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Ben Werschkul is Washington correspondent for Yahoo Finance covering economic policy and the intersection of financial issues and the nation's capital. He has covered Washington for over 20 years as a reporter and video producer, working previously at The New York Times and CNN.
Yahoo FinanceAmerica's tax collectors may escape a possible government shutdown
If the federal government shuts down on Oct. 1, many critical US agencies will close their doors and send employees home. But that is likely not to be the case at the IRS.
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Powell: 'We would just have to deal’ with less data if government shuts down
A possible shutdown at the end of this month could make the job of the Fed more difficult as economic tracking from certain agencies would cease.
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Kevin McCarthy may be running out of options to avert a government shutdown
As a GOP stalemate appears to be getting deeper, the financial world is now planning for a government shutdown that some consider inevitable.
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Why a government shutdown this fall could be the costliest one ever
The most expensive government shutdown cost $3 billion. The price tag of a possible sequel this fall could run even higher.
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Biden pressures automakers as he wades more deeply into UAW strike
President Biden announced Friday that he would be dispatching two top aides to get more directly involved in the negotiations between the United Auto Workers (UAW) and the Big Three auto companies.
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Why the chances of a government shutdown are now higher than when the week began
Lawmakers headed back to their districts after three drama-filled days in Congress that left the US more likely to shut down at the end of the month.
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Elon Musk: 'Perhaps a department of AI' needed to keep artificial intelligence 'safe'
The Tesla CEO said following a summit of tech titans that he thought a new AI agency could be created in the vein of the FAA or the SEC "to insure companies take actions that are safe and in the interests of the general public."
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Rivals Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg set to appear in DC to discuss a shared interest: AI
Several tech CEOs are among the figures appearing in Washington this week as lawmakers search for a consensus on how to deal with the rise of artificial intelligence.
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Government shutdown: Chances still high despite impeachment concession from McCarthy
Conservative Republicans made it clear they have little interest in backing down from a spending fight even after House Speaker Kevin McCarthy agreed to their demands for an impeachment inquiry against Joe Biden.
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How markets typically react (or don't) to government shutdowns
Investors are trying to game out the effects of a possible government shutdown in three weeks. Past lapses in funding haven't changed the trajectory of the markets in either direction.
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Why a likely government shutdown this fall 'could be a threat' to the US economy
As lawmakers return to Washington, economists are beginning to assess the possible economic impacts of the likely shutdown to come.
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Biden spent the summer selling his economic record. Voters aren’t buying it yet.
How voters view the president's stewardship of the economy remains an immediate challenge to Joe Biden's effort to secure a second term.
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These GOP candidates want to trim Social Security for younger Americans. They disagree how.
Many Republican candidates are looking at trimming benefits for younger people while hashing out the question of how to go about it.
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GOP Debate: One candidate earned rebukes onstage but praise from Elon Musk
Vivek Ramaswamy took positions that are unpopular with many Americans, but he earned praise from Donald Trump, a range of the former president's allies, and one notable billionaire.
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Top GOP rivals unite on one issue: Powell won't be renominated as Fed chair
The top four candidates vying to become the Republican party’s standard-bearer are promising to put the Fed chair out of a job if they are elected president.
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Hello IRS? How billions of dollars changed calling the tax man in one year
4,000 new customer service representatives have been hired this year alone to help the IRS in its mission to improve user experience. Is it working?
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Lawmakers pledge to double down on Biden's new China investment ban
Lawmakers from both parties pledged to go further in the coming months after President Biden said he would prohibit Americans from investing in some Chinese companies.
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Biden unveils plans to screen US investments in China
The long-awaited effort to prohibit Americans from sending money to some Chinese companies could inflame new tensions between Washington and Beijing.
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Chipmakers have plans for new US factories. But not enough workers to run them.
Chipmakers are investing $231 billion toward new plants. But there is a growing concern about whether enough workers will be there to run these plants once they are online.
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'That's just bureaucracy': Inside Biden’s campaign to keep the factory boom going
Manufacturers face "confusion and consternation" accessing money set aside by Washington. The White House says it’s here to help.