congress

December 21, 2012 - There are growing calls for better gun regulation in the wake of the Sandy Hook elementary school massacre. But what are gun-control advocates up against when they take on the National Rifle Association?

December 21, 2012 - Dec. 22 marks four years since a coal ash impoundment collapsed at a TVA power plant in Tennessee, inundating a community and two rivers. As EPA drags its feet over issuing federal coal ash rules, politicians backed by industry interests are maneuvering to block the agency's ability to protect people and the environment -- even though their states have been adversely affected by poor regulation.

December 14, 2012 - This week the federal government took big steps toward building a commercial offshore wind industry in the Southeast -- but its future could be threatened by the expiration of a key tax credit.

December 11, 2012 - In addition to hearing challenges to laws banning same-sex marriage, the Supreme Court will consider the constitutionality of a key part of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, landmark civil rights legislation that's been increasingly under attack.

November 16, 2012 - Last week's election demonstrated the growing power of Latino voters and the renewed demand for results on immigration policy.

November 15, 2012 - Three days after an election that saw numerous attempts to suppress the minority vote, the high court agreed to hear Shelby County, Ala.'s challenge to the Voting Rights Act.

November 8, 2012 - After Tuesday's election, President Obama's health care plan remains alive. But its future is uncertain, with many Southern states still uncommitted to creating insurance exchanges and others rejecting federal funding to expand coverage for the poor.

October 29, 2012 - The authors of the 1968 Fair Housing Act wanted to reverse decades of government-fostered segregation. But presidents from both parties declined to enforce a law that stirred vehement opposition.

October 25, 2012 - A new study finds that North Carolina has some of the strangest-shaped congressional districts in the nation -- part of a trend that experts say has led to the disappearance of political moderates.

October 17, 2012 - A large oil sheen in the Gulf of Mexico reported by watchdogs as far back as August 2011 has been tied to BP's failed Macondo well. Congressional leaders are demanding answers from the company about the ongoing oil release, and they also want to ensure BP pays fully for the damages caused by its 2010 disaster.