Stephen Dinan
Articles by Stephen Dinan
Boehner says Obama still won’t negotiate on government funding
Congressional leaders emerged Wednesday night from a meeting with President Obama at the White House reporting little progress as all sides struggle for a solution to the government shutdown, which began Tuesday and showed no signs of breaking. Published October 2, 2013
IRS collecting money but not sending tax refunds during shutdown
The IRS is still collecting taxes during the government shutdown, but it isn't sending refunds — and it also has stopped complying with a subpoena to turn over documents to members of Congress who are investigating the agency's targeting of tea party groups. Published October 2, 2013
House GOP adds NIH, National Guard to shutdown bill strategy
House Republicans plan to keep trying their new piecemeal approach to solving the shutdown, setting up yet another round of votes Wednesday on bills that would fund veterans affairs and national parks — and adding new bills to fund the National Institutes of Health and to pay the National Guard and the military reserves. Published October 2, 2013
Federal watchdogs are early shutdown victims
Sunshine and oversight were two of the early casualties of the government shutdown, with the agencies charged with watching over the federal government saying they had to furlough employees in order to comply with the shutdown. Published October 1, 2013
Shutdown aftermath: World War II veterans make one more victory raid — push way into Mall memorial
When elderly veterans pushed their way through police barricades Tuesday to get to the World War II memorial on the Mall, they not only became an instant online sensation, but also a symbolic protest against the government shutdown. Published October 1, 2013
House rejects restoration of funds during shutdown for veterans, parks
With the government shutdown closing national monuments and sending federal office workers home, House Republicans changed tactics Tuesday and tried to pass individual spending bills that they said would restore money to high-profile programs such as veterans affairs, national parks and the Smithsonian Institution. Published October 1, 2013
White House concedes defeat on Ron Binz, key energy nominee
The White House's nominee to a top energy post withdrew on Monday, conceding defeat in a fight that had turned into a major battleground for President Obama's climate agenda. Published October 1, 2013
Government shutdown begins as gridlocked Congress gives up
Congress adjourned early Tuesday morning without renewing funding for the federal government and the White House issued orders beginning the grim task of shutting down "nonessential" services across the nation. Published September 30, 2013
House GOP tries fourth shutdown proposal, Democrats vow rejection
House Republicans tried a fourth different option late Monday, proposing to enter into official spending negotiations with Senate Democrats over a stopgap year-end spending bill, but it, like the three earlier proposals, was immediately rejected by Democrats who said there will no talks. Published September 30, 2013
EPA officials cleared of email abuse charges
The EPA's inspector general cleared the agency Monday of wrongdoing in its employees' use of private email accounts to conduct government business, saying that, after talking with senior officials, investigators found no evidence employees were trying to circumvent open-records laws. Published September 30, 2013
Senate again rebuffs House as shutdown clock ticks down to midnight
Weathering the early signs of cracks in their unity, the Republican Party passed its latest spending proposal through the House Monday night, saying it was a good-faith effort to prevent a government shutdown while working to blunt the worst parts of President Obama's health law. Published September 30, 2013
Shutdown deadline not set in stone
There's not a lot of wiggle room, but Monday's midnight deadline for a government shutdown may not be as firm as it seems. Published September 30, 2013
House bill extends visa deadline for Iraqi translators
One casualty of Congress' spending fight could be Iraqi translators who helped the U.S. during that nation's war, but whose visa applications are about to stall unless Congress can extend a Sept. 30 deadline written into law. Published September 29, 2013
House, Senate swap stopgap spending bills in race to avert blame for government shutdown
The House and Senate spent the past few days involved in the legislative equivalent of hot potato, trying to be the ones not holding up a stopgap spending bill when government funding expires at midnight Monday. Published September 29, 2013
House eliminates payout to wealthy senator’s widow
After an outcry, the House has dropped a $174,000 payment to the widow of the late Sen. Frank Lautenberg from its stopgap spending bill. Published September 29, 2013
House passes bill to delay Obamacare, keep government funded
With a government shutdown two days away, House Republicans powered their latest stopgap spending bill through the chamber early Sunday morning, trying yet again to put a dent in Obamacare while vowing they don't want a shutdown. Published September 29, 2013
House GOP to seek one-year delay in Obamacare on government shutdown bill
House Republicans said Saturday they will try to pass another stopgap spending bill that delays President Obama's health law for one year, in a final effort to try to put a dent in Obamacare before more of it takes effect next week — but Democrats immediately shot the plan down, saying it virtually guarantees a government shutdown. Published September 28, 2013
Obama: Health law can’t be stopped by govt. shutdown
President Obama said Friday that major parts of Obamacare will go into effect next week no matter what happens with the debate in Congress over stopgap spending, saying that should undercut Republicans' fight. Published September 27, 2013
Obama phones Iranian president; first talks with Tehran since Carter
President Obama said he and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani spoke by phone Friday, marking the first president-to-president communication since 1979. Published September 27, 2013
Senate defeats Cruz filibuster, passes bill that funds Obamacare
Senators from both parties linked arms to defy Sen. Ted Cruz, overcoming his attempt to filibuster the stopgap spending bill, which allowed Democrats to add back in full funding for Obamacare and power the bill through the chamber and sending it back to the House. Published September 27, 2013
