This LaRuelist Report section will feature articles dealing with governmental policies and activities impacting our lives.

Our staff will seek out up-to-date info that our readers will find helpful in tracking legislation, advocating on policy proposals, and participating in various events on issues.

We strongly encourage our readers to submit materials and articles for review to be includ...   Read More >>

Today, regulators will announce a $500 million settlement with Google over charges related to advertisements for illegal online pharmacies.

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — The cost of the compromise needed to raise the federal debt ceiling likely will inflict more fiscal pain on states still struggling to recover from the recession and the end of federal stimulus spending.

President Barack Obama and Republicans sealed a deal Sunday to avoid the nation's first financial default and raise the debt limit while slashing more than $2 trillion from...   Read More >>

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama on Friday formally signed off on ending the ban on gays serving openly in the military, doing away with a policy that's been controversial from the day it was enacted and making good on his 2008 campaign promise to the gay community.

The president joined Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and Adm. Mike Mullen, the joint chiefs of staff chairman, in signing a notice and sending it to Congress certifying that military readiness would not be hurt by repealing the 17-year-old "don't ask, don't tell&q...   Read More >>

The House Ethics Committee announced Wednesday that it would hire prominent D.C. attorney Billy Martin to serve as an outside counsel in its troubled investigation of Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.).

The bipartisan committee’s unanimous decision — revealed in a joint statement from Chairman Jo Bonner (R-Ala.) and ranking member Linda Sanchez (D-Calif.) — comes in the wake of Waters’ attorney demand...   Read More >>

WASHINGTON -- The State Department is installing advanced, classified security systems in Pakistan, Iraq, Afghanistan and Yemen to monitor staff movements in those countries where moving among local populations remains dangerous, according to department budget and contract documents.

The Blue Force Tracker system uses a small transmitter mounted on a vehicle, an aircraft or an individual that s...   Read More >>

The White House is all a-Twitter about an exciting event that's happening next week. On Wednesday, July 6th at 2pm ET, President Obama will answer your questions in the first ever Twitter Town Hall at the White House, and you're invited. Starting today, you can tweet your questions about jobs and the economy using the hashtag #AskObama and follow @townhall for the latest updates. Then, come back to wa...   Read More >>

Yesterday I was happy to participate in a panel discussion about broadband at the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) annual conference in San Antonio. NALEO members recognize that broadband Internet is one of the tools necessary to help their communities thrive in today's economy. In fact, I think that any conference focused on building stronger communities should include a discussion of broadband - it's a critical ingredient for job creation, economic growth, and improving education, health care, and publi...   Read More >>

As many of us hit the road to celebrate America's independence this upcoming 4th of July weekend, we must once again confront the reality of our country's economy, environment and security dependence on foreign oil.

On Wednesday, June 29th, at 2:00 pm ET, please join Dr. Arun Majumdar at Energy.gov for a frank, two-way discussion about the investments the federal government is making in innovat...   Read More >>

House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) will demand a seat in the table for the final talks on the national debt limit, putting a strong liberal voice in the room.

Pelosi and House Democrats were left out of the negotiations between President Obama and Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) last year that extended nearly all of the Bush tax rates though 2012.

Pelosi didn’...   Read More >>

SAN FRANCISCO — The photograph on the Home Depot Web site shows a line of smiling soldiers unloading a truck stacked with power tools and other company wares.

The company says this shows "federal dollars go farther at The Home Depot." San Francisco Attorney Paul Scott says the photo also shows the company providing Chinese-made products in violation of the Buy American Act, and the U.S. Read More >>