Paige Winfield Cunningham
Articles by Paige Winfield Cunningham
Lawmakers: Probe, punish ‘bomb’ leak
Congressional lawmakers called Sunday for a criminal investigation over the leak revealing that the so-called "underwear bomber" who boarded a U.S.-bound jet last month was actually a Saudi Arabian intelligence agent who had volunteered for the mission, warning that the leak could seriously damage American credibility. Published May 13, 2012
Senators stunned by defeat of Lugar in Indiana primary
One day after the stunning defeat of six-term Sen. Richard G. Lugar in Indiana's GOP primary by tea party favorite Richard Mourdock, Democrats in Washington publicly mourned the veteran lawmaker's loss, while Republicans, for the most part, didn't want to talk about it. Published May 9, 2012
Tea party favorite topples Lugar, Indiana’s 6-term senator
Tea-party-backed candidate Richard Mourdock defeated longtime Sen. Richard G. Lugar of Indiana in Tuesday's GOP primary, ending the career of one of the chamber's two senior Republicans and giving Democrats a better chance at capturing the seat in November. Published May 8, 2012
GOP foiled as funds flow to Planned Parenthood
Newly empowered Republicans in states across the country are pushing to kill public contracts with Planned Parenthood, only to find their efforts blocked by the Obama administration and federal courts. Published May 7, 2012
Insurers back FDA plan for new drug category
Health insurers gave a tentative thumbs-up Monday to the Food and Drug Administration's proposal to make drugs treating chronic conditions available without a prescription by classifying them in an all-new category. Published May 7, 2012
Republican conservatives in Indiana gunning for Lugar
Tea party sympathizers continue shelling Sen. Richard G. Lugar of Indiana as they work to defeat him in next week's primary, which is shaping up as the premier chance for the political movement to capture a senior Republican scalp in this year's elections. Published May 2, 2012
GOP: Bosses could pay fine, drop health insurance
Trying to build their case that President Obama's health care law will destroy traditional employer-sponsored insurance, House Republicans released a study Tuesday showing that the largest companies could save billions by kicking workers off their current health plans and pushing them into government-subsidized exchanges. Published May 1, 2012
Closing Part D hole saved seniors $3.4B
Highlighting a top selling point of President Obama's health care overhaul, his administration said Monday that seniors have saved $3.4 billion on prescription drugs as the law begins to close the "doughnut hole" in Medicare's drug coverage scheme. Published April 30, 2012
FDA may let patients buy drugs without prescriptions
In a move that could help the government trim its burgeoning health care costs, the Food and Drug Administration may soon permit Americans to obtain some drugs used to treat conditions such as high blood pressure and diabetes without obtaining a prescription. Published April 29, 2012
Senate allows closing of post offices to cut costs
The Senate passed an overhaul of the U.S. Postal Service Wednesday that clears the way for closing hundreds of post offices nationwide, and lawmakers didn't spare themselves from the pain, agreeing to close five of the seven offices contained in the Capitol complex. Published April 25, 2012
GAO says Medicare bonuses are bogus
Federal investigators said Monday that the administration is wasting billions on extra bonuses for health plans and should cancel them right away, fueling Republican complaints that President Obama is trying to postpone his health care law's unpopular Medicare cuts until after the election. Published April 23, 2012
House GOP pushes small-business tax cut
In a display of election-year bravado, the House approved a short-term $46 billion tax cut on Thursday that would affect virtually every business in America but faces near-certain rejection by Senate Democrats. Published April 19, 2012
After partisan battle, House approves business tax cut
In a display of election-year bravado, the House approved a short-term $46 billion tax cut on Thursday that would affect virtually every business in America but faces near-certain rejection by Senate Democrats. Published April 19, 2012
Senate takes up financial problems of Postal Service
The Senate agreed Tuesday to begin debating a broad plan to put the flailing U.S. Postal Service on firmer financial footing but limit the postmaster general's own proposal to close post offices and cut Saturday delivery service. Published April 17, 2012
Officials offer mea culpa for GSA retreat
Federal officials involved in a spending scandal over an extravagant retreat in Las Vegas apologized Monday, and the chief organizer asserted his right to remain silent as they were grilled by House lawmakers over the $823,000 junket for the General Services Administration. Published April 16, 2012
Brown localizing effort to win Senate re-election in Massachusetts
They say "all politics is local"; Republican Sen. Scott P. Brown of Massachusetts surely hopes so. Published April 16, 2012
House members demand answers over taxpayer-funded parties
Extracting shaken apologies from officials involved in a recent scandal where federal workers partied in Las Vegas on taxpayer dollars, House lawmakers grilled them Monday on why they let the misspending go on for months while awarding a hefty bonus to the rendezvous' organizer. Published April 16, 2012
Chatter about a Romney VP pick gets louder
With Mitt Romney all but assured of winning the Republican presidential nomination, speculation is growing about his choice for a running mate. Published April 15, 2012
GOP fighting big bucks for Obamacare
After successfully blocking funding for the IRS to implement President Obama's health care law last year, Republicans recoiled at news this week that the administration is filtering a half-billion dollars to the agency so it can hire more agents to carry out the law's new requirements. Published April 11, 2012
Report: Health care law may grow deficit $540B
Stirring up an old fight over whether President Obama's health care overhaul will ease or exacerbate the government's deficit, a Republican expert on benefit programs said Tuesday that the law will add billions more to the debt than projected. Published April 10, 2012