The Senate on Thursday passed an overhaul of U.S. immigration laws that would clear the way for millions of undocumented residents to have a chance at citizenship, attract workers from all over the world and devote unprecedented resources for security along the U.S.-Mexico border.
A bill that opponents said threatened to all but eliminate every abortion clinic in Texas failed to pass late Tuesday after lawmakers missed a deadline by minutes due to a nearly 13 hour filibuster by one Democratic state senator. Chaotic scenes erupted after a filibuster attempt fell just short as protesters shouted for over 15 minutes up to midnight, as lawmakers tried to hold the vote before the session ended at midnight.
The Republican-dominated Texas Legislature moved closer on Monday to passing some of the toughest abortion restrictions in the country, as the State House of Representatives approved a bill that would ban abortion clinics to the same standards as hospital-style surgical centers, the New York Times reported. Senate Bill 5, as it is known, will require clinics to be surgical centers and mandating that doctors have admitting privileges at nearby hospitals. These measures will would force dozens of abortion providers in the state to close, news reports said.
In his first congressional testimony since disclosure of the secretive programs, the director of the National Security Agency gave a forceful defense of spy operations that have stirred fears of government snooping and violations of privacy rights
