Stephen Dinan
Articles by Stephen Dinan
‘Fiscal cliff’ debt truce nears its end with no solution in sight
A three-month truce on the debt-limit war is about to expire, and Congress and President Obama will enter a no-man's land with nobody quite knowing how things will shake out when the debt peace ends in two weeks. Published May 5, 2013
Duck and cover: Feds reinstate ‘duck stamp’ crown to 6-year-old
The federal government late Thursday reinstated the 6-year-old winner of this year's Junior Duck Stamp, after earlier accusing her of plagiarism and rescinding her award. Published May 3, 2013
CBO to issue estimates more favorable to immigration-reform bill
The Congressional Budget Office said Thursday it will use a type of "dynamic scoring" to evaluate the new Senate immigration bill, dealing a major victory to the legislation's backers. Published May 2, 2013
Feds accuse 6-year-old of plagiarism, strip her duck stamp victory
The federal government accused a 6-year-old of plagiarism and stripped her of her victory in this year's national Junior Duck Stamp contest, leaving the youngest-ever winner in tears and igniting a fierce debate in the wildlife art community over artistic techniques, precocious youngsters and catty parents. Published May 2, 2013
Amendment extends E-Verify
The latest version of the Senate immigration bill still repeals E-Verify but keeps it operational in the meantime so businesses in states that require its use can keep using it over the next five years. Published May 1, 2013
Senators file amended immigration bill to keep E-Verify running
Moving to quell concerns, the newest version of the Senate's immigration bill keeps the E-Verify electronic check system in place so that states that already require its use can continue to do so, even while the rest of the country is getting up to speed. Published April 30, 2013
Obama casts himself as final arbiter on immigration
President Obama on Tuesday said he'll be the final arbiter of whether an immigration bill can succeed this year, saying it must boost border security and rewrite the legal system, but also must give illegal immigrants a definite path to citizenship. Published April 30, 2013
Feds hide behind potential text message loophole in sunshine law
The researcher who exposed former EPA chief Lisa P. Jackson's private email account is now taking aim at her potential successor — and is expanding the inquiry into the world of mobile phone text messages, which are shaping up as the next frontier in open-records legal battles. Published April 29, 2013
Immigration bill grants amnesty to employers of illegals; no prosecution for bogus IDs
The debate is raging over whether the latest immigration bill is an amnesty for illegal immigrants, but one part is clear: The legislation would forgive businesses that have employed those immigrants illegally. Published April 29, 2013
FAA respite from sequester fuels budget fighting
The FAA ended its furloughs of air traffic controllers over the weekend and said the nation's enraged travelers, who had been caught in long delays at some major airports, should see things back to normal by Sunday night. Published April 28, 2013
FAA says furloughs over, flights back to normal by Sunday
The FAA said Saturday it is ending its furloughs of air traffic controllers, and said all service should be back to normal by Sunday night. Published April 27, 2013
Congress tells Obama to stop FAA furloughs
Moving with striking speed and overwhelming bipartisanship, Congress on Friday ordered President Obama to cancel the furloughs of air traffic controllers, making the second big dent in the budget sequesters. Published April 26, 2013
Senate votes to let Obama cancel furloughs of air traffic controllers
With airport delays piling up, the Senate voted late Thursday to give the Obama administration the power to cancel its furloughs of air traffic controllers — a move designed to dent the most painful part of the budget sequesters so far. Published April 25, 2013
Bush’s Millennium Challenge is still changing the developing world
It was far from his most expensive initiative, but it may end up being one of his most significant: The Millennium Challenge Corp., which President George W. Bush set up to push foreign countries to better govern themselves, has set a new standard for foreign aid. Published April 25, 2013
Cleared for takeoff: Senate votes to blunt air-traffic controller furloughs
The Senate agreed to give the Obama administration the power to cancel its furloughs of air traffic controllers — a move designed to dent the most painful part of the budget sequesters seen so far. Published April 25, 2013
Sequester, tight budgets means DHS buying less ammunition
Tight budgets are forcing the Homeland Security Department to buy less ammunition, two top officials are slated to tell Congress on Thursday as the House oversight committee continues investigating the Obama administration's ammunition purchases. Published April 25, 2013
‘Undocumented workers’ are still ‘illegal immigrants’ to most Americans
News organizations are debating what to call those who are in the U.S. illegally, but for voters the answer is in: They are "illegal immigrants." Published April 24, 2013
Poll: Congress should not rush immigration reform
Three-quarters of voters say the Boston Marathon bombings should make Congress pause before pushing ahead with immigration reform, according to a new poll that seeks to gauge Americans' feelings as lawmakers begin debating the hot-button issue. Published April 24, 2013
Benghazi investigators demand cable signed by Clinton; White House balks
The White House accused Republicans of a political distraction Wednesday after House committee chairmen asked President Obama to release a State Department cable that they said would prove Hillary Rodham Clinton, as secretary off state, signed off on security cuts at the diplomatic post in Benghazi ahead of the attack Sept. 11. Published April 24, 2013
Judge: Obama administration can’t refuse to arrest illegal immigrants
A federal judge said this week that the Obama administration is likely violating the law by telling immigration agents and officers not to arrest illegal immigrants they deem low priority, in a case that could upend President Obama's enforcement policy. Published April 24, 2013
