Utilizing National Journal expertise to explore the issues of today.
In the highly partisan environment of the 116th Congress, the outlook for agreement on most issues appears bleak. Yet there is at least one proposal that has garnered approval from Republicans, Democrats, and the administration: federal paid family leave. In general, paid family leave proposals
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American healthcare has been called a paradox — and for good reason. On one hand, the U.S. spends big on health. In 2016, the United States spent almost 18 percent of its GDP on health care, a larger percentage than that of comparable high-income nations
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Will Congress take legislative action on consumer privacy this year? Some members of Congress say that it’s time, including Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ-6), the new chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. During an April 2018 committee hearing, Pallone stated that “the current
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During the Obama administration, the US’ drone and air strike program grew dramatically in response to an increasing number of global terror threats. While battling the so-called Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), the Taliban in Pakistan and Afghanistan, and al-Qaeda affiliated groups across
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The “Made in China 2025” program has made headlines in the United States, especially in connection with President Trump’s recent trade disputes with China. Although media coverage of it increased in 2018, the program took effect in 2015. Made in China 2025, as its name
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Cell phones have come a long way over the past 35 years. America’s first commercial mobile phone, the 1983 Motorola DynaTAC 8000X, was over a foot long, cost $4,000, and only made calls over first-generation (1G) analog wireless networks. Today, consumers can use their phones
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The Supreme Court occupies an unusual niche in the public imagination. Over decades of polling, Americans have expressed significant faith in the American federal judicial system — more faith, at least, than they have for comparable federal institutions. Since the 1970s, the percentage of Americans
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In 2017 the Republican Party successfully pushed the largest tax overhaul in over 30 years through Congress. A few provisions in particular received considerable attention, including the permanent reduction in the corporate tax rate and the temporary tax cuts for individuals. However, tucked away in
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For months or years leading up to November’s elections, Americans across the country called, canvassed, and petitioned their way onto state ballots. These individuals and groups were taking advantage of state laws that permit citizens themselves to propose and decide on policy initiatives— a form
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