Lawmakers open a hearing today into claims the Interior Department continues to waive royalty payments for big oil companies. Scott Tong reports.

A bill to increase protection of government whistleblowers goes into conference today. And not everyone's behind the measure, Nancy Marshall Genzer reports.

Some CIA officers have a private but government-sponsored insurance plan that pays legal expenses if they're accused of abusing or torturing prisoners. Host Kai Ryssdal talks to Washington Post reporter R. Jeffrey Smith about the story.

A bill in Congress is being seen as a giant step toward securing U.S. borders. It's also an ambitious project that will not be easy to finance. Hillary Wicai reports.

In the five years since the Sept. 11 attacks, access to personal data has changed dramatically. Host Kai Ryssdal and guests look at the implications of this shift for businesses and consumers. . . . And, Annie Baxter reports that new government data gathering regulations are shaking out some of the banking industry's smallest players.

Post 9/11 redevelopment watchdog Bettina Damiani talks with host Scott Jagow about who is and isn't benefiting from the federal Liberty Bonds program.

A federal auction to license additional cellphone spectrum is expected to wrap up today. Stacey Vanek Smith tells us who the likely winner will be.

A House committee took oil giant BP to task today for failing to maintain its oil pipelines in Alaska. Marketplace's Scott Tong has the story.

The IRS is outsourcing the collection of back taxes to private debt collection firms because Congress didn't give it the requested staff to go after tax cheats. Nancy Marshall Genzer reports.

Tax authorities are taking a new tack today in an effort to collect back taxes: private debt collection. Nancy Marshall Genzer reports.