Domestic Policy

Graphic: Keystone XL: More Than a Pipeline

By Amy Harder and Joey Carolino

The House on Wednesday is scheduled to vote on—and probably pass—legislation sponsored by Rep. Lee Terry , R-Neb., that would approve the Keystone XL pipeline and limit legal challenges on the project. The politically embroiled pipeline has been awaiting federal approval since September 2008 and its fate is still uncertain. Despite action by House Republicans, the State Department is expected to make a final decision later this year or early next. Here's what you need to know about a pipeline that's become much more than that. Read more »

Much at Stake as Energy Department Weighs Permits for Exporting Natural Gas

Christopher Smith, the Energy Department official in charge of shaping the Obama administration’s policy on exporting natural gas, recalls working for Chevron on an import facility during the first part of the last decade. At the time, U.S. reserves were thought to be scarce and fuel prices were accordingly high. Read more »

Ready to Testify on Financial Stability, Lew Is Likely To Be Grilled on IRS Scandal

The poor Financial Stability Oversight Council. It's likely this will be the second year in a row where testimony on the council's annual report turns into a grill-a-thon on the scandal du jour. Read more »

Bipartisanship on Water Projects in Senate Spurred by Freedom to Fish Act

The senior energy aide to Mitch McConnell, the Senate Republican leader from the coal state of Kentucky, was praised last week by one of the Senate’s top environmentalists, Environment and Public Works Chairwoman Barbara Boxer, D-Calif. The compliment seems unusual amid the hyper-partisanship that’s now the norm in Washington, but when put into context it makes sense. Read more »

So, a Fed Chairman Is Speaking at Your Graduation

"The future of the country is in jeopardy." It's what every college graduate wants to hear while sitting up on that stage, sweltering in the spring heat with friends and family watching. Read more »

Are Recessions Good for Your Health?

With the recovery underway, things are starting to look up. Consumer confidence rose to a six-year high on Friday, the housing sector is improving, the economic gears are turning. But there may also be a less-welcome rebound: fatalities could rise. Read more »