Lisa Murkowski

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Updated federal advice on mercury levels in fish appears to have stalled within the U.S. department of health, frustrating scientists and advocacy groups who argue that exposure to mercury may be dangerous at lower levels than...

By Toni Clarke WASHINGTON, May 15 (Reuters) - Updated federal advice on mercury levels in fish appears to have stalled within the U.S. department of health, frustrating scientists and advocacy groups who argue that exposure to mercury may be dangerous at...

A bipartisan group of U.S. senators last week introduced a bill that would prohibit rental-car companies from renting or selling vehicles with an open manufacturer's recall. The legislation, the Raechel and Jacqueline Houck Safe Rental Car Act of 2013,...

Arts festival set for Saturday The UC Santa Cruz Good Neighbor Initiative Program will present a free Community Arts Festival from noon to 3 p.m. Saturday at Abbott Square -- outside the Museum of Art & History. The student-run festival will feature...

Alaska's senior U.S. senator has been picked to lead the National Republican Senatorial Committee's "Native American Program." Sen. Lisa Murkowski, in a release, said she was proud to take on leadership of the new initiative. It is aimed at improving...

WASHINGTON — Early last month, state lawyers and election officials around the country dialed into a conference call to talk about how to deal with the flood of secret money that played an unprecedented role in the 2012 election. The discussion,...

SEATTLE — Sarah Palin’s last elective position in Alaska ended early when in 2009 she abandoned the governorship midway through her first term. But tea party activists appear eager for a comeback, urging supporters to contribute money toward...

Feliz Día Internacional de la Danza! Welcome to your post-weekend trends report for April 29, 2013. As the international Twitter scene lights up with colorful pictures of people dancing all over the world, the East Coast is more focused on the release...

A discussion draft of legislation to address the storage and disposal of used nuclear fuel and waste -- including Hanford waste -- has been released by U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., working with three other Democratic and Republican senators. It would...

Two U.S. senators called on Wednesday for an audit of the Transportation Security Administration's plan to allow passengers to carry small knives on planes for the first time since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and...

WASHINGTON — A single conversation on the Senate floor Monday illustrated the challenges senators face in pushing a bipartisan measure to extend background checks to most gun sales. Sen. Joe Manchin III (D-W.Va.), the chief author of the proposal,...

WASHINGTON — After four months of debate and maneuvering, the Senate headed for a showdown over gun control — a series of back-to-back votes on rival plans Wednesday afternoon that could end in the collapse of the entire effort. The...