Independent insurance agents are blasting a decision by the U.S. Agriculture Department to impose a crop insurance contract on the industry that includes restrictive caps on agent commissions.

Negotiators on financial services reform legislation reopened the conference this afternoon to remove a $19 billion bank tax that potentially imperiled Senate passage this week.

The death of Sen. Robert Byrd, D-W.Va., early Monday has raised the possibility that Democrats might have difficulty in getting the financial services reform legislation through the Senate before the Independence Day recess.

The National Flood Insurance Program would get yet another short-term extension--this time until Sept. 30--under expedited procedures legislation approved last week by the U.S. House of Representatives on a unanimous vote.

The Treasury Department's authority to conclude bilateral trade agreements on insurance with foreign countries will be considerably watered down.

The National Flood Insurance Program would get yet another short-term extension--this time until Sept. 30.

House and Senate negotiators added at the last moment a tax on large financial institutions, including insurers, before completing work early today on sweeping financial services legislation.

The U.S. government is likely to suffer a loss on its investment in American International Group.