Stephen Dinan

Arizonan: Boycott us over immigration bill

One Arizona congressman called for businesses to boycott his own state, and a Catholic cardinal said the state may be encouraging "German Nazi and Russian Communist techniques" as pushback against Arizona's proposed crackdown on illegal immigrants went into high gear Tuesday. Published April 21, 2010

Boycott of Arizona urged over immigration

An Arizona congressman urged businesses Tuesday to boycott his state if the governor signs into law a bill to make illegal immigration a state offense. Published April 20, 2010

House punts on D.C. voting bill

UPDATED: The House will not vote on a bill to grant the District of Columbia a voting member of Congress, the majority leader said Tuesday. Published April 20, 2010

Cantor endorses Rubio over Crist

House Minority Whip Eric Cantor endorsed Florida Republican Senate candidate Marco Rubio on Tuesday, saying he represents a "principled" choice for Republicans over Gov. Charlie Crist. Published April 20, 2010

McCain, Kyl want troops on U.S.-Mexico border

With border violence flaring again, the two U.S. senators from Arizona on Monday called on President Obama to deploy 3,000 National Guard troops to the U.S.-Mexico border in their state, saying the borders must be secured before the White House pursues a broader immigration bill. Published April 20, 2010

Senators issue Fort Hood subpoenas

Saying they feared a possible government cover-up, two senators issued subpoenas Monday to two of President Obama's Cabinet secretaries, ordering them to turn over documents related to the fatal shootings at Fort Hood, Texas, last year. Published April 20, 2010

Senators demand Guard troops on border

Arizona's two senators on Monday said violence has skyrocketed on the U.S.-Mexico border, and called on President Obama to deploy National Guard troops, finish building 700 miles of fence and add 3,000 new Border Patrol agents to the region by 2015. Published April 19, 2010

Voting party line: Specter, yes; Brown, no

Despite pledging not to be an automatic vote for Democrats, in the nearly one year since he switched parties, Sen. Arlen Specter has been all but that, repeatedly supporting his new party when they needed to head off Republican filibusters. Published April 19, 2010

Immigrant groups try to steal thunder from tea party

Immigrant-rights groups sought to tap some of the movement's energy Thursday by using the protests to argue legalization of illegal immigrants would generate more tax revenue. Tea partiers, however, didn't buy it. Published April 16, 2010

Senate votes against a value-added tax

Senators voted overwhelming Thursday to say they don't want to create a new value-added tax, or VAT, in a vote designed to take the wind out of an idea that had been circulating among policymakers for the last several weeks. Published April 16, 2010

Holder blames Gitmo lag on Congress

President Obama has faced criticism for failing to close the prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, but the attorney general said the delay has been caused by Congress, which has not yet approved a new facility to hold suspected terrorist detainees. Published April 15, 2010

Holder says closing Gitmo in Congress’ hands

Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. says Congress is responsible for the delay in closing the Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, detention facility because lawmakers have not yet approved a new prison to hold suspected terrorist detainees. Published April 14, 2010

Debt panel’s bind: Cut funds or hike taxes

Postponements and taxes and cuts — oh my! Published April 14, 2010

Hill Republicans vow to fight for cuts

Senate Republicans vowed Monday that they will try to force Congress to start cutting programs to pay for new spending. Democrats promised to make the GOP suffer for making their first stand on a bill to extend the time frame that the jobless can collect unemployment benefits. Published April 13, 2010

Economists warn against more state aid

States say they've been kept afloat during the economic downturn by critical federal aid, but, with stimulus money set to run out soon, a report from conservative economists argues that another infusion would postpone, and could worsen, states' eventual reckoning with troubled budgets. Published April 12, 2010

Stupak announces end to House career

Rep. Bart Stupak, the Michigan Democrat who led a months-long battle with President Obama and his party's leaders over abortion language before ultimately supporting their health care bill, said Friday he won't seek re-election this year. Published April 12, 2010

Stupak won’t seek re-election

UPDATED: Rep. Bart Stupak, the Michigan Democrat who led a months-long battle with President Obama and his party's leaders over abortion language before ultimately supporting their health care bill, said Friday he won't seek re-election this year. Published April 9, 2010

Immigration effort lacks 2nd backer from GOP

As President Obama and Senate Democrats push to pass an immigration bill this year, one key ingredient is still conspicuously missing: a second Republican to co-sponsor the legislation. Published April 5, 2010

Strategists: GOP is peaking too early

Former President Bill Clinton's top political strategists, who had a front-row seat for the Republicans' 1994 electoral successes, said Wednesday that the GOP today is peaking too early and is unlikely to see a repeat performance this November. Published March 31, 2010

Rocky kickoff to changes for student loans

The government's Web site for handling student loans was broken most of Tuesday - the very day President Obama signed a law putting the government in charge of all subsidized student lending. Published March 31, 2010