• New Immigration Rule Eases Visa Policy for Some
• Source: Houston Chronicle   |   Nation   |   January 3, 2013
• Immigrants who are unlawfully in the United States and are closely related to U.S. citizens will soon be able to apply for permanent residency from inside the country, the Department of Homeland Security announced.

• Iowa Adopts Controversial Driver's License Program That 25 States Rejected
• Source: Des Moines Register   |   Iowa   |   January 3, 2013
• The REAL ID program, adopted by Congress in part to prevent foreign terrorists from boarding commercial airliners, will begin in Iowa on Jan. 15.

• Vote on Sandy Aid Scrapped by GOP
• Source: Politico   |   Nation   |   January 2, 2013
• House Republicans abruptly pulled the plug Tuesday night on their promise to take up this week an emergency supplemental disaster aid bill for Northeast states damaged by Hurricane Sandy. The Senate bill will die with this Congress on Thursday at noon.
• 3 Comments

• Who Pays for Superstorm Sandy?
• BY: Peter Harkness   |   January 2013
• States don’t just want money to rebuild -- they want money to make far-reaching changes to infrastructure too.
• 2 Comments

• New York City Faces $811 Million Budget Gap in 2014
• Source: Reuters   |   New York City   |   December 28, 2012
• New York City faces an $811 million budget shortfall in fiscal year 2014 and lowered revenue projections in part because of Superstorm Sandy, the city's Independent Budget Office said on Thursday.

• Sandy Forces Northeast to Rethink Infrastructure
• BY: William Fulton   |   January 2013
• In an effort to emerge more resilient and prosperous, states and localities are rethinking power grids, roads and sewers in the wake of Superstorm Sandy.

• On Sandy Aid, Senate Weighs 'Pay Now or Later' Dilemma
• Source: Roll Call   |   Nation   |   December 20, 2012
• Lawmakers considering an emergency package for Superstorm Sandy aid are struggling over whether it’s better to spend money only on immediate disaster relief or to fund investments that are needed for preventing future disasters.

• The Government Guide to the End of the World
• BY: Dylan Scott   |   December 19, 2012
• Apocalyptic hysteria has raised some public health concerns and larger questions about science education in America.

• Sandy Relief Funds Expected to Flow into New Jersey Slowly
• Source: Newark Star-Ledger   |   New Jersey   |   December 13, 2012
• While President Obama’s proposal calls for $60.4 billion, the Congressional Budget Office estimates only about $9 billion would be spent over the next nine months.
• 1 Comments

• Undocumented Immigrants Would Get Government Benefits Under California Bill
• Source: Los Angeles Times   |   California   |   December 13, 2012
• The bill would enable certain immigrants to obtain state identification cards and receive unemployment benefits and state-administered medical services.

• New Jersey Officials, Residents Blast Utility's Sandy Response
• Source: Newark Star-Ledger   |   New Jersey   |   December 12, 2012
• Dozens of public officials and residents spoke out about JCP&L’s handling of Hurricane Sandy and its aftermath. The utility is the first to face a public lambasting for its handling of Sandy.
• 1 Comments

• Texting 911 Option Available Nationwide in 2014
• BY: Government Technology   |   Nation   |   December 10, 2012
• This program is part of the FCC’s Next Generation 911 services, which attempts to upgrade the rules and regulations of the landline era to the current mobile and IP world.
• 3 Comments

• Bipartisan Coloradoans Form Immigration-Reform Compact
• Source: Denver Post   |   Colorado   |   December 10, 2012
• A diverse and bipartisan group of influential Coloradans has come together to support an immigration-reform compact intended to spark national action.

• White House Proposes $60B for Sandy Relief
• Source: Roll Call   |   Nation   |   December 10, 2012
• The large request presents a new challenge for Congress during its highly contentious lame-duck session, and it remains to be seen how much money lawmakers actually can clear quickly in a Sandy recovery package.

• Bipartisan Immigration Plan Comes out of Arizona
• Source: Arizona Republic   |   Arizona   |   December 7, 2012
• As Congress gears up to once again tackle the long-simmering issue of comprehensive immigration reform next year, a bipartisan Arizona group of prominent community leaders is hoping to lead the way with a four-point blueprint for fixing the nation’s broken borders and rehabilitating the state’s battered national image.