Congress

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Boehner Re-Elected as House Speaker

But he suffers several GOP defections

(Newser) - Those rumors of a GOP coup didn't hold up: John Boehner has been re-elected as House speaker with 220 votes, reports the Hill . Unlike his unanimous vote last term, however, 12 conservative GOP lawmakers either voted for someone else, abstained, or voted "present," reports the Washington Post...

Next for Obama: Immigration Reform

Plus: Executive order aims to limit family separations

(Newser) - Despite continued hand-wringing over fiscal policy, President Obama remains on schedule to push for immigration reform this month, an insider tells the Huffington Post . The effort will likely be led by Democratic Rep. Zoe Lofgren, who warns that "in the end, immigration reform is going to depend very much...

Goodbye, 112th Congress, We Hardly Liked Ye
Goodbye, 112th Congress,
We Hardly Liked Ye
OPINION
Jan 3, 2013 10:42 AM CST

Goodbye, 112th Congress, We Hardly Liked Ye

Pundits remind us just how do-nothing this Congress has been

(Newser) - Today sees the end of the 112th Congress and the start of the 113th , and that has a few pundits shedding a tear—from laughing so hard at how futile and ridiculous this last wave of Congress has been. Among the adieus to the 112th:
  • Gail Collins, the New York
...

112th Congress Punts on Sandy Aid Bill

Boehner sparks outrage by tabling vote on $60.4B in FEMA aid

(Newser) - The 112th Congress may have squeaked through a deal on the fiscal cliff , but shortly afterward John Boehner announced that it won't be voting on a $60.4 billion FEMA aid package for victims of Hurricane Sandy, reports USA Today . Though the Senate passed the bill and the House...

There's Hope: 'Major Progress' on Fiscal Cliff

But sticking points exist after flurry of overnight negotiations

(Newser) - So just where are we on the fiscal cliff? After Mitch McConnell and Harry Reid hit an impasse yesterday , McConnell called in Joe Biden, and after a flurry of offers that included President Obama and went throughout the night, Politico finds "major progress" and reason for hope this morning....

Obama to Host Meeting as Cliff Looms

House is set to reconvene on Sunday night, ahead of cliff deadline

(Newser) - Let the last-minute drama begin: President Obama will meet with the top congressional leaders from both parties at the White House today, reports the AP . Obama intends to outline elements that he thinks should be in any deal and could garner majority support in both chambers of Congress, but he...

He's Back: Mark Sanford to Run for Congress

Could end up running against ex-wife

(Newser) - From the Appalachian Trail to Capitol Hill: With Rep. Tim Scott grabbing Jim DeMint's old Senate seat, there's a vacancy in South Carolina's congressional delegation—and a former governor wants in, CNN reports. Republican Mark Sanford, who was considered a presidential contender before his extramarital affair became...

Why I&#39;m Out of the Running for Secretary
 Why I'm Out 
 of the Running 
 for Secretary 
susan rice
Dec 14, 2012 4:50 AM CST

Why I'm Out of the Running for Secretary

No room for partisan fights amid national security matters: Susan Rice

(Newser) - Susan Rice has pulled herself out of the running for secretary of state , and she explains the move in a Washington Post op-ed. "As it became clear that my potential nomination would spark an enduring partisan battle," she writes, "I concluded that it would be wrong to...

Filibuster Fight Heads to Court

House Dems sue over 'accident of history'

(Newser) - The battle over the Senate filibuster is moving beyond Capitol Hill gridlock and into the courtroom: While Harry Reid fights the procedural tactic in the Senate, four House Democrats have taken the matter to the federal courts. They're joined in their lawsuit by Common Cause, a nonpartisan reform organization....

Congress Removes Word 'Lunatic' From Federal Law

It's outdated and offensive, say advocates of the move

(Newser) - You can say "lunatic" all you want, but you probably won't have the government's blessing. The word "lunatic" will be stricken from federal law under legislation that passed the House today and is headed to President Obama for his signature. "The term `lunatic' holds a...

Pelosi to Try to Force Vote on Bush Tax Cuts

Boehner takes GOP 'fiscal cliff' case to the press

(Newser) - Nancy Pelosi will file a motion today to force a vote on Bush-era tax cuts, her office says. The House minority leader's "discharge petition" would aim for a vote this month on extending the cuts for those earning less than $250,000, while ending them for those earning...

How the GOP Will Avoid Another Akin

Party seeks more local support for candidates

(Newser) - Election 2012 was supposed to hand Republicans control of the Senate, but thanks to candidates like Todd Akin, things didn't work out according to plan. Now, the party is scrambling to realign itself for future victories. A key strategy: Go local. "We ought to make certain that if...

Gabby Giffords Staffer Wins Her House Seat

Ron Barber was wounded in the 2011 shooting spree

(Newser) - The man handpicked by Gabby Giffords to take her House seat has prevailed by a razor-thin margin, reports the AP via the Huffington Post . Ron Barber, a Giffords aide who was wounded in the leg and cheek in the 2011 Tucson shooting spree, defeated Republican Martha McSally. Barber has been...

Postal Service Suffers Record $15.9B Loss

Organization could be out of cash in a year

(Newser) - The struggling US Postal Service has posted a record loss of $15.9 billion for the fiscal year ending Sept. 30. The agency defaulted this year on $11.1 billion in health benefits for retirees, and it's suffering as first-class mail, its top source of revenue, falls off, the...

Even a Short Plunge Off Fiscal Cliff Will Hurt
Even a Short Plunge Off Fiscal Cliff Will Hurt
OPINION
Nov 13, 2012 1:06 PM CST

Even a Short Plunge Off Fiscal Cliff Will Hurt

It's foolish to shrug off the dangers: Neil Irwin

(Newser) - It's widely accepted at this point that a protracted fall over the fiscal cliff will send the country plunging back into recession . But what if, as is far more likely, lawmakers blow the deadline by just a few weeks? Conventional wisdom suggests it wouldn't be so bad, that...

Lame-Duck Congress Back as Fiscal Cliff Looms

Postal Service, Sandy relief may also be on agenda

(Newser) - Congress is back in Washington today, bracing for battle over how to avoid the fiscal cliff. Legislators have seven weeks to hit on a deal, with tax cut extensions taking center stage, notes Reuters . But analysts warn that "the longer it takes the president and Congress to negotiate a...

Congress Gets 1st Bisexual, Hindu Members

Open bisexual Kyrsten Sinema wins tight Az. race

(Newser) - Tammy Baldwin's victory in Wisconsin last week made her the first openly gay US senator, but she isn't the only "first" in the newly elected Congress.
  • Democrat Kyrsten Sinema has been declared the winner in a tight US House race in Arizona, making her the first openly
...

Sonny Bono's Widow Loses House Seat After 14 Years

Husband Connie Mack also lost Senate bid

(Newser) - A would-be DC power couple has ended up 0 for 2 in this year's election. Republican Mary Bono Mack—widow of Sonny Bono—conceded defeat last night in her House race against Democrat Raul Ruiz, reports the Hill . Bono Mack, who held the seat near Los Angeles for 14...

Boehner to Obama: Let's Make a Deal

He's willing to accept 'new revenue' but not higher tax rates

(Newser) - It seems like a start anyway. John Boehner and the White House are at least talking about talking in regard to a deal to avoid the fiscal cliff , reports the Wall Street Journal .
  • Boehner: “For purposes of forging a bipartisan agreement that begins to solve the problem, we’re
...

Allen West Demands Recount in Florida

And Alan Grayson is returning to Congress

(Newser) - Political firebrand update: One on the right is in trouble, and one on the left is back in Congress:
  • Republican Allen West is demanding a recount in Florida. He trails Patrick Murphy by about 2,500 votes but refuses to concede, citing "disturbing irregularities" at the polls. Murphy has
...

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