Stephen Dinan
Articles by Stephen Dinan
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
Illegal immigrants set free from detention centers as sequester approaches
The sequester is officially still several days away but the Obama administration is already making the first cuts, with officials confirming that the Homeland Security Department has released several hundred illegal immigrants from detention in order to save money. Published February 26, 2013
White House raises terror threat, warns illegals could flood borders after sequester cuts
The Obama administration on Monday warned the nation to expect an increase in illegal immigration if the automatic budget cuts go into effect Friday — the latest caution from a White House determined to raise the heat on congressional Republicans. Published February 25, 2013
IRS audit finds ‘millions’ in waste
Everyone always wants the latest technology, but a government auditor said Tuesday that the Internal Revenue Service wasted millions of dollars on BlackBerrys and wireless modem aircards that employees don't need or even use. Published February 19, 2013
IRS tax fraud: Agency wastes taxpayer cash on Blackberrys and aircards, audit finds
The IRS wasted millions of dollars on BlackBerrys and wireless modem aircards that employees don't need or even use. Published February 19, 2013
Federal salary freeze passes House
The House voted Friday morning to freeze civilian federal salaries for another year as lawmakers continue to look under every cushion for money they can squeeze out of the budget. Published February 15, 2013
Budget-busting burgers: Beef, chicken supply could be casualties of Congress, Obama sequester fight
With the automatic cuts looming March 1, the Obama administration is offering more specifics on what lower spending would mean, pointing to everything from fewer agents on the U.S.-Mexico border to cutting funding for special education in school districts around the country. Published February 14, 2013