National

House Judiciary Introduces Bipartisan Plan On Sentencing Reform

6:43pm October 08, 2015

by Carrie Johnson

Momentum for sentencing reform grows as leaders of the House Judiciary Committee introduce a bipartisan bill. But rising violence in some big cities could complicate the legislative forecast.

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Orrin Hatch On TPP: Despite Concerns, Fast-Track Authority Was 'Essential'

6:43pm October 08, 2015

Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah has reservations on where the Trans-Pacific Partnership landed on patent protection. NPR's Robert Siegel talks to the senator about the GOP reaction to the trade deal.

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Tracking A Rollercoaster: Sotheby's Offers Clues About Survival Of Tech Bubble

6:43pm October 08, 2015

One of the surest signs of an economic bubble that is about to pop is a surge in the stock price of Sotheby's. The global art dealer's stock resembles a rollercoaster, and it has predicted every up and down of the global economy since the company went public. So with talk of big bubbles in the tech sector, Planet Money went poking around.

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Rep. Charlie Dent: House Republicans 'Frankly Shocked' By McCarthy Decision

6:43pm October 08, 2015

NPR's Robert Siegel talks with Rep. Charlie Dent of Pennsylvania about Rep. Kevin McCarthy's decision to drop out of the race for the House Speakership.

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The debate about sustainable diets has focused on meat production, which requires lots of land and water to grow grain to feed livestock. It also contributes to methane emissions. But the Cabinet secretaries with final authority say the 2015 dietary guide

New Dietary Guidelines Will Not Include Sustainability Goal

6:10pm October 08, 2015

by Allison Aubrey

A government-appointed panel wanted the federal government's 2015 nutrition advice to consider a food's environmental impact. But the Cabinet secretaries with final authority say it won't happen.

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Children and teens in foster care are much more likely to be prescribed antipsychotic drugs.

California Approves Laws To Cut Use Of Antipsychotics In Foster Care

6:03pm October 08, 2015

by Elaine Korry

The laws are intended to reduce inappropriate prescribing of powerful antipsychotics to children and teens in foster care. Public health nurses will monitor medical records.

Senate Minority Leader Sen. Harry Reid of Nevada says a defective exercise resistance band caused injuries to his eye, face and ribs. He and his wife are seeking more than $50,000 in damages.

Sen. Harry Reid Sues Makers Of Exercise Band Over His Injuries

5:20pm October 08, 2015

by Brakkton Booker

The Senate minority leader and his wife are seeking more than $50,000 in damages over what they say is a defective resistance band that caused him to lose sight in his right eye, among other injuries.

Mark Keam (left) is sworn in as a freshman delegate to the Virginia General Assembly in 2010 in Richmond, Va. Keam was the first Asian-American immigrant elected to the Virginia Legislature.

National

Influx Of Non-European Immigrants Defines America Today

5:17pm October 08, 2015

by Tom Gjelten

The Immigration Act of 1965 opened the doors to nationalities that were largely shut out before. Since then, 90 percent of U.S. immigrants hail from outside Europe. Three families share their stories.

Oregon Officials Replace Human Lookouts With Cameras To Spot Wildfires

4:55pm October 08, 2015

by Amanda Peacher

Maintaining a fire tower lookout can be costly for wildfire agencies, but in the West, many towers are still staffed by seasonal employees. Now the Oregon Department of Forestry is phasing out human lookouts in exchange for highly sensitive cameras. These cameras have the potential to change the way fire departments detect fire nationwide.

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Rep. Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., joked on Twitter that things weren't going very "smooth" for House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif. — unlike his own scrumptious fruit smoothie.

Best Twitter Reactions To McCarthy Withdrawing From Speaker Race

4:46pm October 08, 2015

by Jessica Taylor

The political world was shocked when the GOP House leader took himself out of consideration for speaker. Rep. Charles Rangel tweeted that unlike his smoothie, things weren't "smooth" for McCarthy.