David R. Sands
Articles by David R. Sands
Biden, Clinton bid Senate goodbye
Joseph R. Biden Jr. offered passion and Hillary Rodham Clinton offered mostly prose as they said their goodbyes to the Senate Thursday to take up top posts in the Obama administration. Published January 15, 2009
Hill support erodes for bailout funding
President-elect Barack Obama scrambled Wednesday to shore up congressional support to spend the second $350 billion under the Wall Street taxpayer bailout plan, amid mounting signs that Republicans who backed the original plan in October will overwhelmingly oppose it this time around. Published January 15, 2009
New Congress bids to make history
They made it to Washington. Now, the big question is whether they can make history.With Democrats firmly in control of the White House and Congress for the first time in 14 years, two hot wars, a deepening economic crisis and an ambitious reform agenda laid out by President-elect Barack Obama, the 111th Congress has a chance to claim a slot as one of the most productive and influential legislative sessions ever. Published January 14, 2009
Bush requests bank bailout funds
President Bush on Monday formally asked Congress for the second half of the $700 billion Wall Street bailout package at the behest of President-elect Barack Obama. Published January 13, 2009
Burris takes Senate seat
UPDATED: Overcoming intense opposition from his own party leaders, former Illinois Attorney General Roland Burris on Monday won a battle of wills and is expected to fill the Senate seat vacated by President-elect Barack Obama. Published January 13, 2009
House approves bills for equal pay
House Democrats put their beefed up majority to work Friday to pass two bills that ease limits on pay discrimination lawsuits, the first pieces of legislation passed this session. Published January 10, 2009
Frank wants $40 billion for homeowners
House Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank Friday laid out a series of conditions he will demand before the Treasury Department can spend the second half of the $700 billion Wall Street bailout fund that Congress approved in October. Published January 10, 2009
Citigroup to back rewriting mortgages
Giant lender Citigroup announced Thursday it would support an effort in Congress to rewrite bankruptcy laws to give struggling homeowners the ability to rewrite the terms of their mortgages to avoid foreclosure -- the first major crack in the banking industry's opposition to the idea. Published January 9, 2009
Four Senate terms enough for Bond
Longtime Missouri Republican Sen. Christopher S. Bond, a dominant force in his state's politics for more than three decades, announced Thursday he will not seek a fifth term, dealing his party another setback in a bid to cut into the Democratic majority in the chamber. Published January 9, 2009
Sen. Bond won’t seek fifth term
Longtime Missouri Republican Sen. Christopher S. Bond, a dominant force in his state's politics for more than three decades, announced Thursday he will not seek a fifth term, dealing his party another setback in a bid to cut into the Democratic majority in the chamber. Published January 8, 2009
Obama vows cutback in Social Security
President-elect Barack Obama vowed to tackle Social Security and Medicare spending as this year's deficit was projected to reach $1.2 trillion -- a figure to go higher thanks to an economic recovery package before Congress. Published January 8, 2009
Chess masters defy drug testing
By attacking one of the kings of the game, the world's chess bureaucrats have backed themselves into a corner. Published January 7, 2009
House rule changes squander good will
The spirit of bipartisan cooperation didn't survive the first day of the 111th Congress as House Democrats pushed through a package of rule changes Tuesday that the furious Republican minority said trampled their traditional rights to affect legislation. Published January 7, 2009
Madoff scheme may hurt investor protection fund
The industry-financed fund that protects investors from securities fraud will be stretched badly by the $50 billion scandal involving Wall Street investing legend Bernard Madoff and may need a federal bailout, the head of the Securities Investor Protection Corp. said Monday. Published January 6, 2009
Congress digs into Madoff scandal today
Congress gets its first crack today at the $50 billion financial fraud involving Wall Street investing legend Bernard Madoff, with Democrats vowing to use the scandal to spur an overhaul of the government's financial regulatory system. Published January 5, 2009
Labor’s ‘priority’ on back burner
Labor unions invested heavily in Barack Obama's presidential victory, but the return on their investment may be awhile in coming. Published December 29, 2008
Bailout funds face major hurdles
Under fire from the left and the right, Treasury Secretary Henry M. Paulson Jr. has a tough fight and few allies as he seeks congressional approval to top off the tank with the second $350 billion from the federal bailout fund. Published December 21, 2008
Liberals lobbying for stimulus plan
A broad coalition of liberal, environmental and labor groups Thursday announced plans to spend up to $5 million to lobby Congress on a massive new economic stimulus plan that would be ready for President-elect Barack Obama to sign the day he takes office Jan. 20. Published December 19, 2008
Coalition spends big for stimulus blitz
A broad coalition of liberal, environmental and labor groups Thursday announced plans to spend up to $5 million to lobby Congress on a massive new economic stimulus plan that would be ready for President-elect Barack Obama to sign the day he takes office Jan. 20. Published December 18, 2008
Madoff scheme hits Jewish charities hard
UPDATED: The collapse of Wall Street legend Bernard L. Madoff's investment empire has generated scandal, bankruptcy, financial panic - and some socially awkward situations. Published December 17, 2008
