WBRZ - Baton Rouge

Tagged News

• 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 »

• President calls IRS targeting of conservative groups "outrageous"

  May 13, 2013 11:28 AM

  WASHINGTON, D.C. - President Obama is calling the IRS focus on conservative groups 'outrageous,' and says people are 'properly concerned' The IRS apologized Friday for scrutininzing the tax-exempt status of groups with conservative titles such as "Tea Party" or "Patriot" in their applications. The Democratic chairman of the... more »

• Miss. man in ricin case: 'I love my country'

  April 23, 2013 5:45 PM

  TUPELO, Miss. - A Mississippi man is speaking out now that charges have been dropped against him in an investigation of ricin-laced letters. Paul Kevin Curtis says he respects President Barack Obama, loves his country and that he "would never do anything to pose a threat." Curtis says this week... more »

• Family of man accused of sending ricin letters speaks

  April 19, 2013 11:38 AM

  OXFORD - The family of a man accused of mailing ricin-tainted letters to the president and a U.S. senator says they have tried for years to get him help for his mental illness. Jack Curtis issued a statement on behalf of the family of his brother, Paul Kevin Curtis, on... more »

• Attorney: Miss. man denies mailing suspected ricin

  April 18, 2013 1:23 PM

  OXFORD, Miss. - The man charged with mailing letters with suspected ricin to the president and others was surprised by his arrest and maintains he is innocent, according to his attorney. Paul Kevin Curtis appeared in a federal courtroom Thursday in Oxford, Miss., wearing shackles and a Johnny Cash T-shirt.... more »

• FBI: Early test shows ricin in Obama letter

  April 17, 2013 10:23 AM

  WASHINGTON - The FBI says the letters sent to President Barack Obama and Sen. Roger Wicker are related and are both postmarked out of Memphis, Tenn., dated April 8. In an intelligence bulletin obtained by The Associated Press, the FBI says the letters both say: "To see a wrong and... more »

• Obama to visit Boston on Thursday

  April 16, 2013 4:27 PM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama will visit Boston on Thursday, three days after a pair of deadly bombings at the Boston Marathon. Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick says Obama will be attending an interfaith service. Three people were killed at the marathon's finish line, including an 8-year-old boy. More than 170... more »

• Obama: Boston explosions investigated as terrorism

  April 16, 2013 10:41 AM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama says the explosions at the Boston Marathon are being investigated as an act of terror, although authorities still don't know who is responsible. He called the bombing "a heinous and cowardly act" used to target innocent civilians. Obama spoke to reporters at the White House... more »

• Obama pays $112k in 2012 taxes on $609k of income

  April 12, 2013 1:12 PM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama's 2012 tax returns show he and first lady Michelle Obama paid $112,214 in taxes last year on $608,611 in adjusted gross income. They paid an effective rate of 18.4 percent for their federal income taxes. The adjusted gross income figure is down from 2011, when... more »

• Obama: Budget shrinks deficits and expands economy

  April 10, 2013 10:18 AM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama is sending Congress a $3.8 trillion spending blueprint that strives to achieve a "grand bargain" to tame runaway deficits. It would raise taxes on the wealthy and trim popular benefit programs including as Social Security and Medicare. The president's budget projects deficit reductions of $1.8... more »

• Obama sending Congress long-awaited 2014 budget

  April 10, 2013 9:01 AM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama unveils a 2014 budget today that includes an additional $1.8 trillion in deficit reduction over the next decade. The $3.77 trillion spending blueprint he's sending to Congress proposes raising taxes on the wealthy and trimming benefit programs like Social Security and Medicare. But instead of... more »

• Moniz backs natural gas 'revolution'

  April 9, 2013 12:07 PM

  WASHINGTON- Ernest Moniz, chosen by President Barack Obama to lead the Energy Department, says he will push to increase use of natural gas as a way to combat climate change even as the nation seeks to boost domestic energy production. Moniz, a physics professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology,... more »

• Some Colo. sheriffs oppose more gun control

  April 3, 2013 10:21 AM

  DENVER - Some Colorado sheriffs are speaking out against any more gun control measures as President Barack Obama visits the state. Sixteen sheriffs, including Larimer County's Justin Smith and John Cooke of Weld County, plan to hold a news conference Wednesday in Denver. They'll gather in a park near where... more »

• President Obama signs disaster declaration for La.

  February 22, 2013 10:43 AM

  WASHINGTON, D.C. - President Barak Obama signed a major disaster declaration today for the state of Louisiana, freeing up federal funds to help pay for damage caused by flooding and storms last month. The funding will be available to state and eligible local governments, as well as certain nonprofit... more »

• Ky. inmate charged with threatening Obama family

  February 21, 2013 8:35 AM

  LOUISVILLE, Ky. - A Kentucky inmate is facing federal charges, accused of writing letters threatening the life of President Barack Obama, the first lady and their two daughters. A grand jury in Louisville on Wednesday charged Kentucky State Penitentiary Anthony D. Holliman with threatening the president and a second count... more »

• White House seeks 'balanced way' to budget fix

  February 17, 2013 10:15 AM

  WASHINGTON - The new White House chief of staff says President Barack Obama is concerned about the effect the automatic budget cuts scheduled for next month will have on America's middle class. Denis McDonough tells ABC's "This Week" that the economy has been getting stronger over the past few months.... more »

• Obama says gun violence killing too many children

  February 15, 2013 5:25 PM

  CHICAGO - President Barack Obama says that every four months, his hometown of Chicago suffers the loss of as many children as were killed in the Connecticut elementary school shooting. Obama says gun violence is taking too many children's lives, not just in mass shootings like the one in Newtown,... more »

• Obama wraps State of Union speech tour in Chicago

  February 15, 2013 7:25 AM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama is wrapping up his post-State of the Union tour by talking about how government can build what he calls "ladders of opportunity" into the middle class. During remarks Friday in Chicago, his hometown, Obama plans to discuss proposals to raise the federal minimum wage and... more »

• Energy secretary to skip State of Union address

  February 12, 2013 7:29 PM

  WASHINGTON - The White House says Energy Secretary Steven Chu will not attend President Barack Obama's State of the Union address. Traditionally, one Cabinet member does not travel to the House chamber for the speech in order to preserve the government and keep it functioning in case of a major... more »

• After speech, supporters to promote Obama agenda

  February 11, 2013 9:58 AM

  WASHINGTON - The White House and outside supporters of President Barack Obama are launching simultaneous social media, public outreach and fundraising campaigns tied to Tuesday's State of the Union address. The efforts will focus on jobs and the budget, gun control, immigration and climate change. The outreach reflects a decision... more »

• La. congressman pushes Shaw CEO for energy job

  February 4, 2013 4:55 PM

  BATON ROUGE - A Louisiana congressman is urging President Barack Obama to choose Shaw Group CEO and founder Jim Bernhard as his new energy secretary. Bernhard told News 2 last week that he was being considered to fill the position being vacated by Stephen Chu. And U.S. Rep. Rodney... more »

• Shaw Founder: "I am under consideration" for Energy Secretary Post

  February 1, 2013 2:00 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Shaw Group Founder Jim Bernhard told News 2 today he is up for consideration to replace Stephen Chu as the Secretary of the Department of Energy. He also said there are other names out there to become the country's next Secretary of Energy. Bernhard recently... more »

• Obama seeking immigration deal within 6 months

  January 30, 2013 6:16 PM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama says he's looking for immigration reform to be completed within six months. He tells the Spanish-language TV network Telemundo that a deal should be attainable this year, but he wants it done even sooner. He says that politics, not technical issues, are standing in 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 signs $50.5B Superstorm Sandy aid bill

  January 29, 2013 8:01 PM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama has signed into law a $50.5 billion emergency measure for Superstorm Sandy victims. Congress gave the measure its final approval late Monday. Obama signed it Tuesday night, minutes after returning to the White House from a visit to Nevada. It took Congress three months after... 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 »

• Court: Obama appointments are unconstitutional

  January 25, 2013 10:08 AM

  WASHINGTON - A federal appeals court has ruled that President Barack Obama violated the Constitution when he bypassed the Senate to fill vacancies on a labor relations panel. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit says Obama did not have the power to make recess appointments last... more »

• White House says Obama supports women in combat

  January 24, 2013 3:50 PM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama says allowing women to serve in combat marks another step toward the country's founding ideals of fairness and equality. Obama says in a written statement he expressed strong support for the decision to Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, who lifted the combat ban Thursday. Obama says... more »

• Band backs off statement that Beyonce lip synced

  January 22, 2013 4:18 PM

  WASHINGTON - The U.S. Marine Corps is backing off statements that Beyonce lip-synced the national anthem during her performance at President Barack Obama's inauguration. The Marine Corps issued a statement Tuesday saying it determined that a live performance by the Marine Band was ill advised because there was no opportunity... more »

• Obama joins inaugural parade as he begins 2nd term

  January 21, 2013 2:42 PM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama has joined the inaugural parade from Capitol Hill to the White House celebrating the start of his second term. Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and their families were among more than 8,800 people, floats and marching bands participating in the late-starting parade that passed before... more »

• Obama speaks of 'limitless' possibilities for U.S.

  January 21, 2013 10:27 AM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama has begun his second term by declaring that the nation's "possibilities are limitless." Speaking before a flag-waving crowd of hundreds of thousands on the National Mall, Obama said a decade of war is ending, and the nation's economy is recovering. Moments after taking the oath... more »

• Inauguration Day marks rare intersection with King

  January 18, 2013 10:26 AM

  ATLANTA - This year, the memory of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and the life of President Barack Obama will overlap significantly for a day. For only the second time, the presidential inauguration falls on the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. holiday. Some King commemorations are being shuffled while... more »

• Will Obama's order lead to surge in gun research?

  January 17, 2013 3:46 PM

  MILWAUKEE - Researchers say that President Barack Obama's order to encourage use of federal money to study gun violence may help lead to more knowledge about how to prevent firearm injuries and deaths. About 30,000 Americans die from gun violence each year, nearly the same number as from car crashes.... more »

• Obama taking 23 actions aimed at gun violence

  January 16, 2013 11:18 AM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama is taking 23 executive actions aimed at curbing gun violence that don't require congressional action, including measures to encourage schools to hire police officers, increase research on gun violence and improve efforts to prosecute gun crime. The executive actions are part of an overarching... more »

• Obama unveils $500 million gun violence package

  January 16, 2013 11:03 AM

  WASHINGTON - Even as he uses his executive powers to enact 23 measures that don't require the approval of Congress, President Barack Obama says there's only so much he can do to reduce gun violence unless lawmakers act. He says that's what it will take to make a "real and... more »

• Newtown families invited to Obama gun control event

  January 16, 2013 10:20 AM

  WASHINGTON - Families of the victims of last month's shooting attack at a Connecticut elementary school have been invited to the White House today to see President Barack Obama outline an effort aimed at reducing gun violence. Obama's ideas include bans on military-style assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines --... more »

• Obama to outline action against gun violence tomorrow

  January 15, 2013 1:05 PM

  WASHINGTON - Just a little more than a month since the Connecticut school massacre, President Barack Obama tomorrow will be unveiling his proposals to fight gun violence. The White House says he and Vice President Joe Biden will be joined by children who wrote the president letters after the Newtown... 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 »

• Lifetime Secret Service protection for former presidents

  January 10, 2013 7:25 PM

  President Obama singed a law that grants lifetime Secret Service protection to former presidents and their wives. It applies to presidents elected after January 1, 1997 and reverses a law that ended protection ten years after a president left office. The protection could have only been extended on a temporary... more »

• Biden says consensus emerging on gun safety

  January 10, 2013 11:52 AM

  WASHINGTON - Vice President Joe Biden says he will deliver recommendations to President Barack Obama on steps to curb violence by Tuesday. Biden says a consensus is emerging over proposals such as tightening background checks and banning high-capacity ammunition magazines. Biden told a group of sportsmen and wildlife interest groups... more »

• Obama, Karzai to meet in Washington on Friday

  January 7, 2013 6:25 PM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama will host Afghan President Hamid Karzai at the White House on Friday. It's the first in-person meeting for the two leaders since Obama won re-election. His victory meant the continuation of his administration's plans to bring the U.S.-led war in Afghanistan to a close by... more »

• Obama taps homeland security aide to head CIA

  January 7, 2013 5:47 PM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama has tapped White House homeland security adviser John Brennan as his nominee to lead the Central Intelligence Agency. Obama on Monday appeared with Brennan in the East Room of the White House to name him as his pick to succeed former CIA chief David Petraeus,... more »

• Obama: Hagel 'leader our troops deserve'

  January 7, 2013 5:44 PM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama says Chuck Hagel, his choice as the new secretary of defense, is "the leader that our troops deserve." Obama formally announced his choice of Hagel in the White House East Room on Monday even as critics questioned the pick over issues including Hagel's views on... more »

• Obama '08 campaign fined $375,000 by FEC

  January 4, 2013 4:32 PM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama's 2008 campaign has been fined $375,000 by the Federal Election Commission for reporting violations related to a set of donations received during the final days of the campaign. The fines are among the largest ever levied on a presidential campaign by the FEC and stem... more »

• Lawyer re-nominated for federal judgeship in B.R.

  January 4, 2013 10:45 AM

  BATON ROUGE - President Barack Obama has re-nominated Shelly Deckert Dick to fill a vacancy on the federal bench in Baton Rouge. Dick, a Baton Rouge attorney, originally was nominated in April 2012. She is one of 33 candidates for federal judgeships who were re-nominated Thursday by Obama. Obama said... more »

• Kerry prepping for secretary of state confirmation

  January 3, 2013 1:25 PM

  WASHINGTON - The State Department says Sen. John Kerry, who President Barack Obama has nominated to be the next secretary of state, has started meeting with diplomatic staff to prepare for his confirmation. State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland says Kerry was at the department's Foggy Bottom headquarters Wednesday. She says... more »

• Obama urges action on Sandy aid

  January 2, 2013 11:04 AM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama is calling for House Republicans to vote Wednesday on Hurricane Sandy aid "without delay for our fellow Americans." It comes as New York lawmakers are lashing out at a decision by House GOP leaders not to hold a vote in the current Congress. Obama says... 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 »

• Senate leaders in last-ditch fiscal cliff talks

  December 28, 2012 4:36 PM

  WASHINGTON - The Senate's top Democrat and Republican say they're entering last-minute talks with the White House aimed at avoiding the fiscal cliff. Majority Leader Harry Reid and GOP leader Mitch McConnell gave the relatively upbeat assessment after the duo and top House leaders had what McConnell called a "good"... 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 »

• 'Fiscal cliff' leaves Boehner a wounded speaker

  December 22, 2012 10:14 AM

  WASHINGTON - John Boehner is a bloodied House speaker following the startling setback his own Republican troops dealt him in their "fiscal cliff" struggle with President Barack Obama. There's plenty of internal grumbling about the Ohio Republican, especially among conservatives, and lots of buzzing about whether his leadership post is... more »

• Congress completes $633B defense bill

  December 21, 2012 2:41 PM

  WASHINGTON- Congress has completed a $633 billion defense bill for next year and is sending it to President Barack Obama. The Senate voted 81-14 for the sweeping policy measure. The White House has threatened a veto, but it remains unclear whether the president would reject the legislation. The bill covers... more »

• Obama pressing for policy changes after shooting

  December 19, 2012 11:22 AM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama is asking a team led by Vice President Joe Biden to offer "concrete proposals" to curb gun violence no later than January, in the aftermath of the horrific massacre at a Connecticut elementary school. Obama says after he receives recommendations from Biden's group, he will... more »

• Sources: New Obama offer moves toward Boehner

  December 17, 2012 6:37 PM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama has proposed a deficit-reduction package to House Speaker John Boehner that would increase the top tax rates on taxpayers earning more than $400,000, cut more spending from health care programs and add $200 billion more in spending cuts over 10 years to his earlier offer.... more »

• Electoral College set to affirm Obama re-election

  December 17, 2012 1:54 PM

  ST. PAUL, Minn. - Tradition trumped suspense Monday as members of the Electoral College cast the official, final votes in the 2012 presidential election, a constitutional formality on President Barack Obama's march to a second term. The rite playing in state capitols involved party luminaries and tireless activists carrying out... more »

• Obama, Boehner meeting at the White House

  December 17, 2012 10:46 AM

  WASHINGTON - A White House official says President Barack Obama and House Speaker John Boehner are meeting at the White House to discuss the pending fiscal cliff and deficit reduction. The meeting comes as Boehner is offering $1 trillion in higher tax revenue over 10 years and an increase in... more »

• Obama to address nation about school shooting

  December 14, 2012 2:01 PM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama will speak from the White House briefing room about the mass shooting at a Connecticut elementary school. The president's comments will be at 3:15 EST Friday. They will be his first on the incident, which has left at least 27 people dead, including 18 children.... more »

• Obama briefed on Connecticut shooting

  December 14, 2012 12:47 PM

  WASHINGTON - The White House says President Barack Obama has been briefed on a shooting at a Connecticut elementary school Friday morning. Press Secretary Jay Carney says the president was first informed about the incident by his counterterrorism adviser John Brennan. Carney says Obama will continue to receive regular updates... more »

• Obama re-election protest leads to punishment

  December 13, 2012 7:34 PM

  Some students who protested the re-election victory of President Obama over Mitt Romney were punished at Hampton-Sydney College in Virginia. One student was expelled and three others were placed on probation. The four were found guilty by a student court of violating the school's code of conduct by participating in... more »

• Obama, Boehner to meet on 'fiscal cliff'

  December 13, 2012 3:14 PM

  WASHINGTON - The White House says President Barack Obama will meet with House Speaker John Boehner later Thursday at the White House amid negotiations on the "fiscal cliff." The meeting comes as Boehner has accused Obama of dragging out negotiations on any agreement to avoid a series of wide-ranging tax... 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 »

• Boehner: Differences remain in fiscal cliff talks

  December 12, 2012 1:41 PM

  WASHINGTON - Talks between the White House and House Speaker John Boehner on a deal to avoid the "fiscal cliff" continue out of the public eye. But public statements from lawmakers suggest a deal is not close. Boehner himself says "serious differences" remain between him and President Barack Obama. The... more »

• Utah Gov asks Obama to approve state's exchange

  December 11, 2012 2:31 PM

  SALT LAKE CITY - Utah Governor Gary Herbert is asking President Barack Obama to approve the state's health insurance exchange and declare that it meets the requirements of the federal health overhaul. Herbert sent the letter Tuesday ahead of Friday's deadline for states to decide if they'll do their own... more »

• Obama 'won't compromise,' but holds back on GOP criticism

  December 10, 2012 3:26 PM

  REDFORD, Mich. - President Barack Obama says he "won't compromise" on his demands that the wealthiest Americans pay more in taxes. However, Obama held back from directly criticizing Republicans for opposing his tax plans, perhaps signaling that private negotiations over the "fiscal cliff" are showing progress. Obama and Boehner met... more »

• Obama tax plan no small deal to small businesses

  December 10, 2012 2:47 PM

  WASHINGTON - Congressional budget experts say President Barack Obama's plan to raise taxes on top earners will have only a small impact on the economy. Don't tell that to the 940,000 small business owners who will pay more. All together, they will account for more than half the $1.3 trillion... more »

• Congressional aides: Obama asks $60.4B Sandy aid

  December 7, 2012 4:20 PM

  WASHINGTON - Congressional aides say President Barack Obama is asking Congress to approve $60.4 billion in federal aid for New York, New Jersey and other states hit by Super Storm Sandy in late October. The formal paperwork is expected to be sent to Congress later today or early next week.... more »

• Corporate money to help pay for Obama inauguration

  December 7, 2012 12:44 PM

  WASHINGTON - In a reversal from four years ago, President Barack Obama will accept unlimited sums of corporate money to pay for his inauguration. A spokeswoman for the Presidential Inaugural Committee said Friday that it will accept cash from companies and individuals to underwrite the costs of a weekend of... more »

• Boehner: No progress in fiscal cliff talks

  December 7, 2012 10:28 AM

  WASHINGTON - House Speaker John Boehner says there's been no progress in negotiations on how to avoid the fiscal cliff of tax hikes and spending cuts and called on President Barack Obama to come up with a new offer. Boehner told reporters outside his Capitol Hill office Friday that the... more »

• Obama, Boehner speak by phone on fiscal cliff

  December 5, 2012 4:37 PM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama and House Speaker John Boehner discussed the fiscal cliff Wednesday in a telephone call. It followed several days of political sparring over steps to prevent a year-end series of tax increases and spending cuts. The call raises the possibility that negotiations will soon resume between... more »

• Obama addresses CEOs, Native American leaders

  December 5, 2012 7:25 AM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama speaks to business leaders Wednesday morning amid the debate over how to avoid the fiscal cliff. Obama also plans to answer questions from members of the Business Roundtable, an association of chief executive officers of leading U.S. companies. The group has been urging... more »

• Obama: No fiscal cliff deal without higher rates

  December 4, 2012 12:35 PM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama says there will be no deal to avert the "fiscal cliff" unless Republicans drop their opposition to raising tax rates on the wealthiest Americans. However, Obama is signaling flexibility on where the rates eventually wind up. Obama says he knows he won't get everything that... more »

• Study: Drug coverage to vary under health law

  December 4, 2012 10:25 AM

  WASHINGTON - A new study says basic prescription drug coverage could vary dramatically from state to state under President Barack Obama's health care overhaul. That's because states get to set benefits for private health plans that will be offered starting in 2014 through new insurance exchanges. The study out Tuesday... more »

• White House rejects GOP fiscal cliff counteroffer

  December 3, 2012 4:47 PM

  WASHINGTON - The White House is rejecting a Republican counteroffer aimed at averting the "fiscal cliff," saying it does not meet what the White House calls "the test of balance." White House communications director Dan Pfeiffer says the GOP proposal would lower tax rates for the wealthy and stick the... more »

• Feds propose fee on health insurers in new market

  November 30, 2012 3:58 PM

  WASHINGTON - Health insurance companies will have to pay to play in new health insurance markets coming under President Barack Obama's health care law. The federal Health and Human Services department said Friday it is proposing a "user fee" amounting to 3.5 percent of premiums for health insurers who want... more »

• Obama, Boehner seem far apart on fiscal cliff

  November 30, 2012 3:51 PM

  HATFIELD, Pa. - President Barack Obama and House Speaker John Boehner don't sound close to a deal to avoid that "fiscal cliff" of tax hikes and spending cuts due to hit in January. Boehner says negotiations are going "almost nowhere" right now. He says Obama's proposal to avoid the fiscal... 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 »

• Obama to paint Republicans as obstacles to a deal

  November 30, 2012 7:47 AM

  WASHINGTON - During his visit to the Philadelphia area today, President Barack Obama is planning on insisting on higher taxes for the top two percent of earners. That's according to White House officials, who say Obama will cast Republicans as an obstacle to a deal that would avoid the "fiscal... 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 »

• First cracks in GOP resolve on tax rates

  November 28, 2012 10:20 AM

  WASHINGTON - The first cracks are developing among Republicans over whether to accept a quick deal with President Barack Obama on allowing the top two income tax rates to expire. Conservative Oklahoma GOP Rep. Tom Cole has told GOP colleagues that it's better to make sure that tax cuts for... more »

• Obama to meet with Romney tomorrow

  November 28, 2012 10:19 AM

  WASHINGTON - A private lunch at the White House tomorrow will be the first meeting between President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney since their last debate. Obama had promised in his victory speech earlier this month that he would engage with Romney following their bitter campaign, and that he would... 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 »

• Jesse Jackson Jr. submits letter of resignation

  November 21, 2012 1:51 PM

  WASHINGTON - A spokesman for House Speaker John Boehner says he has received letter of resignation from Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. Boehner's spokesman Michael Steel said Wednesday the Speaker's office received a letter of resignation from Jackson. Boehner's office did not immediately comment beyond acknowledging they'd received the letter. Jackson... more »

• Officials describe tense meeting with Cambodian leader

  November 19, 2012 12:08 PM

  PHNOM PENH, Cambodia - The White House is describing as tense today's meeting between President Barack Obama and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen. Obama is the first U.S. president to set foot in Cambodia, a country that was once known for the "killing fields" of its genocidal communist regime in... more »

• Fiscal talks under way, Obama heads to SE Asia

  November 16, 2012 2:52 PM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama is about to head off to Southeast Asia to showcase a foreign policy achievement in Myanmar and reinforce the U.S. role as a counterweight to China. The four-day trip beginning Saturday will provide a brief break from dicey fiscal negotiations and a national security sex... more »

• Obama hopes to meet with Romney before year's out

  November 14, 2012 2:18 PM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama says he hasn't yet scheduled a meeting with Republican Mitt Romney. At a news conference Wednesday, Obama said he hopes to have the chance to talk with Romney before the end of the year. Obama said the election was only a week ago, and that... more »

• Obama: Immigration reform to start early next year

  November 14, 2012 2:14 PM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama says America must "seize the moment" to seek an overhaul of the immigration system and he expects that work to start soon after his inauguration for a second term. In his first news conference after winning re-election, Obama says conversations are already taking place among... 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 »

• States get more time to work on health care plans

  November 9, 2012 3:49 PM

  WASHINGTON - Many states are still on the fence about President Barack Obama's health care law. Now the administration says governors can have more time. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said in a letter to governors Friday that she still wants to hear by the end of next... more »

• Obama will ask Congress to act

  November 9, 2012 9:36 AM

  WASHINGTON - Will he stand tough, or offer a compromise? Democrats and Republicans are waiting to see what kind of tone President Barack Obama will set as he talks today about the approaching "fiscal cliff" and the need to work out a deal with Congress to avoid automatic tax... more »

• State lawmakers looking for compromise with federal health care plan Play Video

  November 8, 2012 5:51 PM

  BATON ROUGE- Some state lawmakers hope Governor Bobby Jindal will help work through issues with President Obama's healthcare reforms, now that the election is over. The health care plan is aimed at guaranteeing health care coverage for the uninsured, among other reforms. Governor Jindal had previously stated he... more »

• Gun sales up following election Play Video

  November 8, 2012 5:45 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Two days after President Barack Obama was reelected to his second term, some gun stores have seen increased sales, especially for high powered rifles. Gun enthusiasts are fearful another assault weapon ban is looming, so there's a run on everything. C.J. Hebert, owner of Hebert... more »

• Obama must work with status-quo Congress to avert financial crisis

  November 7, 2012 11:24 AM

  WASHINGTON - With a second term ahead of him, President Barack Obama faces the urgent task of working with Congress to address an impending financial crisis that economists say could send the country back into recession. Automatic tax increases and across-the-board spending cuts known as the "fiscal cliff" are set... more »