Updated Articles and Resources

By Robert Longley, About.com Guide since 1997

House of Representatives Agenda – Daily Scheduled Activities of the US House of Representatives Created: Thursday, July 16, 2009 Updated: Thursday, May 24, 2012
Summary of the daily scheduled activities of the U.S. House of Representatives
Senate Agenda – Daily Activities of the US Senate Created: Thursday, July 16, 2009 Updated: Thursday, May 24, 2012
Summary of the daily scheduled activities of the U.S. Senate
Health Insurance for Uninsured Children Created: Saturday, April 30, 2005 Updated: Saturday, May 19, 2012
The State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) administered by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, makes funds available to states that have in place federally approved programs ...
Birth Certificate - How to Get a Birth Certificate Copy Video Created: Monday, December 13, 2010 Updated: Monday, May 14, 2012
A certified copy of an original birth certificate is required for getting a US passport and is considered valid proof at US citizenship by federal, state and local government agencies. See how to g...
Information About the President’s Cabinet Created: Saturday, March 07, 2009 Updated: Monday, May 14, 2012
Information About the President’s Cabinet
The President's Cabinet - Agencies and Department Secretaries Created: Saturday, March 07, 2009 Updated: Monday, May 14, 2012
Departments and Secretaries of the President’s Cabinet Agencies
US Congress Salaries and Benefits Created: Saturday, June 13, 2009 Updated: Monday, May 14, 2012
Salaries and benefits paid to Members of the US Congress
Applying for Social Security Retirement Benefits Created: Monday, June 08, 2009 Updated: Monday, May 14, 2012
The trick to applying for Social Security retirement benefits is knowing when to retire.
The Presidential Veto Video Created: Wednesday, August 10, 2011 Updated: Thursday, May 10, 2012
Learn all about the presidential veto and what that means for bills that are passed by the House and the Senate. Here, see information about the presidential veto.
GAO finds continuing problems with IRS taxpayer support Created: Friday, May 04, 2012 Updated: Friday, May 04, 2012
In a report to Congress, the Government Accountability Office criticized the IRS for poor performance in answering questions from taxpayers.
US Justice Department Reports on the Impact of Bullying in Schools Created: Tuesday, May 01, 2012 Updated: Tuesday, May 01, 2012
The U.S. Department of Justice presents a report on the impact of childhood bullying on school attendance and scholastic achievement.
U.S. Prison Population Tops 2 Million Created: Tuesday, April 08, 2003 Updated: Saturday, April 28, 2012
America's prison population topped 2 million inmates for the first time in history on June 30, 2002 according to a new report from the the Justice Department’s Bureau of Justice Statistics.
Social Security – Projecting the Future of the Social Security Program Created: Wednesday, October 12, 2011 Updated: Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Examines the financial structure of the Social Security program and its future ability to continue paying full benefits to retirees and other beneficiaries.
Climate Study Predicts Dire Events Created: Sunday, December 28, 2003 Updated: Sunday, April 22, 2012
Even as the Kyoto Protocol treaty appears doomed, new research links continued production of greenhouse gasses to dangerous changes in our global climate.
GAO Report: Why Women Still Make Less than Men Created: Saturday, November 22, 2003 Updated: Saturday, April 14, 2012
Despite a sense of continued progress toward gender equality in the workplace, the federal government has confirmed that the workplace earnings gap between men and women still persists today.
US Oil Production – Should Obama Take Credit for Increase? Created: Friday, April 13, 2012 Updated: Friday, April 13, 2012
Is President Obama overstating his role in the increase of U.S. domestically produced oil?
ObamaCare in the Supreme Court – The provisions and issues of the health care reform law considered by the US Supreme Court Created: Sunday, April 01, 2012 Updated: Monday, April 02, 2012
The U.S. Supreme Court heard an unprecedented three days of oral arguments on the constitutionality of four elements of
Terror Gap – Terrorism and the Brady Act gun buyer background checks. Created: Sunday, April 01, 2012 Updated: Monday, April 02, 2012
Are terrorists slipping through the gun control net? Under current law, being reported as a confirmed or suspected terrorist in a Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act background check does not sto..
Medicaid - About the State Medicaid Health Program Created: Thursday, January 05, 2006 Updated: Monday, March 26, 2012
Profile of the federal Medicaid benefit program
Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act Background Checks – About the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act background check required prior to the legal purchase of a firearm Created: Saturday, March 10, 2012 Updated: Saturday, March 10, 2012
What led to the gun buyer background checks require by the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act and how do they work?
About Time! Daylight Saving, That Is Created: Saturday, September 30, 2006 Updated: Wednesday, March 07, 2012
About daylight saving time. Dates to set clocks and the history of daylight saving time.
Election Day Guide Questions and Answers Created: Saturday, October 23, 2004 Updated: Sunday, March 04, 2012
Clearly, the main thing to do on election day is vote. Unfortunately, voting can often be a confusing process. Here is a brief guide designed to answer some common election day questions. Where do ..
Why Third Parties? Created: Friday, February 20, 2004 Updated: Sunday, March 04, 2012
While their presidential candidates stand little chance of being elected, members of America's third parties have historically promoted concepts and policies that have been incorporated as importan..
How to Report Voting Rights Problems Protecting Your Right to Vote Created: Saturday, August 23, 2008 Updated: Sunday, March 04, 2012
Due to the protections of four federal voting rights laws, cases of qualified voters being improperly denied their right to vote or register to vote are now rare. However, in every major election, ..
Registering to Vote Created: Saturday, October 14, 2006 Updated: Sunday, March 04, 2012
In most places, you must register before you can vote. What is voter registration, how do you register to vote, and why is it important that you keep your voter registration current? Learn more abo..
Your Right to Vote: Federal Laws that Protect Your Rights as a Voter Created: Sunday, August 17, 2008 Updated: Sunday, March 04, 2012
No American who is qualified to vote should ever be denied the right and opportunity to do so. That seems so simple. Unfortunately, it has not always worked that way. Today, four federal laws, all ..
The Electoral College System Created: Sunday, May 30, 2004 Updated: Sunday, March 04, 2012
Every fourth November, after almost two years of campaign hype and money, over 90 million Americans vote for the presidential candidates. Then, in the middle of December, the president and vice pre..
Weekend Elections -- Holding national elections on a weekend will not increase voter turnout, according to the GAO Created: Monday, January 16, 2012 Updated: Sunday, March 04, 2012
People who contend that moving Election Day to a weekend would increase voter turnout are probably wrong, according to the Government Accountability Office, which says weekend elections would actua..
Survey Shows Why Many Americans Fail to Vote in Elections Created: Monday, October 18, 2004 Updated: Sunday, March 04, 2012
Why do so many qualified Americans choose not to vote? Let's ask them. The California Voter Foundation (CVF) has released the results of a statewide survey on the attitudes of infrequent voters and..
Right to Vote – Report Details the Effects of New State Voting Laws on the 2012 Election Created: Wednesday, November 02, 2011 Updated: Sunday, March 04, 2012
A new report shows that more than 5 million Americans may find it harder or even impossible to cast ballots in the 2012 election due to new state voting laws enacted since 2008.
Older Drivers – Report Shows Older Drivers are Involved in More Fatal Car Crashes Created: Saturday, March 03, 2012 Updated: Saturday, March 03, 2012
Drivers 65 and older are involved in a disproportionally high number of fatal traffic accidents, according to a Washington-based transportation research group. What can be done to make America̵..
Women, Peace and US Security – President Obama presents a plan to increase the involvement of women in efforts to ensure peace and security. Created: Friday, March 02, 2012 Updated: Friday, March 02, 2012
The Obama Administration’s National Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security is intended to make women more involved in international process of peacekeeping and conflict resolution.

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