Election 2008 Thompson's 'Test' Campaign Reports $3.4 Million July 31, 2007 • Actor and former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson has been testing the waters for a possible presidential bid. Tuesday brought the first financial measure of that test: lukewarm. His campaign committee raised $3.4 million in June, short of what some were forecasting a few weeks ago.
Lobbying Overhaul Wins Approval in House July 31, 2007 • The House on Tuesday approved a bill to make sweeping changes to the way lawmakers deal with lobbyists. The vote was 411-8. The bill aims to bring more transparency to so-called "earmarks," or special-interest spending in particular lawmakers' districts.
Law Groups Call for Alaska Senator to Leave Committees July 31, 2007 • Two Congressional watchdog groups Tuesday called on Sen. Ted Stevens (R-AK) to step down from his seats on the Senate's Commerce and Appropriations committees. The senator is being investigated as part of a political corruption inquiry.
Federal Panel on Voter Fraud Scrutinized July 31, 2007 • The Election Assistance Commission, a small group with the responsibility of finding good voting technologies and distributing federal funds, is being examined by congressional committees. It drew Democratic complaints when it reported that the amount of vote fraud is unclear. Democrats point to the commission consultant's report, which says there is little fraud. It's an issue that splits along the Democratic/Republican divide.
Science What Is Benign Idiopathic Seizure? July 31, 2007 • Doctors say Chief Justice John Roberts has had a benign idiopathic seizure. Roberts had experienced a similar seizure in 1993. Just what is a benign idiopathic seizure and how commonly does it occur?
Day to Day Bill Would Grant Loans for Nuclear Power Plants July 31, 2007 • A single sentence in the energy bill just passed by the Senate could grant nuclear power plant builders billions of dollars in government loan guarantees. There are plans in the works to build 28 new nuclear reactors in the United States, and the price of a single plant is about $5 billion.
Law Lawmaker Ted Stevens' Home Searched by Agents July 31, 2007 • On Monday, federal agents reportedly searched the home of Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska), just outside Anchorage. The subject of the probe is a 2000 renovation job that was overseen by an executive from a prominent local oil services company.
The Opinion Page Is a V-Neck Sometimes Just a V-Neck? July 31, 2007 • Boston Globe writer Ellen Goodman says she is sick and tired of hearing about Hillary Clinton's decolletage. In her op-ed "Political Fashionbabble," Goodman takes on Washington Post fashion writer Robin Givhan, who dubbed Clinton's recent wardrobe choice a "small acknowledgment of sexuality and femininity."
FBI Searches Home of Alaska's Sen. Stevens July 31, 2007 • Federal agents photographed the home of U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens during a search related to a public corruption probe, law enforcement officials say. Stevens, 83, is under investigation for his relationship with Bill Allen, an oil field services contractor who was convicted this year of bribing state lawmakers. Hear NPR's Martin Kaste Listen Toggle more options Download Embed Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/12372251/12374674" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Hear NPR's Martin Kaste Listen Toggle more options Download Embed Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/12372251/12374674" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Hearing Set for Choice to Head Joint Chiefs July 31, 2007 • A Senate committee holds a confirmation hearing Tuesday for Adm. Mike Mullen, who is President Bush's choice to be the next chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
National Seizure Preceded Chief Justice's Fall July 31, 2007 • Chief Justice John Roberts spends the night in a small Maine hospital after suffering a seizure and falling at his vacation home. Cleared after a neurological exam, Roberts, 52, is expected to go home Tuesday.
Business Growers Still Fretting over Fate of Subsidies July 31, 2007 • Last week, the House passed a farm bill that includes subsidies for growing corn, cotton and wheat. But farmers are still worried that subsidies — a safety net for many — might disappear.
Law Federal Agents Search Stevens' Alaska Home July 31, 2007 • FBI and IRS agents comb through the home of Sen. Ted Stevens, the Alaska political pioneer who is the longest-serving Republican in the Senate. It's part of an ongoing investigation into his links with an oil contractor.
Senate Takes Fresh View of Farm Bill July 31, 2007 • The farm bill passed in the House may bear little resemblance to the version that is now shaping up in the Senate. And there's a possibility of a presidential veto, too.
Environment Administration Backs Making Liquid Fuel from Coal July 31, 2007 • Lawmakers agree on the need to wean the nation from imported oil, but they disagree on how to do it. One controversial idea supported by the Bush administration is to make liquid fuel from coal.
