In an interview with Advocate magazine released last week, democratic presidential candidate Bill Bradley made statements likely to please advocates for gay rights. The former senator from New Jersey stated he opposed the current "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy of the pentagon and felt that gays should be allowed to serve openly in the military. He also opined that gay rights should be included in...

The 1996 US election, which took in more than $260 million in soft money alone, was the most expensive in the nation's history. Long time advocates of campaign finance reform have rallied behind the revised McCain-Feingold proposal which, among other reforms, would ban soft money. However, recent Senate hearings have revealed that the bill does not have the necessary support to pass. The majority...

"The Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents is published every Monday by the Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration and contains statements, messages, and other Presidential materials released by the White House during the preceding week." This new online version is a pilot project designed to provide the public with easier access to Presidential...

Debate in the US Senate began today on the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) scheduled for a vote on Tuesday. The treaty would ban not only atmospheric testing, but also underground testing for the nations that sign and ratify it. Currently, with Senate Republicans united in their opposition, the treaty is far short of the 67 votes needed for passage. As a result, the White House and leading...

A federal disclosure law requires section 527 political organizations to file with the IRS "an initial notice of their existence, periodic reports on their contributors and expenditures, and an annual return, and requires the organization and the IRS to disclose these documents to the public." The initial notification forms from the organizations, which include a (usually terse) statement of...

This week's In the News discusses President Clinton's trip to China and the US-China Summit. The ten resources discussed offer breaking news, analysis, and commentary. President Clinton is now wrapping up his nine-day visit to China. This trip, the first by an American president since the squashing of the democracy movement in Tiananmen Square in 1989, was not expected to result in any major...