The Fiction That Drug Trafficking Is 'Inherently Violent' Could Harm Sentencing Reform
Watered down improvements to federal mandatory minimums may get watered down further.
Senate
Lexington Mayor Challenging Rand Paul's Senate Seat in Kentucky
A Democrat is running as a businessman, pension reformer (also: openly gay).
What's Clear in the Encryption Debate Is That Some Politicians Don't Want to Listen
Officials don't seem to care if you're more vulnerable to criminals if it helps their pet causes.
House of Representatives Votes to End 40-Year Old U.S. Oil Export Ban
Lifting the ban would lower gas prices and boost domestic oil production - Obama wants to keep it.
20 Week Abortion Ban Fails to Win Enough Senate Support
Only two Republicans voted against the bill and three Democrats in favor.
The Case For Back-Room Deals, Party Hacks & Unlimited Money in Politics
Jonathan Rauch's Political Realism argues that libertarians should embrace "transactional politics" if they want big changes.
How Bad Does Alleged Pro-Security Legislation Have to Be to Get DHS to Oppose It?
Federal agency sees the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act (CISA) as harmful, not helpful.
The USA Freedom Act Passes! Senate Approves Restrictions on Surveillance Against Americans.
Modest, but actual, scaling back on metadata collection authorities.
Will McConnell's Amendments Gut Surveillance Reform?
The Senate majority leader tries to kill FISA Court transparency.
If Rand Paul's PATRIOT Act Activism Raises Him Money, Maybe Listen to What He's Saying?
Some senators, tellingly, see listening to Americans' surveillance concerns as a bad thing.
Rand Paul blasts PATRIOT Act Surveillance on Senate Floor During Last Minute Debate (UPDATE: USA Freedom Act Moves Forward in Senate)
Section 215 is set to expire tonight. (Update: Wave goodbye to Section 215)
Senate Rejects USA Freedom Act, But Also Rejects Extending NSA Collection Authority
Future of Section 215 of PATRIOT Act completely up in the air.
As Future of NSA Surveillance Grows Murky, New Report Shows Section 215 Not Exactly Vital
Senate vote expected today, but on what, exactly?
Sens. Rand Paul and Ron Wyden's Filibuster Goal: A Better USA Freedom Act
They want amendments to make surveillance reforms stronger.
Sen. McConnell Relents on Bill to Reduce NSA Snooping
Senate will vote on USA Freedom Act
Ted Cruz Determined to Help Keep Gay Marriage Issues Front and Center
It's not just the press stirring the pot as senator files legislation.
Senate Settles Trafficking Bill Controversy Over Abortion, But Immigration Amendments Could Still Stop Passage
Loretta Lynch vote also hangs in the balance.
Jeb Bush Calls for Deference from Senate on Loretta Lynch's A.G. Nomination
'I think presidents have the right to pick their team'
Not Every Gay Political Issue Is Connected to Every Other Gay Political Issue
A comparison between a Senate vote and Indiana's controversy is more baffling than enlightening.
Rand Paul, Institute for Justice Push Senate for Forfeiture Reform
Committee hearing focuses on FAIR Act proposal.
Say Anything: A Video Memorial for Sen. Harry Reid, the Ultimate Party Hack
A history told through absurd quotes.
Abortion Funding Battle Doomed Human-Trafficking Bill and Loretta Lynch Vote To Be Continued in April
But gridlock may be the best we can hope for with the "Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act."
Sex-Trafficking Victims Hurt Most by Senator's Crusade Against Classified Ads
Closing sites like Backpage.com puts trafficking victims at even more risk.
Debbie Does Denial on Doobie Deal
Wasserman Schultz insists there was no proposal for her to switch sides on medical marijuana.
Pot Activist Helps Illustrate the Limits of Debbie Wasserman Schultz's Political Courage
Spoiler: It's not very high.
Rand Paul Says Nope to AG Nominee Loretta Lynch
Says 'Mrs. Lynch has a track-record of violating the individual freedoms granted to us by our Constitution.'
Senate Votes 60 to 36 For Keystone XL Pipeline: Obama Veto Pen Ready?
Symbolic vetoes are not in the national interest.
AG Nominee Loretta Lynch Says Civil Asset Forfeiture 'Protections Are There.' Not When Her Office Ignores Them.
Long Island business had nearly half a million seized for more than two years without any court filing.
Senate Votes 98 to 1: Climate Change Is Real and Not a Hoax
Senators vote 50 to 49 that it is "sense of the Senate" that "human activity significantly contributes to climate change."
Ted Cruz: Loose Cannon or Libertarian Reformer?
The Texas senator might be just crazy enough to win the GOP presidential nomination.
Nationwide Keystone Pipeline Protests Today as Senate Prepares to Vote Approval
Would add just 1/100th of a degree to man-made warming by 2100
How Torture Became Just Another Government Bureaucracy
The battle isn't about morals or ethics, but rules and control.
USA FREEDOM and Rand Paul
Civil libertarians are disappointed by the Kentucky senator's vote against debate on NSA reform legislation.
