Obama Presidency

Wall St bill blocked again

Wed, 28 Apr 2010 12:15:12 +1100

US Senate Republicans have again thwarted Democratic efforts to start formal debate on sweeping legislation to rein in Wall Street excesses.

Republicans block Wall St overhaul bill

Tue, 27 Apr 2010 09:29:38 +1100

Obama's legislation to rein in Wall Street has suffered a setback in the US Senate as Republicans defeated a push to take up the bill.

Obama: We can't afford another GFC

Fri, 23 Apr 2010 06:19:56 +1100

President Barack Obama has chastised Wall Street for rampant greed but urged finance barons not to block his regulatory reforms.

Contentious new immigration laws

Mon, 03 Apr 2006 00:00:00 +1100

If I pitch up in Arizona and a local police officer is unimpressed by my Aussie accent, that cop will now have the right to demand proof my presence is "legal".

Healthcare reform - the view from the US

Fri, 17 Feb 2006 00:00:00 +1100

Watching on TV as the House discussed, debated, stalled, complained, discussed again, and finally voted to overhaul – at least in part – America’s broken health system - was torturous but compelling, writes Matthew Hall.

Rising doubts over Obama Asia trip

Thu, 03 Jun 2010 17:57:09 +1100

The White House said that President Barack Obama's Australia and Indonesia trip this month was still on, despite speculation he may delay it again, this time over the BP oil spill.

Bill Clinton raffles himself to clear Hillary's debts

Fri, 14 May 2010 10:13:22 +1100

Former US President Bill Clinton is offering himself up as a raffle prize to help his wife Hillary pay off hefty debts from her ill-fated election campaign.

Is the Mideast ready for an Obama plan?

Mon, 19 Apr 2010 12:50:30 +1100

Speculation is mounting in Washington foreign policy circles that President Obama could try to bust the Israeli-Palestinian deadlock with his own peace plan.

Calls for further cuts after nuclear treaty

Fri, 09 Apr 2010 08:03:36 +1100

Russia and the United States won international praise for signing a landmark nuclear arms reduction treaty, but faced calls for further cuts in the former Cold War foes' arsenals.

Obamas attend Easter church service

Mon, 05 Apr 2010 15:30:35 +1100

President Barack Obama and his family marked the Easter holiday by attending a music-filled service at a historically black Methodist church in southeast Washington.

Obama expands offshore drilling

Thu, 01 Apr 2010 07:14:35 +1100

Barack Obama has announced a plan to expand oil drilling off US coasts, drawing protests from green groups but charges by Republicans he did not go far enough.

Surprise Afghan visit for Obama

Mon, 29 Mar 2010 06:19:45 +1100

US President Barack Obama has vowed the United States and its partners would get "the job done" in Afghanistan, on a surprise visit to the country.

US health reform bill clears last hurdle

Fri, 26 Mar 2010 13:24:18 +1100

US Congress has put the final touches on President Barack Obama's historic health overhaul, passing a set of technical changes to the legislation that will define his political legacy.

Violent threats over US health votes

Thu, 25 Mar 2010 12:46:56 +1100

Top Democratic US lawmakers called in police and the FBI after House members who voted for historic health care reform received violent threats and obscene, abusive messages.

Biden F-bomb marks health passage

Wed, 24 Mar 2010 11:07:34 +1100

As US President Barack Obama signed historic health reform into law, his gaffe-prone deputy Joe Biden said what he felt, but didn't realise his microphone was on.

Obama allies target bank reform

Tue, 23 Mar 2010 12:09:18 +1100

Fresh from a landmark victory with Congress passing health care reform, the Obama administration set its sights on sweeping reforms of Wall Street's "too-big-to-fail" banks.

After health, Obama allies zero in on climate

Tue, 23 Mar 2010 12:07:36 +1100

After a hard-fought victory on health care reform, President Barack Obama's allies in Congress are pledging to move forward on climate change -- but some environmentalists are skeptical.

At a glance: Obama's healthcare plan

Mon, 22 Mar 2010 14:29:16 +1100

US President Barack Obama's healthcare bill aims to bring the United States closer to universal health coverage than ever before.

House clears path for final health vote

Mon, 22 Mar 2010 10:53:42 +1100

The House took the most critical step yet toward adoption of legislation to overhaul the nation’s health care system, The New York Times reports.

Obama allies predict victory in key health vote

Mon, 22 Mar 2010 09:38:31 +1100

US President Barack Obama's historic drive to extend health insurance to nearly all Americans will pass the House of Representatives in a crucial vote, his Democratic allies predicted.