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H-1B Visas to Have Their Day in Committee

Fawn Johnson | May 13, 2013

The tech community will have its first chance Tuesday to weigh in, carefully, on major immigration legislation being debated in the Senate. The influential lobbying force that has for years scrambled for access to highly skilled foreign workers must now carry out a rough balancing act: making sure lawmakers know that the bill, as written, does not work for it, but that it doesn’t want to kill the process, either.

Alliances Tested as Immigration Amendments Roll In

Rebecca Kaplan | May 7, 2013

Amendments to the Gang of Eight's bill were due by close of business Tuesday and already alliances are being tested among both members who support and those who oppose comprehensive immigration reform.

Marco Rubio: A Successful Salesman for Immigration Reform?

Rebecca Kaplan | May 5, 2013

Recess has been tough for Marco Rubio.

Is Obama's Legacy Great Leadership or Bad Breaks? Check the Sports Pages

Ron Fournier | May 1, 2013

An old baseball adage applies to the president: 'The great ones play above the breaks.'

A Playbook for Undoing the Sequester

Nancy Cook | April 28, 2013

When Congress voted last week to give the FAA more flexibility with its cuts, it set off a race among other special interests to push for exemptions.

Stability and Security: Relics of the Past?

Amy Sullivan | April 25, 2013

Like so many other autoworkers, Nicole Current had a stable job and a $70,000-a-year lifestyle. Then everything changed.

Manufacturers, Ag Interests Will Lobby for Trade Deal

Catherine Hollander | April 17, 2013

The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership won’t be focused on already-low tariffs between the U.S. and European Union. It will be focused on so-called “behind the border” measures, like regulation—and that means there will be plenty of stakeholders with strong opinions.

Keystone Pits Oil Companies Against Environmentalists

Coral Davenport | April 17, 2013

It’s likely that more corporations, coalitions, and advocacy groups have lobbied, rallied, and written letters about the Keystone XL oil pipeline than about any other pipeline ever built in the United States.

Mark Sanford Attacks Elizabeth Colbert Busch in First General Election Ad

Sarah Mimms | April 17, 2013

Former South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford is out with his first television ad since becoming the GOP nominee in the special election in South Carolina's 1st District, going after Democrat Elizabeth Colbert Busch for her ties to unions. {{ BIZOBJ (video: 4280) }} "Elizabeth Colbert Busch says she kno...

‘Chained CPI’ Could Hit Middle-Class Retirees Hardest

Nancy Cook | April 15, 2013

Which programs are exempt from chained CPI? And do proposed protections go far enough to protect low-income people?

Peters Raises $371K As He Considers Senate Bid

Alex Brown | April 15, 2013

Rep. Gary Peters, D-Mich., started his 2013 fundraising by taking in $371,000 during the first quarter, a respectable sum for the potential Senate candidate but less than the $434,000 he raised in the first quarter of 2011. As Peters jostles for Democratic support with party power player Debbie Din...

Why a Messed Up Immigration Bill Could Still Pass

Fawn Johnson | April 14, 2013

Only one thing really matters in the immigration bill that a bipartisan group of eight senators will unveil this week—11 million immigrants living in the United States without papers who fear deportation every day. Give them a break, and the rest will sort itself out.

Ralph Nader’s Newest Crusade: Raising the Minimum Wage

Mike Magner | April 12, 2013

Consumer advocate Ralph Nader has a new crusade for 2013—raising the federal minimum wage from $7.25 an hour, where it has stagnated since President Obama took office in 2009.

Previewing the Sunday Shows

Christopher Peleo-Lazar | April 12, 2013

A deal on gun control, President Obama's budget proposal and the Senate's Gang of Eight pending immigration proposal are at the top of the Sunday show agenda. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., is hitting the airwaves with a "Full Ginsburg," including Univision's Al Punto. Sens. Pat Toomey, R-Pa. and Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., will appear on State of the Union and Face the Nation talking about their bipartisan gun control deal. Check out the full listings after the jump.

The O'Malley Factor

Ronald Brownstein | April 11, 2013

Can Gov. Martin O'Malley ride his Maryland success to the White House?

It's Easy to Fix Social Security

Nancy Cook | April 11, 2013

Unlike Medicare and Medicaid, it's simple arithmetic. If only the politics added up.

Obama's Budget Garners Anger From All Sides

Nancy Cook | April 11, 2013

Roughly 24 hours after the White House released its budget, liberal Democrats were furious about its so-called chained CPI provision, which would change the cost-of-living calculation for federal benefits like Social Security. Meanwhile, Republicans were criticizing President Obama's fiscal 2014 blueprint for not going far enough on its tweaks to Medicare and other cuts.

Progressives Fight Obama on Entitlements with Eye on 2014

Rebecca Kaplan | April 10, 2013

For progressive Democrats in Congress, a fight with President Obama over the inclusion of cuts to Social Security in his budget proposal may be just a warm-up for the real looming battle: the 2014 midterms.

Is the GOP Preparing to Attack Dems on Social Security?

Alex Roarty | April 10, 2013

Are Republicans preparing to cudgel Democrats with, of all things, Social Security? That was the explicit impression left by Greg Walden, chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee, during a Wednesday interview on CNN. The Oregon congressman said President Obama's budget – which...

The Real Budget Action Won't Come Until Tonight's Dinner With the GOP

Nancy Cook | April 10, 2013

Contrary to popular belief, the real budget action on Wednesday won’t begin until the early evening, when 12 Republican senators are scheduled to arrive at the White House for a private dinner with the president.

Is Obama’s Budget Gamble Thawing the GOP?

Stacy Kaper | April 9, 2013

President Obama’s decision to include in his budget proposal cuts to Social Security and Medicare—two entitlement programs central to the Democratic base—has set off a fierce debate in Washington about whether the White House strategy will prove to be shrewd or a giant mistake.

Agenda Is Stacked for Return of Congress; Obama Will Pile on More With His Budget

Billy House and George E. Condon Jr. and Nancy Cook and Coral Davenport and Fawn Johnson and Margot Sanger-Katz and and Sara Sorcher contributed | April 7, 2013

The prospects for renewed talks on a long-term deficit-reduction deal reach a pivotal point this week with the release Wednesday of President Obama’s budget plan, which offers cuts to Social Security and Medicare in the hope of softening Republican opposition to tax hikes.

What's Next for Immigration Reform

Rebecca Kaplan | April 7, 2013

With Congress back in session, House and Senate working groups will be putting finishing touches on their immigration plans. But there are many issues still outstanding.

3 Ways Work Visas Could Still Blow Up the Immigration Bill

Fawn Johnson | April 1, 2013

"Future Flow" has always lurked as the ogre that might not be tamed.

Previewing the Sunday Shows

Steven Shepard | March 29, 2013

The Easter Sunday lineups at the weekend public-affairs programs will add a dash of religion to the usual political fare. One political highlight: Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., will talk about immigration and guns on CNN's "State of the Union." Univision's "Al Punto" will feature President Obama in a pre-recorded interview, also addressing his immigration-reform efforts. Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the archbishop of New York, will appear on two of the Sunday shows, while Washington's archbishop, Cardinal Donald Wuerl, will visit with "Fox News Sunday."

Big Labor and Big Business Have One Big Issue: Immigration Reform

Fawn Johnson | March 26, 2013

It's a sign of the times: Immigration reform is now the number one issue for both the AFL-CIO and the Business Roundtable.

Why the Fight Over Work Visas Won't Doom the Immigration Bill

Fawn Johnson | March 25, 2013

Make no mistake. The immigration bill being crafted by the “Gang of Eight” senators will include foreign work visas despite warnings from both business and labor that their talks over the issue have broken down.

Border Triggers Could Sink Immigration Deal

Fawn Johnson | March 21, 2013

Republicans' insistence that border-security benchmarks be met before legalizing 11-12 million illegal immigrants could sink the emerging compromise measure.

House Republican Pessimistic That Immigration Reform Will Pass

Rebecca Kaplan | March 14, 2013

Rep. Raul Labrador, R-Idaho, sounded a downright pessimistic note on the prospects of comprehensive immigration reform during a panel on the subject at the Conservative Political Action Conference.

SEIU Endorses Markey in Another Setback for Lynch

Kevin Brennan | March 14, 2013

In the latest setback for Rep. Stephen Lynch's, D-Mass., Senate campaign, the Massachusetts Service Employees International Union on Thursday endorsed Lynch's Democratic primary opponent, Rep. Ed Markey. While Markey entered the race to replace Secretary of State John Kerry with the backing of nati...

Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Reported Pick for Labor Secretary

Charles S. Clark and Government Executive | March 11, 2013

President Obama is set to name Thomas Perez, a civil rights official at the Justice Department, as his new Labor secretary, according to weekend news reports.

Opinion: Immigration Reform Faces Hurdles, but Steadily Moves Forward

Tyler Reny | March 11, 2013

The debate over immigration reform may have been overshadowed by coverage of the sequester and Washington dysfunction, but the issue has hardly disappeared. In fact, the immigration reform bill is marching steadily forward.

Peters Tells Hometown Paper He's Considering Michigan Senate Run

Alex Brown | March 8, 2013

Rep. Gary Peters, D-Mich., is "very interested" in running for Senate, he told the Detroit Free Press during an editorial board meeting Friday. Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., announced Thursday he would not run for re-election, and a day later Peters said a Senate bid would allow him to continue his...

What Ashley Judd Could Learn From Al Franken

Elahe Izadi | March 8, 2013

The actress is taking lessons from the Minnesotan's celebrity-campaign playbook.

Detroit: A Sad Tale of 2 Cities and 2 Americas

Ron Fournier | March 5, 2013

My hometown is about to experience its umpteenth transition in a generations-long struggle against mighty odds.

The Overhyped, Overblown, & Overly Politicized Sequester Fears

Niraj Chokshi and Nancy Cook | February 27, 2013

It turns out that the next big fiscal crisis will seem more like a whimper when it hits on March 1.

Congress and Obama Assign Blame as Sequester Deadline Approaches

Billy House | February 24, 2013

Just four days remain until Friday’s start date for federal spending cuts that were supposed to be too painful to ever let happen, but lawmakers return to Washington on Monday with little hope for an eleventh-hour deal to avert or reshape them—or any let-up in the fighting over who is to blame.

Business and Labor Agree: The U.S. Needs Better Data on Immigration

Niraj Chokshi | February 23, 2013

In announcing their principles for immigration reform this week, two of the nation’s largest lobbies revived an old idea: creating a federal bureau to study labor shortages.

The Hidden Obstacles to Legal Immigration Reform

Major Garrett | February 19, 2013

If you think questions of legalization, border security, and fundamental party politics are the biggest obstacles to immigration reform, think again.

If a Simpson-Bowles Debt Plan Drops in D.C., Will Anybody Hear It?

Niraj Chokshi | February 19, 2013

By now, Erskine Bowles and Alan Simpson must feel like two Cassandras—prophets of crisis doomed to be ignored.

Only Way for Immigration Reform to Work? A Guest Worker Program

Tim Fernholz and Quartz | February 4, 2013

A guest-worker program would be "absolutely far and away the biggest determinant of the unauthorized immigrant population a few years from now," a senior development analyst says, regardless of a path to citizenship for those already in America.

Health Care: Great for the Economy Today, Terrible Later

Margot Sanger-Katz | January 31, 2013

Hospitals like Pittsburgh’s UPMC created enough jobs to end the recession. If they keep it up, they’ll wreck the economy.

Why Labor Has Learned to Love Immigration Reform

Beth Reinhard | January 31, 2013

When President Obama delivered a major speech trumpeting immigration reform from Las Vegas earlier this week, AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka sat in the front row, right in front of the podium.

Meet Barbara Buono, the Democrat Likely to Face Chris Christie

Dan Roem | January 29, 2013

What do you do when you're the frontrunner for your party's nomination but you're trailing in the general election by 41 points? If you're Democratic New Jersey state Sen. Barbara Buono running against GOP Gov. Chris Christie, you acknowledge your current standing but hope for the best. "If the election was held today, we know what the result would be," said Buono during a phone interview last week. "I fully expect my name recognition to grow."

The Case for Jennifer Granholm as Labor Secretary

Jill Lawrence | January 24, 2013

Granholm has the stature and the media savvy to put income inequality at the center of the national debate.

House Vote to Block Federal Workers' Pay Raise Postponed

Billy House | January 22, 2013

Republican leaders have postponed a vote planned for this week on a bill to block President Obama’s proposed across-the-board pay increase for federal workers in 2013.

Federal Workers Union Blasts GOP Pay-Freeze Effort

Billy House | January 16, 2013

The largest federal employees union is lashing out at a House Republican plan to again vote to block President Obama’s proposed across-the-board pay increase for federal workers in 2013--and billing it as a way to help rein in Washington spending.

6 Potential Roadblocks to Immigration Reform

Rebecca Kaplan | January 16, 2013

There's no shortage of political will to get immigration reform done in this Congress, but attempts at an overhaul of the system have failed before, and lawmakers still have several major hurdles to overcome this time.

What Gets in the Way of Immigration Reform

Rebecca Kaplan | January 16, 2013

There's no shortage of political will to get immigration reform done in this Congress, but there are still some major roadblocks that could get in the way. Here's a look at the hurdles ahead.

Chamber of Commerce Lawyers Up to Take on Key Democratic Reforms in 2013

Niraj Chokshi | January 10, 2013

The organization is beefing up its private law firm to gird for battle over new regulations flowing from recent Democratic legislative victories.

Who Might Replace Hilda Solis as Labor Secretary?

George E. Condon Jr. and Jim O'Sullivan | January 9, 2013

Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis submitted her letter of resignation on Wednesday. Here's an excerpt from a Nov. 7 National Journal magazine story on potential replacements:

Labor Secretary Solis to Step Down, Creating Even More of a Diversity Problem for Obama

Ben Terris and Kirk Victor and Ben Terris updated this story on January 9th | January 9, 2013

Hispanic official is the fifth departure from Obama's increasingly white and male-dominated Cabinet since his reelection.

The GOP's Failed 'Plan O': Inside the Fiscal-Cliff Saga

John Aloysius Farrell and Chris Frates and Nancy Cook and Billy House | January 2, 2013

This is the story of Plan O – the congressional Republicans’ failed attempt to meet the challenge of Obama’s victory. It begins in September and ends in the fiasco of the Christmas season, when Speaker John Boehner was repudiated by his own troops and had to pull his last, desperate solution from the House floor, leaving Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell to cut the best deal he could with dramatically diminished leverage.

Federal Groups Blast Potential Fiscal Cliff Switch to 'Chained CPI'

Kellie Lunney, Government Executive | December 19, 2012

Advocates for federal employees and retirees urged lawmakers Monday to oppose a switch to a less generous formula for determining cost-of-living adjustments as part of a fiscal cliff deal.

Cliff Dwellers, Is This a Big Deal?

Fawn Johnson | December 17, 2012

Cliff metaphors abound these days, thanks to our members of Congress. In my travels, I've run across the deportation cliff, the human cliff, and yes, the transportation cliff. (Thank you, Rep. John Mica, R-Fla.). To be clear, there are two cliffs in the transportation world. There is the "fiscal cliff," which would result in an overall cut of about 8 percent in federal funds. That impact on transportation isn't clear, although it would certainly be a blow. The National Air Traffic Controllers Association says that could result in a furlough of 2,000 to 2,200 air traffic controllers, which could ultimately result in fewer flights.

Common Core for Teachers

Fawn Johnson | December 10, 2012

The American Federation of Teachers proposed a universal "bar exam" for teachers last week, arguing that the profession deserves to be associated with high standards and the rigorous training needed to meet them.

Is Social Security Still Off-Limits?

Jim O'Sullivan | November 29, 2012

The White House wants to unparcel Social Security from the fiscal cliff and a package designed to deal with the debt.

Meet the Guy Who Stopped Santa

Alex Brown | November 8, 2012

Santa Claus is coming to Congress, but he won't make it in time for Christmas. That's thanks to David Curson, who defeated reindeer-ranching Republican Kerry Bentivolio, a Santa impersonator, in a special election to fill Michigan's 11th District seat from next week through the start of the new term. Bentivolio defeated physician Syed Taj in the full-term race and will be sworn in as the district's representative January 3. Former Rep. Thad McCotter resigned from the seat in July after his election petitions were found to be fraudulent.

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