Indiana gets low-interest loans for tornado relief
Businesses, residents and some not-for-profits in 19 Indiana counties recovering from the November tornado outbreak can receive low-interest federal disaster loans.
Federal Government
Articles
State offers to help Indiana propane users find fuel
The state and federal government have taken steps to help propane users deal with an ongoing shortage of the fuel, which an estimated 500,000 Hoosiers rely on to heat their homes.
Finding uninsured means targeting key locations
The uninsured aren’t scattered evenly across the country: half of them live in just 116 of the nation’s 3,143 counties. Federal officials are focusing on 25 key metro areas, including Indianapolis.
Analysts say health care law means fewer on job
Several million American workers will cut back their hours on the job or leave the nation's workforce entirely because of President Barack Obama's health care overhaul, congressional analysts said Tuesday.
U.S. Senate sends massive farm bill to Obama
The sweeping farm bill that Congress sent to President Obama Tuesday has something for almost everyone, from the nation's 47 million food stamp recipients to Southern peanut growers, Midwest corn farmers and the maple syrup industry in the Northeast.
U.S. venture gathers drugmakers to take on major diseases
Eli Lilly and Co., Pfizer Inc. and eight other large drugmakers will partner with the U.S. government in a $230 million effort to identify new approaches to treat Alzheimer’s, diabetes, lupus and arthritis.
Indiana residents slow to embrace health exchange
Residents across Indiana are treading lightly when considering buying health insurance through the federal health exchange as they move toward a March 31 deadline to enroll.
Obama speech to challenge Congress on minimum wage
Challenging lawmakers to help him create greater economic opportunity, President Barack Obama will use his State of the Union address Tuesday to announce he's raising the minimum wage for new federal contract workers to $10.10 an hour.
View of health rollout improves, but only slightly
Negative perceptions of the health care rollout have eased, a new poll finds. But overall, two-thirds of Americans say things still aren’t going well.
Minimum wage bills pushed in at least 30 states
A pitch last week from Indiana Democrats was a nonstarter. But a Quinnipiac University poll this month found 71 percent of Americans in favor of raising the minimum wage—including more than half of Republicans polled.
State panel backs bill for welfare drug testing
The bill would require Indiana residents to be screened through a questionnaire and drug tested if they show a likelihood of addiction.
Obamacare small-biz plan lags as employers stand pat
Greeted by higher premiums, less generous coverage and more paperwork, small businesses are choosing to renew existing health plans rather than buy them through President Barack Obama’s program.
Indiana joins Feds in reviewing merger of Sysco, US Foods
Sysco, with annual revenue of about $44 billion, is the top operator in the U.S. food distribution business. Adding No. 2 US Foods would create a corporation in charge of at least a quarter of the North American market.
U.S. Senate ready to send $1.1T spending bill to Obama
The Democratic-controlled Senate planned to give final congressional approval to the immense spending measure, possibly as early as Thursday. The Republican-run House passed the package Wednesday in a lopsided 359-67 vote.
Jobless-benefits extension bill stalls in U.S. Senate
Legislation to resurrect long-term jobless legislation stalled in the U.S. Senate on Thursday, triggering recriminations from both sides of the political aisle and putting Indiana Sen. Dan Coats in the middle of the battle.
Lawmakers confused by cut in state’s tobacco funds
A hearing about tobacco funding Wednesday in the House Public Health Committee left many legislators still searching for answers.
FEMA rejects Indiana’s appeal of tornado aid request
Indiana may seek low-interest federal loans for six counties hit by tornadoes and other severe November weather now that federal officials have rejected the state's disaster aid request.
Showdown set on unemployment bill in U.S. Senate
The new year looks a lot like the old one in the Senate, with Democrats scratching for votes to pass an agenda they share with President Barack Obama, and Republicans decidedly unenthusiastic about supporting more spending.
Justice delays health law’s birth control mandate
The Supreme Court has thrown a hitch into President Barack Obama's new health care law by blocking a requirement that some religion-affiliated organizations provide health insurance that includes birth control.