Stephen Dinan
Articles by Stephen Dinan
Sequester spending: Feds pay $227,000 to study magazine photographs
Some of the toughest sequester spending decisions involve taxpayer-financed research, where funding today can produce huge benefits tomorrow — but can the government really afford to spend $227,437 to study pictures of animals in National Geographic magazines? Published March 11, 2013
Backlash grows over release of detained immigrants; GOP wants to know who gave final approval
The Obama administration's decision to release some immigrants awaiting deportation back into the community has spawned a furious backlash from Congress, where stunned lawmakers have besieged the Homeland Security Department with questions. Published March 11, 2013
Court curbs laptop searches at U.S. border
The Border Patrol cannot confiscate or download every laptop or electronic device brought into the U.S., a federal appeals court said, ruling that people have an expectation their data are private and that the government must have "reasonable suspicion" before it starts to snoop. Published March 8, 2013
Senator: EPA lied about using private emails
Environmental Protection Agency officials lied when they said a top official used his private email only once for public business, a Republican senator said Friday as he released copies of several emails in which that official conducted business with the EPA's director and with outside groups. Published March 8, 2013
Senate confirms CIA director Brennan after Paul gets assurances
Sen. Rand Paul said Thursday his 13-hour filibuster was a success after Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. sent a letter saying the Obama administration does not think it is legal to use drones to kill non-combatant Americans on U.S. soil. Published March 7, 2013
House OKs funding to run federal government; vote will keep workers on job till Oct. 1
With deadline fatigue setting in, a bipartisan House voted Wednesday to fund the federal government through the end of the fiscal year, which would head off the potential for a government shutdown later this month. Published March 6, 2013
Rand Paul raises national profile by using filibuster to take stand on drone controversy
Five hours into Sen. Rand Paul's old-fashioned, hold-the-floor filibuster Wednesday, top Senate Democrat Harry Reid came to the floor to try to end the affair, asking whether Mr. Paul would settle for going only 30 more minutes before the chamber voted on confirmation of a CIA director. Published March 6, 2013
House reaffirms sequesters in latest funding measure
With deadline fatigue setting in, a bipartisan House voted Wednesday to fund the federal government through the end of the fiscal year, which would head off the potential for a government shutdown later this month. Published March 6, 2013
After almost 13 hours, Rand Paul ends Brennan filibuster
After years in the shadows, the administration's secret drone program burst into very public view Wednesday with lawmakers grilling the attorney general over legal justification for targeted killings and Sen. Rand Paul launching an old-style one-man filibuster to demand answers from President Obama. Published March 6, 2013
Email tells feds to make sequester as painful as promised
The White House announced Tuesday that it is canceling tours of the president's home for the foreseeable future as the sequester spending cuts begin to bite and the administration makes good on its warnings of painful decisions. Published March 5, 2013
Feds keep hiring with sequesters in place: 400 jobs posted on first day back
The sequester cuts are now officially in place, but many government agencies appear to be hiring freely anyway. Published March 4, 2013
Horse meat slaughter poised to return to U.S.
Animal rights groups are bracing for the federal government to license the first horse-meat slaughter plant in the U.S. since 2007, criticizing the Obama administration Friday for moving ahead with the application process. Published March 1, 2013
Even at 2.3%, sequester cuts can cause some pain
In theory, it shouldn't be tough to trim 2.3 percent from the federal budget — the size of the sequesters, compared with the overall budget. But the way Congress and President Obama wrote the sequester cuts taking effect Friday means that some deep pain will be inevitable. Published February 28, 2013
Sequestration process begins: Congress fails to reach agreement on budget fixes before deadline
The federal government careened into the $85 billion spending sequesters Friday, embracing some of the biggest budget cuts in American history — though it will take weeks for most of the pain to be felt. Published February 28, 2013
Federal bonuses are early casualty in sequestration
The White House budget office has told federal agencies to slow down new hiring, curtail travel and conferences, and to stop doling out bonuses unless absolutely required to by law, according to a new memo released late Wednesday. Published February 28, 2013
Lew approved to lead Treasury ‘No one more qualified,’ Obama says of former aide
The Senate voted Wednesday to confirm Jack Lew as the new Treasury Department secretary, giving President Obama his second nomination victory this week as the White House seeks to build its second-term team. Published February 27, 2013
House refuses Obama’s demand to rush immigration reform
The chairman of the House Judiciary Committee laid out a go-slow approach on immigration Wednesday, saying he doesn't think having President Obama write a bill and demand that Congress vote on it would be successful. Published February 27, 2013
White House: ICE to blame for release of illegals
The White House said Wednesday it had nothing to do with the decision by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to release immigrants awaiting deportation back into the country in order to save money ahead of the looming budget "sequesters." Published February 27, 2013
Republican courting of Hispanics, immigrants no lock for a date on Election Day
Republican assertions that the GOP's only hope of winning over Hispanic voters is to legalize illegal immigrants appear to be undercut by a new study of the 2006 election that suggests Hispanics don't reward pro-immigration Republicans. Published February 27, 2013
Hagel wins confirmation to be new defense secretary
Chuck Hagel survived a rocky process and won Senate confirmation to become the next secretary of defense, surmounting a fizzled Republican filibuster on Tuesday — though he takes office chastened and potentially damaged. Published February 26, 2013
