national government

High finance has an exciting ring to it, but it's mainly the mundane story of how we owe ourselves money and pay it back as time goes by.

Given the complexities of the situation, the interests of members of Congress and the bureaucratic inertia of the Postal Service, not only is there no reason to expect any further changes being made, also there is a strong possibility that talk of eliminating Saturday delivery will remain just that, nothing but talk.

We must allow federal government, private businesses to communicate to thwart attacks

Future of peace could ride on what coalition the Israeli prime minister opts to build

The Syran civil war should prompt the U.S. to recognize Israeli control of the Golan Heights.

Local efforts to help government contractors navigate the complex world of federal procurement are looking particularly relevant these days with big budget cuts looming.

Our view: As government requests for personal information grow rapidly, our civil liberties are faced with erosion

"Freedom to Float" campaign launched by recreation enthusiasts, civic groups, businesses and local governments aims to boost number of sites where people can boat, fish, swim or just look at the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries.

Robert Reich says the coalition Ronald Reagan put together is coming apart on President Obama's watch

Sen. Barbara A. Mikulski is calling on the Obama administration to prohibit federal contractors from retaliating against employees who discuss salaries -- a new twist on a key provision of the pay equality legislation the Maryland Democrat has sought for years.

Joel Brinkley writes that Pakistan is just another failed state -- except for all those nuclear weapons and all that American aid.

President Obama begins his second term with a solid series of accomplishments related to the federal workforce, but with more crucial questions facing federal employees than at any time in the past four years.

Even as Congress and the White House appeared at a standoff over the fiscal cliff last month, lawmakers and the president were able to agree on at least one thing: an update of the Hatch Act.

"The King Years: Historic Moments in the Civil Rights Movement" consists of 18 watershed events in the battle to end racial discrimination

Public outcry over a protracted Algerian kidnapping drama had profound consequences for the young United States

Governor's gun bills will only drive Maryland gun owners to NRA

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama began his second term Monday by calling for an end to the rigid ideologies of modern politics but laying out a broad policy agenda more likely to stoke partisan confrontation than avoid it.

Barack Obama's second inaugural address reflects a president who returns to the White House with his ideals intact but also with hard-earned lessons about the nature of the opposition he faces.

WASHINGTON — Congressional Republicans are stepping up their rhetoric on federal employee compensation — positioning the issue as a central bargaining chip in negotiations next month over raising the debt ceiling and paying for government operations.

The anti-doping program that brought down Lance Armstrong should cover our pro and college sports, too

Departing Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa P. Jackson says one of the "prouder moments" of her tenure was President Obama's agreement to have the federal government take the lead in trying to ramp up the lagging Chesapeake Bay restoration effort. She says the estuary is improving, though challenges remain.

In a bid to boost recycling and reduce litter, a trio of lawmakers announced plans Monday to push for legislation that would levy a refundable nickel deposit on every beverage container sold in Maryland.

How hard is it to breathe in Beijing? So bad that the government is finally recognizing the truth as people demand cleaner air

Cal Thomas says senators have a right to question Chuck Hagel's statements about Israel and Iran

Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. surveys the political landscape, from the fiscal cliff to immigration to Benghazi

Congressional action to avert a "fiscal cliff" of higher taxes and across-the-board federal budget cuts means that government agencies will avoid many dreaded spending reductions — at least for now.

Initiative helps low-income families save on energy, make homes healthier

Thus it has come to pass, over the objection of many people with heartfelt arguments to the contrary, that same sex couples in Maryland are, as of this week, allowed to enjoy the same marital benefits as heterosexual couples.

Hours before a midnight deadline would have ushered in an enormous tax hike on ordinary Americans, the White House reached a tentative deal with Congress on Monday to raise taxes on the wealthiest households while putting off tougher spending decisions for another battle in a couple of months.

Donation tax break encourages giving while reducing the burden on government services

Sequestration cuts would hit state's bioscience and federal workforce especially hard

President of Maryland Retailers Association answers five questions about changing nature of retail

It may be the case that providing curbside delivery to neighborhoods like Kelly Glen is prohibitively expensive, but if that's the case, curbside delivery should be cut to all similarly situated neighborhoods.

Joel Brinkley says the GOP spends freely on wasteful projects in Afghanistan but refuses useful stimulus spending at home

A federal judge ruled Thursday that the Waterkeeper Alliance failed to prove that an Eastern Shore farm's chicken houses were polluting a tributary of the Chesapeake Bay.

Though they are private companies, there is a substantial public policy interest in making sure their decisions serve the general public, and it falls to state and local governments to act as a check in this regard.

WASHINGTON — In an unexpected move that could have significant implications for Maryland, Sen. Barbara A. Mikulski will be named the first female chair of the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee on Thursday.

Maryland's second-in-command on economic development matters will step into the top job in January when the current secretary leaves for the private sector, state officials announced Wednesday.

Wounded soldiers returning from war can find plenty of programs through nonprofits and the government that offer to help them re-enter the workforce. The problem is that there are so many employment programs, often duplicating each other's efforts, that job seekers can easily be overwhelmed.

Cal Thomas says the West could learn from a thriving Asian nation's work ethic

Peter Morici says the Fed's efforts to reduce the deficit and keep interest rates low will end badly

Lowering tax rates for all and reducing spending offers best chance for economic recovery

Faced with a losing hand in the fight over tax rates and the fiscal cliff, Republicans are seeking to beat a cynical retreat to another manufactured crisis over the debt limit.

In a new lawsuit, the sons of Frank Olson seek to pry open the secrecy surrounding the government's Cold War-era research into mind-control drugs, sensory deprivation, abuse and torture to learn what happened during the predawn hours of Nov. 28, 1953, in Room 1018a of the Statler Hotel.

Federal workers' unions and food safety groups have joined to oppose new rules proposed by the Department of Agriculture to streamline federal poultry inspections.

A Defense Department funding bill has made bedfellows of two groups more likely to be found in opposite corners: federal labor and federal contractors.

A controversial human rights bill targeted at Russia that was crafted by Sen. Ben Cardin is set to win congressional approval Wednesday despite a diplomatic brouhaha that has left the White House queasy and the Kremlin outraged.

Cuba accused the United States of lying about the health and conditions of confinement of a jailed American government subcontractor.