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Opponents Hope to Derail Enrichment Plant in Legal Fight

A so-called "nuclear renaissance" is budding in New Mexico with the construction of a major uranium-processing facility, but activists are waging a legal challenge in an attempt to stem the industry’s resurgence.

Bush Skips Congress, Appoints ‘Extremist’ as Regulatory Head

President Bush is poised to install someone watchdog groups call an "anti-regulatory extremist" to a powerful government position.

FDA Looks to Renew Industry-Funded Review Process

Congress is set to reauthorize a Food and Drug Administration act that critics say gives drug companies too much influence over the agency, leading to hasty approvals of new drugs.

Environmental Racism Still Major Problem, Report Confirms

Twenty years after a landmark report documented environmental racism in the United States, new evidence shows that toxic waste is still being disproportionately dumped on communities of color.

Maryland May Join Pact to Bypass Electoral College*

The Maryland state senate recently passed a bill that would allow the nationwide popular vote – instead of the Electoral College – to determine presidential elections. The bill has been passed on to the state’s House of Representatives.

Campaign for ‘Fair Elections’ Legislation Heats Up

In response to corruption on Capitol Hill and the ballooning costs of running for federal office, public-interest groups and some lawmakers are pushing for a system of government-financed congressional election campaigns.

Critics Question Economics of Logging in Largest National Forest

As the US Forest Service pursues a logging plan for the Tongass National Forest, conservationists are pushing for different economic priorities in Alaska.

Congress Challenges Labor Board Anti-Union Definitions

Lawmakers introduced a bill last week that would give back millions of workers the right to join unions.

Govt. Pushes Nuke-Waste Proposal through Public Gauntlet

As the Department of Energy wraps up a nationwide tour to collect public feedback on a nuclear energy program, environmentalists are urging the government to abandon the plan.

Govt. Looks to Continue Handouts for Factory Farm Pollution

The latest round of legislative proposals to address waste from the agricultural industry would continue to give government breaks to factory farms, despite critics’ arguments that the large-scale operations are unnecessarily harmful to the environment.

‘Racism’ Seen in Liberals’ Opposition to Mexican Truckers

Labor and public-interest groups are arguing that permitting Mexican truckers to drive US roads under NAFTA raises safety concerns. But the facts suggest otherwise, and some activists see a deeper problem.

EPA Moves to Deregulate Hazardous Waste

More than a half-million tons of hazardous waste annually could escape federal environmental regulations under a new proposal from the US Environmental Protection Agency.

EPA’s Watchdog Sheds Some Fangs to Meet Proposed Cuts

The federal office that has occasionally accused the US Environmental Protection Agency of manipulating science for political reasons is now dismissing staff in anticipation of budget cuts not yet approved by Congress.

Some Grizzlies Emerge from Endangered List; Enviros Upset

The federal government yesterday announced the removal of Yellowstone’s grizzly bears from its threatened and endangered species list, much to the chagrin of conservationists.

FDA ‘Cherry Picked’ Evidence to Push Cloned-Animal Foods

A watchdog group is challenging the US government’s stance on food from cloned animals, accusing regulators of downplaying evidence of health risks in order to serve industry interests.

States Rebel in Droves against Real ID Act

As the federal government continues to push forward the controversial Real ID Act, a growing number of states and public-interest groups are taking measures to block the initiative.

Hate-Crime Laws ‘Won’t Protect Homeless Like Doors’

Legislation passed or under consideration in numerous states would raise punishments for bias-motivated attacks on homeless people, but activists say shelter and opportunities would do much more.

Energy Bill Offers Weak Emissions Caps, Off-Shore Drilling

While promoting energy security, senators introduced a corporate-backed bill last week that would allow for off-shore oil drilling.

NYCLU Slams New York City for ‘Over-Policing’ of Schools

Civil libertarians say that security measures and the presence of police officers in New York City schools have created "hostile and dysfunctional environments" for students and teachers.

A Third of U.S. Jobs Pay ‘Low Wages’

A new analysis has found that some 44 million American jobs – about one out of every three positions in the United States – pays $11.11 per hour or less.

Activists Seek Alternative Model to ‘Neo-Liberal’ Trade Pacts

With two controversial trade deals awaiting ratification, Congress is taking stock of the White House’s free-trade agenda, and activists are seizing the moment to call for policies that respond to the social needs of all countries involved.

Diverse, Dispersed Protests to Mark Iraq War’s Fourth Year

As the United States ushers in a fourth year in Iraq on Monday, growing shame, anger and grief over the war is prompting some active opponents to "step it up a notch."

Study Finds Bisexual Health Awareness, Resources Lacking

Three public-interest groups have identified yet another disparity in the US healthcare system: a lack of services, research and education for bisexual people.

GE Contaminated Rice Turns up in Mexican Markets

Six months after the US Department of Agriculture announced that the US long-grain rice supply had been contaminated with illegal rice, the genetically modified grains are still showing up in unexpected places.

Unprotected by Laws, Domestic Workers Face Exploitation

Largely because few laws limit their mistreatment by employers, US housekeeping staff are underpaid and underappreciated. A new survey details their conditions and their predicament.

Emergency Response Records Kept from Public, Test Reveals

In a multi-state experiment designed to test whether the public could access emergency-planning information for their communities, more than half of local officials failed to provide the full documentation required by law.

U.S. May Offer Immigrants Under-Funded Health Coverage

Immigrant-rights groups are backing a bill introduced this week that could extend health coverage through already-underfunded programs to non-citizens who are under 21 or pregnant and are in the country legally.

U.S. Slams Foreign Rights Abuses, Fails to Note Own Complicity

In reporting on the human rights abuses around the world, the State Department has neglected facts and claims from its sources that implicate the US in the very abuses it decried.

Anti-Junk-Mail Laws Trashed by Businesses, Labor

A growing movement to curb junk mail for ecological and privacy reasons is meeting stiff opposition from marketing associations, businesses and a postal workers’ union.

Bill to Study Slavery Reparations Still Facing Resistance

Every year since 1989, members of Congress have pushed for a study into how the US might atone for slavery, its aftermath and legacy. And every year, the white majority says the subject is off limits.