Stephen Dinan
Articles by Stephen Dinan
1 million fewer illegals in U.S., study says
The number of illegal immigrants in the United States dropped by nearly 1 million from 2007 to 2009 as the Bush administration ramped up enforcement efforts just as the economy took a dive, according to new figures the Homeland Security Department released Tuesday. Published February 10, 2010
Illegal immigration fell sharply in ‘08
The number of illegal immigrants in the U.S. dropped by nearly 1 million from 2007 to 2009 as the Bush administration ramped up enforcement efforts and the economy took a dive, according to figures the Homeland Security Department released Tuesday. Published February 9, 2010
Obama’s bipartisan call hits wall of dissent
Despite his continued calls for collaboration, just two weeks after President Obama's State of the Union address, the window has closed on the areas of bipartisan cooperation he laid out. Published February 9, 2010
Rep. Murtha dies at age 77
Long before he became a national figure for his zealous opposition to the Iraq war, Rep. John P. Murtha was known to every research lab, military base and Defense Department bureaucrat as the go-to man if they needed taxpayer funding. Published February 9, 2010
Poll: Special interests more influential under Obama
Contrary to President Obama's promises, voters say special interests have more influence on the political process now than they did a year ago, according to a new poll. Published February 8, 2010
Dems finagle $1.9T rise in debt cap
It took legislative acrobatics and some hard swallowing by Democrats, but Congress on Thursday sent President Obama a bill that raises the country's borrowing level by a staggering $1.9 trillion to cover this year's record spending. Published February 5, 2010
‘Holds’ a two-edged sword for Obama
President Obama blasted Senate Republicans Wednesday for using "holds," a Senate tactic that delays consideration of nominees - even though as a senator he used the technique to block several of President George W. Bush's appointments. Published February 4, 2010
Global warming research grant in danger of fund freeze
A top member of Congress wants President Obama to freeze more than $500,000 in stimulus money going to a Penn State global warming researcher after the school said it was expanding an investigation into the professor's work. Published February 4, 2010
Congressman slams grant to embattled climate researcher
Rep. Darrell Issa wants President Obama to freeze more than $500,000 going to a Penn State global warming researcher after the school said it was investigating the professor's work. Published February 3, 2010
Obama critics seek to restore budget cuts
Even as they faulted President Obama for not cutting deeply enough in the budget he sent to Congress this week, Republicans and Democrats on Capitol Hill laid the groundwork Tuesday for all-out fights to try to add back more spending on defense and domestic priorities — and the administration already is warning of vetoes if some lines are crossed. Published February 3, 2010
Obama’s budget knife takes smaller cuts
President Obama on Monday failed to heed his vow to take an ever-sharper scalpel to the budget during tough economic times, instead proposing $1 billion less in discretionary spending cuts than last year. Published February 2, 2010
Largest-ever federal payroll to hit 2.15 million
The era of big government has returned with a vengeance, in the form of the largest federal work force in modern history. Published February 2, 2010
Senate OKs new debt limit, raised by $1.9T
The all-Democrat vote will boost the U.S. government's borrowing power to a staggering $14.3 trillion, coming a day after Obama called on Congress to freeze much non-defense spending. Published January 29, 2010
Obama’s barbs fuel partisan bickering
Republican lawmakers searched Thursday for ways to support President Obama, but said his calls for bipartisanship fell flat amidst his lecturing tone and the repeated barbs he aimed at them during his State of the Union address Wednesday night. Published January 29, 2010
Virgin Islands park bill advances
Hours before President Obama urged members of Congress to show spending restraint Wednesday, the House voted to authorize spending as much as $50 million to create a national historic site in the U.S. Virgin Islands on beachfront land the National Park Service isn't yet sure it wants. Published January 28, 2010
Stimulus price tag soars; jobless rate rises
The economic stimulus bill's price tag has risen to $862 billion, the Congressional Budget Office said Tuesday — a $75 billion jump partly that's a result in part to the fact that, despite the spending, joblessness has risen. Published January 27, 2010
Tab from stimulus program jumps, CBO says
UPDATED: The cost of the president's stimulus plan has jumped another $75 billion, and one reason is that more people are getting unemployment benefits because they've lost jobs the bill was supposed to preserve. Published January 26, 2010
Biden’s son adds to Democrats’ woes
The political environment got worse for Democrats on Monday when Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr.'s son said he'll pass on seeking his dad's former Senate seat in Delaware — the latest in a bad month for the struggling majority party. Published January 26, 2010
Biden’s son won’t run for Senate
Delaware Attorney General Beau Biden, the son of Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr., announced Monday morning he will not run for the Senate seat his father used to hold, greatly increasing the odds that Republicans will capture the seat this fall. Published January 25, 2010
Virgin Islands land eyed for historic site
The National Park Service hasn't yet decided whether it wants beachfront land in the U.S. Virgin Islands for a new national historic site, but House Democrats for the second time in two weeks will try to push the Park Service to do it, at a potential eventual cost in the tens of millions of dollars. Published January 25, 2010
