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• Obama: Congress must 'fully fund' embassy security

  May 16, 2013 12:28 PM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama is calling on Congress to "fully fund" his administration's budget request for embassy security. The request comes as Obama seeks to get ahead of the controversy over his administration's response to the attack last September in Benghazi, Libya, that killed four Americans. Obama said he... more »

• New challenger enters Senate race

  May 14, 2013 8:22 AM

  BATON ROUGE - A retired Air Force colonel from Madisonville says he plans to run for the U.S. Senate next year, seeking to oust Democratic incumbent Mary Landrieu. Rob Maness, a Republican who said he works for Entergy Services Inc. and owns a family farm, announced his candidacy Monday.... more »

• Senate committee takes up immigration bill

  May 9, 2013 7:42 AM

  WASHINGTON - A bill to remake the nation's immigration system for the first time in decades faces its first congressional test Thursday. The Senate Judiciary Committee is taking up the 844-page legislation to secure the border, provide new avenues for workers to come to the U.S. legally, crack down... more »

• Internet sales tax bill faces tough sell in House

  May 7, 2013 7:13 AM

  WASHINGTON - Traditional retailers and cash-strapped states face a tough sell in the House as they lobby Congress to limit tax-free shopping on the Internet. The Senate voted 69 to 27 Monday to pass a bill that empowers states to collect sales taxes from Internet purchases. Under the... more »

• Senate vote nears, background check bill in trouble

  April 17, 2013 7:54 AM

  WASHINGTON - A bipartisan drive to expand background checks is in deep trouble as the Senate approaches a long-awaited vote on the linchpin of the effort to curb gun violence. The Senate planned to vote Wednesday on the proposal. As growing numbers of Republicans declared their opposition to the measure,... more »

• Dem, GOP senators reach background check deal

  April 10, 2013 10:21 AM

  WASHINGTON - Two pivotal senators have announced a bipartisan deal on expanding background checks to more gun buyers. The agreement could build support for President Barack Obama's drive to curb firearms violence. Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Republican Sen. Patrick Toomey of Pennsylvania said their agreement would... more »

• Newtown parents to lobby lawmakers

  April 9, 2013 8:23 AM

  WASHINGTON - Senate Democrats continue to mull strategy for their efforts at gun legislation, especially expanded background checks. They're holding a lunchtime meeting today to assess whether West Virginia Democrat Joe Manchin has reached an acceptable compromise - or has a realistic chance of getting one - with Pennsylvania... more »

• Democrats bring gun control bill to Senate floor

  April 8, 2013 5:03 PM

  WASHINGTON - Democrats have brought gun control legislation to the Senate floor amid a threat from conservative Republican senators to use delaying tactics to prevent formal debate from even beginning. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid took the first procedural step to begin debate on Monday. He said Republicans owed relatives... more »

• Debate on immigration to get under way

  April 8, 2013 7:37 AM

  WASHINGTON - Senators writing a comprehensive immigration bill hope to finish their work this week. Their plan is sure to open a raucous public debate over measures to secure the border, allow tens of thousands of foreign workers into the country and grant eventual citizenship to the estimated 11... more »

• Official: Obama proposes cuts to Social Security

  April 5, 2013 9:07 AM

  WASHINGTON - President Obama is proposing cuts to Social Security as an attempt to compromise with Republicans on the budget. A senior administration official says the budget Obama will offer to Congress next Wednesday would reduce the deficit by $1.8 trillion over 10 years. It includes a revised inflation... more »

• Fleming won't run for U.S. Senate

  April 4, 2013 11:26 AM

  BATON ROUGE - Republican U.S. Rep. John Fleming says he won't enter the U.S. Senate race against Democratic incumbent Mary Landrieu because he doesn't want to divide GOP support. Fleming's announcement Thursday comes after his fellow Republican U.S. Rep. Bill Cassidy officially announced his candidacy Wednesday. Fleming, a doctor from... more »

• Cassidy announces Senate bid in online video

  April 3, 2013 7:48 AM

  BATON ROUGE - Rep. Bill Cassidy officially announced his plans to run for the U.S. Senate this morning. Cassidy made the announcement in a video posting to his website, along with his wife, Laura. He will challenge Democratic Sen. Mary Landrieu, who will be running for her fourth... more »

• Cassidy running for US Senate in 2014

  April 2, 2013 1:29 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Republican U.S. Rep. Bill Cassidy is running for the Senate next year, seeking to keep Democratic U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu from a fourth term. Cassidy, a Baton Rouge doctor elected to Congress in 2008, will release a video Wednesday announcing his candidacy. The video was provided to... more »

• Reid: Background checks will be in Senate gun bill

  March 22, 2013 10:29 AM

  WASHINGTON - Democrats say they will include expanded background checks for firearms purchasers in the gun-control measure the Senate debates next month. The announcement by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid signals that Democrats will press forcefully in their drive to close background check loopholes. Polls show the public overwhelmingly supports... more »

• Congress spares military's tuition aid program

  March 21, 2013 10:28 AM

  WASHINGTON - Congress has spared the military's tuition assistance program from the budget knife. The House cleared a bill on Thursday to keep the government running. It includes a provision reversing the decision by the Army, Air Force and Marine Corps to suspend the program. Faced with some $43 billion... more »

• Senators press parochial hopes in spending debate

  March 18, 2013 6:11 PM

  WASHINGTON - The Senate has given a big boost to a bipartisan full-year funding bill despite opposition from Republicans who were denied chances to offer changes aimed at boosting military readiness and easing closures of air traffic control towers. The legislation advanced on a 63-35 procedural vote that sets up... more »

• Senate panel ready to OK gun background checks

  March 12, 2013 7:54 AM

  WASHINGTON - Democrats are ready to muscle expanded background checks and other gun curbs through a Senate committee. The Senate Judiciary Committee was meeting today to debate a bill broadening the requirement for federal background checks to nearly all firearms buyers. It also planned to consider banning assault... more »

• Senate committee starting votes on curbing guns

  March 7, 2013 8:12 AM

  WASHINGTON - President Obama's prospects for expanded background checks for gun sales seem shaky as the Senate Judiciary Committee prepares for Congress' first votes on curbing guns since the mass school shooting in Newtown last December. The Democratic-led panel is also planning to consider bills banning assault weapons and magazines... more »

• Boustany won't challenge Landrieu in '14 Senate race

  March 5, 2013 2:57 PM

  LAFAYETTE- Count at least one person out of the race for Senate next year. Republican U.S. Rep. Charles Boustany, who represents a large section of South and Southwestern Louisiana, said he would not challenge Democratic U.S. Senator Mary Landrieu. Landrieu will run for re-election. A spokesperson for Boustany... more »

• Obama signs order to begin spending cuts

  March 1, 2013 9:50 PM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama has signed an order authorizing the government to begin cutting $85 billion from federal accounts, officially enacting across-the-board reductions that he opposed but failed to avert. Obama acted Friday, the deadline for the president and Congress to avoid the steep, one-year cuts. Obama has insisted... more »

• Automatic cuts will have to wait until midnight

  March 1, 2013 7:53 AM

  WASHINGTON - The White House says automatic spending reductions set to kick in will be put off until as close to midnight Friday as possible. Congress passed the law in January. It says that "on March 1, 2013, the president shall order a sequestration for fiscal year 2013."... more »

• Bowling Congress tournaments return to Baton Rouge Play Video

  February 27, 2013 11:26 AM

  BATON ROUGE - The United States Bowling Congress announced they will return to Baton Rouge. The city will play host to the Women's Championships in 2017, and host the Open Championships again in 2025. East Baton Rouge Parish saw an estimated $113 million economic impact when they hosted... more »

• White House calls immigration proposal a backup

  February 18, 2013 9:39 AM

  WASHINGTON - The White House is downplaying its immigration proposal as merely a backup plan if lawmakers don't come up with an overhaul of their own. Republican and Democratic lawmakers tell President Barack Obama that it won't be necessary. White House chief of staff Denis McDonough says that Obama wants... more »

• House moves to extend pay freeze for fed workers

  February 15, 2013 7:08 AM

  WASHINGTON - The House is voting on whether to extend the current pay freeze for the nation's 2 million civilian federal workers. They say that blocking a raise proposed by President Barack Obama for the last nine months of this year will save $11 billion and that well-compensated federal employees... more »

• Obama asks Congress for boost in manufacturing

  February 13, 2013 7:53 AM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama is launching three manufacturing hubs and is asking Congress to create 15 more. Obama says the "manufacturing innovation institutes" would bring together businesses, universities and the government to create high-tech jobs. The proposal is a central element of Obama's plan to spur manufacturing, which has... more »

• Obama tries to unify Senate Democrats

  February 6, 2013 7:24 AM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama is working to sell Senate Democrats on his strategy for tackling immigration, gun control and a host of fiscal dilemmas. The president meets with senators Wednesday at a closed-door retreat in Annapolis, Md. Obama's prospects for enacting his ambitious second-term agenda depend partly on Senate... more »

• Congress passes bill to extend borrowing authority

  February 1, 2013 2:51 AM

  WASHINGTON - Congress has approved must-do legislation to permit the government to borrow hundreds of billions of dollars more to meet its obligations, averting a first-ever government default that had loomed as early as mid-February. The 64-34 vote in the Senate on Thursday sends the measure to President Barack Obama,... more »

• Defense nominee Hagel defends his record in Senate

  January 31, 2013 10:26 AM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama's nominee for defense secretary is defending himself against critics who have seized on his past statements about Israel, Iran and nuclear weapons. Chuck Hagel says he cannot be defined by a single vote or quote. He insists that his worldview hasn't changed and the United... more »

• Husband of wounded lawmaker says Congress must act

  January 30, 2013 10:34 AM

  WASHINGTON - The husband of wounded former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords says that while curbing gun violence is a complex problem, it is no excuse for inaction by lawmakers. Former astronaut Mark Kelly told the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday that he and his wife, former Arizona Democratic Rep. Gabrielle Giffords,... more »

• GOP lawmakers see automatic cuts as leverage

  January 30, 2013 4:18 AM

  WASHINGTON - Republican conservatives are driving a politically risky move to permit painfully large automatic budget cuts to strike the Pentagon and domestic programs alike in an effort to force Democrats into making concessions on the budget. It's a remarkable turnabout from last year, when GOP leaders were among the... more »

• Immigration reform is good news for some area families Play Video

  January 29, 2013 9:54 PM

  BATON ROUGE- Immigration reform could impact some 65,000 immigrants living in Louisiana. Tuesday, the President asked Congress to move forward with a bill to overhaul the system. It would be the pathway for 11 million undocumented people living in the U.S. "Having these members of my family in... more »

• Obama on immigration overhaul: 'Now is the time'

  January 29, 2013 4:05 PM

  LAS VEGAS - President Barack Obama says "now is the time" to fix broken immigration laws. And he says Congress is showing "a genuine desire to get this done soon." At a campaign-style event in Las Vegas, the president applauded a rare show of bipartisanship between the White House and... more »

• Obama says he'll sign $50.5B Sandy aid bill soon

  January 29, 2013 2:43 AM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama says he'll sign a $50.5 billion emergency measure for Superstorm Sandy victims as soon as it lands on his desk. Obama chided lawmakers for taking their time to approve the funding even as he commended them for providing the long-awaited aid. Conservatives concerned about adding... more »

• Congress passes $50.5B Superstorm Sandy aid bill

  January 28, 2013 5:46 PM

  WASHINGTON - Congress is sending a $50.5 billion emergency relief measure for Superstorm Sandy victims to President Barack Obama for his signature. The Senate on Monday cleared the bill, 62-36. Northeast lawmakers say the money is desperately needed to help recovery efforts from the one of the region's worst storms.... more »

• Senators pledge action on immigration reform

  January 28, 2013 5:01 PM

  WASHINGTON - Key Democratic and Republican senators are pledging to get a wide-ranging immigration bill through the Senate by summer even as they point to numerous pitfalls ahead. The group of eight senators unveiled proposals Monday to secure the border, allow more guest workers, require tougher verification measures by employers... more »

• Senators reach deal on immigration

  January 28, 2013 2:42 AM

  WASHINGTON - A bipartisan group of senators has reached agreement on the principles of sweeping legislation to rewrite the nation's immigration laws. The deal being announced Monday covers border security, guest workers and employer verification, as well as a path to citizenship for the 11 million illegal immigrants already in... more »

• Clinton: Department working to boost embassy security

  January 23, 2013 10:11 AM

  WASHINGTON - Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton says her department is moving swiftly and aggressively to strengthen security at U.S. missions worldwide, after the deadly September raid on the U.S. consulate in Libya. In what is probably her last appearance on Capitol Hill as the nation's top diplomat, Clinton... more »

• House GOP seeks to defuse debt crisis

  January 23, 2013 6:56 AM

  WASHINGTON - House Republicans are moving to try to defuse a potential debt crisis with legislation to prevent an economy-rattling fiscal crisis for at least three months. The GOP legislation marks a tactical retreat by House GOP leaders, eager to avoid a potential first-ever default on U.S. payment and debt... more »

• Final Keystone pipeline decision still months away

  January 23, 2013 6:25 AM

  WASHINGTON - Nebraska Gov. Dave Heineman's approval of a revised route for the Keystone XL oil pipeline puts the long-delayed project back in the hands of the federal government. But don't look for a quick decision on the $7 billion project, which would carry oil from Canada to the... more »

• Clinton to face Congress on Libya assault

  January 23, 2013 6:15 AM

  WASHINGTON - Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton faces tough questions in her long-awaited congressional testimony concerning the assault on the U.S. diplomatic mission in Benghazi, Libya, that killed Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans. Clinton is the sole witness Wednesday at back-to-back hearings before the Senate and... more »

• Obamas host coffee with congressional leaders

  January 21, 2013 9:05 AM

  WASHINGTON- Could a blend of inaugural excitement and fresh coffee be the stimulant Washington needs to break political gridlock? One could only conjecture as President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden and their wives played host Monday to congressional leaders of both parties at the White House. The Joint... more »

• Obama to unveil gun violence measures today

  January 16, 2013 5:19 AM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama's broad effort to reduce gun violence will include proposed bans on military-style assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines, as well as more than a dozen executive orders aimed at circumventing congressional opposition to stricter gun controls. Obama will announce the measures today at a White... more »

• Stormy issue of Sandy aid settles down in House

  January 16, 2013 4:37 AM

  WASHINGTON - The political tempest stirred up by Superstorm Sandy appears to have moved on after wreaking havoc among House Republicans divided over how much aid to allocate to the victims of the storm. In a 241-180 vote Tuesday night, the House approved $50.5 billion in disaster relief for... more »

• House approves $50.7B for Sandy aid

  January 15, 2013 6:35 PM

  WASHINGTON - The House has approved a $50.7 billion measure for Superstorm Sandy victims. The 241-180 vote sends the measure to the Senate which is expected to take it up next Tuesday. Northeast lawmakers from both parties have been pressing for the aid for more than two months. The Oct.... more »

• Geithner: Gov't could pass debt limit by mid-Feb.

  January 14, 2013 4:08 PM

  WASHINGTON - Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner is telling congressional leaders that the U.S. government will exhaust its borrowing limit as soon as mid-February, earlier than expected. The government reached its $16.4 trillion borrowing limit on Dec. 31, but began using bookkeeping maneuvers to keep from surpassing it. In a letter... more »

• Obama: Debt limit increase can't be tied to spending cuts

  January 14, 2013 12:50 PM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama is demanding that Congress quickly raise the nation's $16.4 trillion debt limit, telling reporters, "we are not a deadbeat nation." At a White House news conference less than a week before he takes the oath of office for a second term, Obama warned that if... more »

• Obama: Gun control specifics to come within days

  January 14, 2013 12:20 PM

  WASHINGTON - He's acknowledging an uphill fight in Congress -- so President Barack Obama says he's looking at actions he can take on his own to confront gun violence. He told reporters today that he will present a plan within days. Obama says the ideas that are on the table... more »

• Governors warn Congress over debt limit

  January 9, 2013 10:41 AM

  WASHINGTON - Governors are warning Congress that lingering uncertainty over raising the nation's debt limit could hinder their state budgets and job growth. Delaware Gov. Jack Markell and Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin are outlining state agendas in 2013 as part of the National Governors Association. Markell says the postponing of... more »

• Congress approves $9.7 billion in Sandy flood aid

  January 4, 2013 3:40 PM

  WASHINGTON - The new Congress has passed a $9.7 billion bill to help pay flood insurance claims to homeowners, renters and businesses damaged by Superstorm Sandy. The bill cleared the Senate following passage earlier Friday by the House. It replenishes the National Flood Insurance Program that was due to run... more »

• Library of Congress has amassed 170 billion tweets

  January 4, 2013 3:25 PM

  WASHINGTON - The Library of Congress says it's amassed about 170 billion tweets since it began collecting an archive of all Twitter messages in 2010. Twitter is donating its archive to the library, going back to the first one posted in 2006. Library Director of Communications Gayle Osterberg wrote in... more »

• Congress to vote on Sandy aid

  January 4, 2013 7:22 AM

  WASHINGTON - $9.7 billion measure to pay flood insurance claims is set for a vote in Congress, boosting prospects for relief for the many home and business owners flooded out by Superstorm Sandy. If the House, as expected, approves the flood insurance proposal today, the Senate plans to follow with... more »

• Farm bill extension is evidence of lost clout

  January 3, 2013 5:13 PM

  WASHINGTON - A patchwork extension of federal farm programs passed as part of a larger "fiscal cliff" bill keeps the price of milk from rising but doesn't include many of the goodies that farm-state lawmakers are used to getting for their rural districts. House and Senate Agriculture Committee leaders who... more »

• House re-elects Boehner speaker

  January 3, 2013 12:52 PM

  WASHINGTON - Despite grumbling in his own party, John Boehner has been easily re-elected to a two-year term as House speaker. The vote came a day after blistering attacks from lawmakers, including Republicans, over Boehner's decision to cancel a vote on aid to victims of Superstorm Sandy. In the end,... more »

• Congress ushering in new members, with old divide

  January 3, 2013 8:03 AM

  WASHINGTON - The Senate and House have ushered in a new Congress. The 113th Congress convened at noon on Thursday, the constitutionally mandated time. Pomp and pageantry began simultaneously on either side of the Capitol. In the Senate, Vice President Joe Biden joined his former colleagues. He was swearing in... more »

• Fiscal cliff averted but taxes rise for all Play Video

  January 2, 2013 5:57 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Lawmakers reached a deal last night in Washington, averting the fiscal cliff, which included tax hikes for the middle class. The deal did not include an extension of the payroll tax cut. Beginning January 1st, one tax went up for everyone. It's a two percent increase... more »

• Moody's pressures Congress to deal with deficit

  January 2, 2013 3:42 PM

  WASHINGTON- Moody's Investors Service says Congress must go beyond its deal this week and come up with a plan to shrink the budget deficit if it wants to keep the U.S. government's top credit rating. The credit rating agency says in a statement that it expects lawmakers in the coming... more »

• NJ Gov. Christie blasts fellow Republican Boehner

  January 2, 2013 3:23 PM

  NEWARK, N.J. - New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is blasting fellow Republican John Boehner for the House Speaker's decision to delay a vote on Superstorm Sandy relief and says the inaction is "inexcusable." Christie said Wednesday that the House is playing politics with the $60 billion aid request and it's... more »

• Rep. King says Boehner promises Sandy aid votes

  January 2, 2013 2:46 PM

  WASHINGTON - A New York lawmaker says House Speaker John Boehner has promised votes to aid victims of Superstorm Sandy by Jan. 15. Republican Rep. Peter King says the speaker will schedule a vote Friday for $9 billion in flood insurance and another on Jan. 15 for a remaining $51... more »

• Louisiana delegation split on fiscal cliff vote

  January 2, 2013 11:00 AM

  BATON ROUGE - Louisiana's delegation was divided as Congress agreed to a compromise to avert the so-called "fiscal cliff" of middle-class tax increases and spending cuts. While Democratic Sen. Mary Landrieu and Republican Sen. David Vitter supported the legislation, most of the state's U.S. House delegation opposed it. Democratic Rep.... more »

• Obama in Hawaii, fiscal cliff standoff behind him

  January 2, 2013 10:51 AM

  HONOLULU - President Barack Obama is back in Hawaii for vacation after a tense, end-of-the-new-year standoff with Congress over the fiscal cliff. The president arrived early Wednesday morning, local time, after an overnight flight aboard Air Force One. He was rejoining his family for a holiday break after having returned... more »

• Congress approves deal to avoid 'fiscal cliff'

  January 1, 2013 10:45 PM

  WASHINGTON - Past its own New Year's deadline, a weary Congress sent President Barack Obama legislation to avoid a national "fiscal cliff" of middle class tax increases and spending cuts late Tuesday night in the culmination of a struggle that strained America's divided government to the limit. The bill's... more »

• Bill to avert fiscal cliff heads to House

  January 1, 2013 8:38 AM

  WASHINGTON - Now in the spotlight, House Republicans plan a closed-door meeting today to decide their next move after the Senate overwhelmingly approved compromise legislation avoiding a fiscal cliff of across-the-board tax increases and sweeping spending cuts to the Pentagon and other government agencies. The Senate endorsed the legislation early... more »

• Boehner: No decision on accepting 'cliff' pact

  December 31, 2012 10:51 PM

  WASHINGTON - House Speaker John Boehner and his leadership team say they need to review a Senate pact that would increase taxes on incomes exceeding $400,000 before deciding to schedule a vote on the measure or try to change it. In a joint statement late Monday, House GOP leaders promised... more »

• Congress gets a raise as country goes over cliff

  December 31, 2012 10:28 PM

  Washington DC - While the country braces for the fiscal cliff, congress will prepare of pay raises. On Thursday the President signed an executive order ending long time pay freezes for federal employees. It ushers in raises for the Vice President, congress, and circuit and district court judges. The VP... more »

• Deal reached on fiscal cliff

  December 31, 2012 8:32 PM

  WASHINGTON- The Associated Press reported late Monday evening, a deal was reached on taxes and other items involved in the so-called "fiscal cliff." The AP sites a Democratic aid. The report said the White House and the GOP reached a deal. Further details have not been released.... more »

• House won't vote before midnight on 'cliff' deal

  December 31, 2012 3:21 PM

  WASHINGTON - The House will miss the midnight Monday deadline lawmakers set for voting to avoid the "fiscal cliff." House Republicans notified lawmakers that the chamber will vote Monday evening on other bills. They say that will be their only votes of the day. President Barack Obama and Senate Republican... more »

• Progress seen in last-minute 'fiscal cliff' talks

  December 31, 2012 8:45 AM

  WASHINGTON - Democrats and Republicans say signs of progress are emerging in urgent negotiations to avert the looming 'fiscal cliff' ahead of a midnight deadline. A person familiar with the negotiations says Democrats have offered to extend tax cuts for families making up to $450,000 a year and individuals... more »

• Obama cuts vacation short as 'fiscal cliff' looms

  December 26, 2012 6:43 AM

  HONOLULU - President Barack Obama is cutting short his traditional Christmas holiday in Hawaii, planning to leave for Washington on Wednesday evening as he and lawmakers consider how to prevent the economy from going over the so-called fiscal cliff. Obama was expected to arrive in Washington early Thursday, the White... more »

• Don't be fooled by January pay -- higher taxes loom

  December 24, 2012 1:07 PM

  WASHINGTON- Even if the "fiscal cliff" can't be avoided, workers probably won't feel the full brunt of the tax hikes in their paychecks right away. The IRS has delayed releasing income tax withholding tables for 2013. So employers are planning to withhold income taxes at the 2012 rates, at least... more »

• Lawmakers see 'fiscal cliff' deal as elusive

  December 24, 2012 8:11 AM

  WASHINGTON - Lawmakers say it'll be time to get back to work when they and President Barack Obama return to Washington on Thursday following the Christmas holiday. Time is running out to avert the fiscal cliff of tax increases and domestic program cuts in January, and some members of... more »

• Christmas shoppers still spend despite looming Fiscal Cliff deadline Play Video

  December 22, 2012 5:36 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Holiday shoppers were out today despite current talks from Washington on potential tax increases. Kelli Bagwell said she is aware of how close the nation is to teetering to the fiscal cliff, but she is not going to let it ruin her holiday season. "I'm getting... more »

• Obama says he is 'ready and willing' to get deal

  December 21, 2012 10:20 PM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama says he is "ready and willing" to get a big package done to deal with the "fiscal cliff" and says there's no reason not to protect middle-class Americans from tax increases. Obama says he spoke Friday with House Speaker John Boehner and met with... more »

• No vote in DC on taxes, fiscal cliff

  December 20, 2012 11:04 PM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - Unable to round up enough support, House Republicans abruptly put off a vote Thursday night on legislation allowing tax rates to rise for households earning $1 million and up, complicating attempts to avoid a year-end fiscal cliff that threatens to send the economy into recession. In a... more »

• Senate debates $60.4 billion Sandy aid package

  December 17, 2012 4:47 PM

  WASHINGTON - Democrats are trying to push a $60.4 billion emergency spending package for Superstorm Sandy victims through Congress by Christmas. Republicans are responding: Not so fast. The Senate opened debate on the aid measure Monday, seven weeks after the storm swept up the East Coast, causing extensive damage in... more »

• Leading conservative says Obama will win tax fight

  December 13, 2012 10:08 AM

  WASHINGTON - A leading conservative who's resigning from the Senate is predicting that President Barack Obama will win the battle over raising taxes. South Carolina Republican Jim DeMint calls it "a political trophy" within Obama's grasp. He says, quote, "The president's proposal is not a plan, it's not a... more »

• Lieberman urges compromise in final Senate speech

  December 12, 2012 1:34 PM

  WASHINGTON - Retiring Sen. Joe Lieberman in his final Senate floor speech is urging Congress to put partisan rancor aside and reach across party lines to break Washington's gridlock. The Democrat-turned-independent from Connecticut said Wednesday that strong bipartisan leadership is needed to solve the nation's most pressing problems such as... more »

• Runoff elections tomorrow in Louisiana

  December 7, 2012 12:26 PM

  BATON ROUGE - The Secretary of State's office isn't expecting a high turnout for tomorrow's runoff elections. Not all parishes have a lot on the ballot, and so far more than 50,000 people voted early statewide. In Baton Rouge, voters will decide who takes an open seat on... more »

• Sen. Coburn latest to suggest he could support higher tax rates

  December 5, 2012 4:04 PM

  WASHINGTON - Another Republican is breaking ranks with party leaders on the issue of tax rates. Senator Tom Coburn of Oklahoma says he could support President Barack Obama's demand for an increase in tax rates at upper income levels, as part of a comprehensive plan to cut federal deficits. Coburn... more »

• Congress votes to remove word 'lunatic' from law

  December 5, 2012 12:40 PM

  WASHINGTON - You can say "lunatic" all you want, but you probably won't have the government's blessing. 'That word will be stricken from federal law under legislation that passed the House Wednesday and is headed to President Barack Obama for his signature. The congressional action is the latest effort to... more »

• 'Fiscal cliff' offers hint at more defense cuts

  December 5, 2012 7:51 AM

  WASHINGTON - House Republicans' "fiscal cliff" counteroffer to President Barack Obama hints at billions of dollars in military cuts on top of the nearly $500 billion that the White House and Congress backed last year, and even the fiercest defense hawks acknowledge that the Pentagon faces another financial hit. ... more »

• Obama takes middle class tax cut pitch outside DC

  November 30, 2012 11:59 AM

  HATFIELD, Pa. - President Barack Obama is urging Congress to pass an extension of tax cuts for middle class families, saying a tax increase for them would be like a "lump of coal" for Christmas. In his first campaign-style event to sell his solution on the "fiscal cliff," Obama says... more »

• Republicans accused Democrats of moving closer to the 'cliff'

  November 29, 2012 1:28 PM

  WASHINGTON - Republican congressional leaders are accusing Democrats of moving the nation closer to the "fiscal cliff," by refusing to outline possible spending cuts. After a meeting with Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner today, House Speaker John Boehner said there'd been "no substantive progress" -- and no "specific plan for cutting... more »

• Congress- nude protest

  November 27, 2012 7:36 PM

  Three women who took their clothes off in Congress to protest potential cuts in HIV programs were arrested. They said they wanted to highlight the "naked truth" and linked arms with four men who also stripped down as part of the protest. The women had the words "AIDS cuts kill"... more »

• Congress returns, effort to avert tax hikes and spending cuts resumes

  November 26, 2012 5:05 PM

  WASHINGTON - Efforts to avoid the "fiscal cliff" have resumed in Washington following the long holiday weekend. Congress and President Barack Obama have until the end of the year to avoid tax increases and automatic spending cuts. White House and congressional aides say Obama spoke separately over the weekend with... more »

• White House warns impending 'cliff' could hurt holiday spending

  November 26, 2012 3:16 PM

  WASHINGTON - As Washington gets back to work on avoiding the automatic spending cuts and tax hikes that would take effect in January, White House economists are warning that the uncertainty facing U.S. taxpayers could cause consumers to rein in their spending during the current holiday season. The report... more »

• Buffett urges Congress to raise taxes on wealthy

  November 26, 2012 10:33 AM

  OMAHA, Neb. - Billionaire Warren Buffett is again calling for higher taxes on the "ultra-rich" and he's urging Congress to compromise on spending cuts and tax increases. Buffett expressed his views on fiscal policy in an opinion article Monday in The New York Times. In the article, Buffett mocked the... more »

• Stocks open lower on new fiscal cliff warning

  November 26, 2012 10:29 AM

  NEW YORK - Stocks are opening lower after a warning from White House economists dampened what had been a huge weekend for retailers. Shoppers flooded stores in record numbers over the weekend, according to the National Retail Federation. The organization said 247 million shoppers visited stores and shopping websites during... more »

• Stocks open lower on new fiscal cliff warning

  November 26, 2012 9:57 AM

  NEW YORK - Stocks are opening lower after a warning from White House economists dampened what had been a huge weekend for retailers. Shoppers flooded stores in record numbers over the weekend, according to the National Retail Federation. The organization said 247 million shoppers visited stores and shopping websites... more »

• Bernanke warns Congress to avoid "fiscal cliff"

  November 20, 2012 12:25 PM

  WASHINGTON - Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke (bur-NANG'-kee) is warning Congress and the Obama administration to strike a budget deal to avert tax increases and spending cuts that could trigger a recession next year. Without a deal, the measures known as the "fiscal cliff" will take effect in January. Speaking... more »

• BP executive charged with lying to authorities

  November 15, 2012 1:16 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - Two men who worked for BP during the 2010 Gulf oil spill disaster have been charged with manslaughter and a third with lying to federal investigators, according to indictments made public Thursday, hours after BP announced it was paying $4.5 billion in a settlement with the U.S.... more »

• Obama: US can't afford across-the-board tax hike

  November 14, 2012 12:58 PM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama says the economy cannot afford a tax increase on all Americans and is calling on congressional Republicans to support an extension of existing tax rates for households earning $250,000 or less. Obama says he is confident that he and Congress can reach an agreement that... more »

• Labor heads say Obama backs them on 'fiscal cliff'

  November 13, 2012 12:47 PM

  WASHINGTON - Labor leaders say President Barack Obama remains committed to preserving tax cuts for middle class families and ensuring that the wealthiest Americans pay more in taxes. The leaders of labor unions met with Obama Tuesday to discuss ways of averting the so-called "fiscal cliff" and find consensus on... more »

• Congress faces agenda of unfinished business

  November 12, 2012 2:36 PM

  WASHINGTON - Congress returns Tuesday to a crowded agenda of unfinished business overshadowed by the urgent need for President Barack Obama and lawmakers to avert the economic double hit of tax increases and automatic spending cuts. One week after the elections, Republicans and Democrats face a daunting task in a... more »

• Panetta: Aircraft not close to stop Libya attack

  November 9, 2012 2:19 PM

  WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Leon Panetta is telling Congress that the military did not have armed aircraft near Libya that could have helped defend against the Sept. 11 attack on the U.S. Consulate that killed Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans. In a letter to Republican Sen. John McCain... more »

• Obama: Wealthy must see higher taxes under plan

  November 9, 2012 12:33 PM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama says raising taxes on wealthiest Americans must be part of deficit reduction plan but says he is "open to compromise" and "new ideas." Obama says he will refuse to accept any approach that "isn't balanced." Obama says in his first public comments since the election... more »

• Boehner says debt limit should be part of talks

  November 9, 2012 10:54 AM

  WASHINGTON - House Speaker John Boehner says any deal to avert the so-called fiscal cliff should include lower tax rates, eliminating special interest loopholes and revising the tax code. Speaking to reporters Friday, the Ohio Republican insisted that changing the tax code and making it more efficient would lead to... more »