independent voters who powered President Obama and Democrats to victory in 2008 fled to Republicans in Tuesday's elections.

November 4, 2009

Economic downturn quiets labor unions

Labor peace has broken out across the country, and all it took was the nastiest recession since the end of World War II to spawn it.

November 3, 2009

D.C. wildfire funds rebuked, then restored

Congressional lawmakers Wednesday rebuked the Forest Service for spending stimulus forest firefighting money on D.C. green-jobs programs, but gave the city the money anyway.

October 29, 2009

Elections to test Obama’s public image

If elections are the ultimate beauty contest, President Obama next week will have his first major turn on the catwalk since his inauguration.

October 27, 2009