Articles by Philip Brasher

The battle is on in Congress to approve fast-track process for finalizing trade agreements with Pacific Rim nations and the European Union. Leaders of the Senate Finance Committee and House Ways and Means Chairman Paul Ryan, R-Wis., on Thursday announced agreement on a thre

Another Tax Day is passing, and the Section 179 expensing allowance and other key tax incentives are once again in limbo Ð and may continue to be for some time.

Get ready for action on trade in Congress after weeks of negotiations. Senate Finance Chairman Orrin Hatch says he wants his committee to vote on a Trade Promotion Authority bill next week as well as some other trade measures.

Analysts say the Agriculture DepartmentÐs new subsidy eligibility requirements are going to make it significantly tougher for investors in a small number of big farming operations to qualify for multiple government payments.

Lawmakers finalized a bipartisan three-year fast-track bill Thursday to smooth the way for negotiating and ratifying trade agreements with the Pacific Rim and European Union.

Brushing aside a veto threat, the Republican-controlled House voted 240-179 to repeal the federal estate tax.

Leaders of the Senate Finance Committee announced that they were on the verge of an agreement on Trade Promotion Authority legislation that could be released later Thursday. The committee planned to meet Thursday afternoon to review it and then vote on the legislation next Thursday.

A fast-track trade deal was held up Wednesday as key lawmakers negotiated the terms of a separate package of trade adjustment programs sought by Democrats. The top Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee, Ron Wyden of Oregon, has insisted that a Trade Adjustment Assistance (TA

House committees approved separate bills to block the Obama administration from re-defining the jurisdiction of the Clean Water Act, but Democrats made clear that the strategy will face stiff opposition.Both bills are aimed at blocking implementation of a rule to clarify what streams&#

A House bill to fund the Army Corps of Engineers for the next fiscal year would stop the Obama administration from implementing its revised Clean Water Act rule until the fall of 2016 at the earliest. The rule, which is now under final review at the Office of Management