What kinds of backgrounds do U.S. attorneys general have?
Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for attorney general, closely resembles many previous Justice Department leaders.
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Will Trump’s backing revive moribund term-limits movement?
Although the movement to limit congressional terms has been largely dormant for the past two decades, 15 states do limit how many terms their own legislators can serve.
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Despite Oregon governor’s win, candidates of different sexual orientations could face resistance in a presidential run
While a growing number of LGBT politicians have been elected to public office and attitudes toward the LGBT community have become much more favorable over the past decade, survey data suggest that being gay or lesbian remains an obstacle for candidates running for president.
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Profile of U.S. veterans is changing dramatically as their ranks decline
The share of the population with military experience – counting those who are on active duty or were in the past – has fallen by almost half since 1980.
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Child marriage is rare in the U.S., though this varies by state
About 57,800 minors in the U.S. ages 15 to 17 are married – or five of every 1,000 in that age group. But the rate of child marriage varies widely between states.
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Many Americans unaware of their states’ voter ID laws
With less than a month to go before Election Day, not all American voters are aware of their states’ voter ID requirements.
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Most Americans trust the military and scientists to act in the public’s interest
Three-quarters or more of Americans are confident in the military, medical scientists and scientists in general to act in the best interests of the public. But fewer than half report similar confidence in the news media, business leaders and elected officials.
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Support for death penalty lowest in more than four decades
The share of Americans who support the death penalty for persons convicted of murder is now at its lowest point in more than four decades.
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Where the Public Stands on Religious Liberty vs. Nondiscrimination
The U.S. public expresses a clear consensus on the contentious question of whether employers who have religious objections to contraception should be required to provide it in health insurance plans for their employees.
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Most states allow religious exemptions from child abuse and neglect laws
All states prosecute parents whose children come to severe harm through neglect. But in thirty-four states (as well as the District of Columbia, Guam and Puerto Rico), there are exemptions in the civil child abuse statutes when medical treatment for a child conflicts with the religious beliefs of parents.
