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• Bridge fails, falls into river with vehicles and people

  May 23, 2013 10:11 PM

  NEAR SEATTLE, Wash.- Cars and people are reportedly in the water after a bridge over a river collapsed Thursday evening. An unknown number of people were injured when the Interstate 5 Bridge over the Skagit River apparently failed. Authorities said the bridge fell sometime before 7 p.m. (Washington... more »

• Stanley Cup play resumes

  May 6, 2013 10:26 AM

  UNDATED - The Washington Capitals are looking to take a 3-0 lead tonight in their best-of-seven first-round NHL playoff series with New York's Rangers. The Caps won the opening games on their own ice and tonight must face the New Yorkers in Madison Square Garden. Following tonight's game, they'll... more »

• Close vote seen on background checks on gun buyers

  April 15, 2013 7:52 AM

  WASHINGTON - Sponsors of a bipartisan Senate proposal to expand background checks for gun buyers say this week's expected vote is too close to call. Arizona Republican John McCain, whose home state experienced the Tucson 2011 rampage that wounded then-Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, says a lot more needs to be done... more »

• Gun background check deal close

  April 10, 2013 8:51 AM

  WASHINGTON - Two senators who've been working on gun control legislation are expected to announce today that they've reached a compromise. West Virginia Democrat Joe Manchin and Republican Patrick Toomey of Pennsylvania have been looking at expanding federal background checks to include purchases at gun shows and online. Right now,... 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 »

• Federal lawmakers support Internet sales taxes

  March 22, 2013 8:33 PM

  WASHINGTON- Senators supported a law, giving states the power to collect taxes on purchases you make on the Internet. The Nonbinding vote could pave the way for a proposal later this year. Nationally, states miss out on an estimated $20 billion in sales taxes. Louisiana loses about $800... more »

• Wall has season-high 29; Wizards top Hornets by 9

  March 15, 2013 8:42 PM

  WASHINGTON - John Wall put on a rare shooting show Friday night, scoring a season-high 29 points and matching his career high with three 3-pointers as the Washington Wizards ran their home winning streak to four with a 96-87 victory over the New Orleans Hornets. Wall went 12 for 15... more »

• LSU baseball posts 14th victory, 8-4 over Washington

  March 9, 2013 9:48 PM

  BATON ROUGE - LSU(14-1) cruised to their second win of the weekend on the back of Mason Katz's two home runs, five RBI night. The Tigers have now outscored the Huskies 17-8 through two games. LSU will take on Washington for the third game of the series 1pm... more »

• LSU vs Washington for Friday at the Box

  March 8, 2013 10:51 AM

  BATON ROUGE - The Tigers kick off this weekend's three-game series against Washington tonight for Friday at the Box, hoping to extend their winning record. It's the last non-conference weekend for third-ranked LSU (12-1) before they face Mississippi State March 15 to start SEC play. LSU has won... more »

• Winter snowstorm heads toward DC

  March 6, 2013 7:46 AM

  HAGERSTOWN, Md. - After pummeling the nation's midsection with heavy snow, a late-winter storm is converging on the nation's capital. Mid-Atlantic residents are bracing for snarled traffic, power outages, and school and government shutdowns. The National Weather Service is predicting snow accumulations of 3 to 7 inches in... more »

• JUST IN: Hugo Chavez dead at 58

  March 5, 2013 4:14 PM

  VENEZUELA- Hugo Chavez, the country's president has died. The vice-president announced his death late Tuesday afternoon. Chavez had been undergoing cancer treatment, and had surgery as recently as December. Chavez was 58-years-old. Check back HERE for more on this developing story and watch WBRZ News 2... 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 »

• Obama: may take weeks, months to fix budget mess

  March 1, 2013 11:07 AM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama says it may take a couple of weeks or a couple of months to reach a deal to end Washington's battle over spending cuts. The president spoke after meeting with congressional leaders at the White House on $85 billion in automatic spending cuts that go... more »

• US 4Q bank earnings up 37 pct.; highest in 6 years

  February 26, 2013 9:07 AM

  WASHINGTON- Profits of U.S. banks jumped almost 37 percent from October through December, reaching the highest level in six years as banks continued to step up lending. The figures are fresh evidence of the banking industry's sustained recovery more than four years after the financial crisis. The Federal Deposit Insurance... more »

• O'Brien to headline correspondents' dinner

  February 20, 2013 10:35 AM

  WASHINGTON - The White House Correspondents' Association announced today that late night talk show host Conan O'Brien will be the featured act for its annual dinner. Association president Ed Henry called O'Brien "one of television's most innovative and influential talents." President Obama and first lady Michelle Obama traditionally... more »

• High court reject's rapper C-Murder's appeal

  February 19, 2013 9:03 AM

  WASHINGTON- The Supreme Court has passed up another chance to deal with an anomaly of constitutional law that requires federal juries to reach unanimous verdicts in criminal cases, but allows states to make different rules. The court on Tuesday rejected the appeal of the rapper known as C-Murder, who is... more »

• First Lady plugs 'Beasts of the Southern Wild'

  February 13, 2013 11:12 AM

  WASHINGTON- The Oscar-nominated film "Beasts of the Southern Wild" received the First Lady's endorsement. Michelle Obama played host Wednesday at a White House workshop for about 80 middle- and high-school students from the District of Columbia and New Orleans. Students saw the film, which was shot in Louisiana, then got... more »

• Energy Secretary Chu to step down

  February 1, 2013 10:58 AM

  WASHINGTON- Energy Secretary Steven Chu is stepping down. The Energy Department said Friday Chu has offered his resignation to President Barack Obama. Chu won a Nobel Prize in physics but came under questioning for his handling of a solar energy loan. Chu is a former director of the Lawrence Berkeley... more »

• AP Interview: Clinton raps her Benghazi critics

  February 1, 2013 5:17 AM

  WASHINGTON - Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton is leaving office with a slap at critics of the Obama administration's handling of the September attack on a U.S. diplomatic mission in Libya. She says they don't live in an "evidenced-based world" and that their refusal to accept the administration's statements... more »

• Teen perfomer at inaugural events fatally shot

  January 30, 2013 10:45 AM

  CHICAGO - A 15-year-old majorette who performed at some of President Barack Obama's recent inauguration festivities has been shot to death in Chicago. Police say Hadiya Pendleton was shot in the back Tuesday in a South Side park and died at a city hospital. Authorities say Hadiya was one of... more »

• Abortion opponents to march in Washington

  January 25, 2013 2:36 PM

  WASHINGTON- Thousands of anti-abortion demonstrators are marching through Washington to the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court to protest the landmark decision that legalized abortion. Crowds held signs and chanted Friday on the National Mall and surrounding streets for the March for Life. The demonstration this year coincides with the... more »

• Images suggest North Korea ready for nuke test

  January 25, 2013 11:51 AM

  WASHINGTON- A U.S. research institute says recent satellite photos show North Korea could be almost ready to carry out its threat to conduct a nuclear test. The images of the Punggye-ri site, where nuclear tests were conducted in 2006 and 2009, reveal that over the past month, roads have been... more »

• Obama picks Mary Jo White to lead SEC

  January 24, 2013 11:07 AM

  WASHINGTON - The White House says President Barack Obama will nominate Mary Jo White as chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission this afternoon. White served for nearly a decade as the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, building a reputation as a tough prosecutor with an... more »

• Biden meets with Democrats, stoking 2016 chatter

  January 22, 2013 12:01 PM

  WASHINGTON - Joe Biden in 2016? The vice president is stoking speculation that he may be laying groundwork for a presidential campaign with a series of meetings with Democratic supporters throughout the long weekend of inauguration festivities. Biden was meeting with delegates from the Democratic National Committee during a private... more »

• US home sales rose to 5-year high in 2012

  January 22, 2013 9:04 AM

  WASHINGTON- U.S. sales of previously occupied homes rose in 2012 to their highest level in five years, spurred higher by record-low mortgage rates and steady hiring. The National Association of Realtors says sales reached 4.65 million last year. That's up 9.2 percent from 2011 and most since 2007. Sales are... 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 speech sets stage for looming policy fights

  January 21, 2013 6:44 AM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama has prepared a second inaugural address that broadly lays out his vision for the country's future while leaving the details of the policy fights over taxes, guns, immigration and other divisive issues for another day. White House aides say the president will not make a... more »

• Government again delays proposed 'fracking' rule

  January 18, 2013 5:42 PM

  WASHINGTON - The Interior Department is again delaying a proposed rule that would require companies drilling for oil and natural gas on federal lands to publicly disclose chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing operations. The Obama administration first proposed a "fracking" rule last May, with a final rule expected by the... more »

• GOP official: House to vote on delaying debt limit

  January 18, 2013 12:04 PM

  WASHINGTON - A Republican official says the GOP-controlled House will vote next week to permit the government to borrow more money to meets its obligations. Full details aren't settled yet, but the move is aimed at giving the government about three more months of borrowing authority beyond a deadline expected... more »

• FAA grounds Boeing 787s to address battery fires

  January 16, 2013 5:56 PM

  WASHINGTON - Federal officials say they are temporarily grounding Boeing's 787 Dreamliners until the risk of possible battery fires is addressed. The Federal Aviation Administration said Wednesday it will issue an emergency safety order requiring airlines to temporarily cease operating the 787, Boeing's newest and most technologically advanced plane. The... 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 »

• White House calls NRA video repugnant, cowardly

  January 16, 2013 10:56 AM

  WASHINGTON - The White House says a National Rifle Association video referencing President Barack Obama's daughters is "repugnant and cowardly." Obama spokesman Jay Carney says most Americans agree that a president's children should not be used as "pawns in a political fight." Carney was referring to an online video from... 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 »

• US taps pension fund to avoid passing debt limit

  January 15, 2013 5:46 PM

  WASHINGTON - Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner says the government has begun borrowing from the federal employee pension fund to keep operating without surpassing its debt limit. Geithner says in a letter to congressional leaders that the move will free up $156 billion in borrowing authority while Congress debates increasing the... 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, Karzai agree to speed military transition

  January 11, 2013 4:08 PM

  WASHINGTON - Within a few months, U.S. troops in Afghanistan will be shifting to a support role, letting Afghanistan's own troops take the lead in providing for the security of their country. The accelerated timetable was announced today by President Barack Obama and Afghan President Hamid Karzai after a meeting... more »

• NRA vows to defend gun rights after WH meeting

  January 10, 2013 3:24 PM

  WASHINGTON - The nation's largest gun-rights lobby says some participants at its White House meeting seemed more interested in demonizing the Second Amendment than keeping students safe. The National Rifle Association met with Vice President Joe Biden's school safety study group on Thursday and afterward said the participants spent most... more »

• Christian group lists the world's worst persecutors

  January 8, 2013 6:34 PM

  WASHINGTON - North Korea continues to be the worst country in the world to be a Christian, according to the new World Watch List released by Open Doors USA. The list ranks North Korea as the world's worst persecutor of Christians for the 11th year in a row, followed by... more »

• Squatter warmed up in crawlspace of Wash home

  January 8, 2013 12:37 PM

  YELM, Wash. - A heating repairman had good news and bad news for Washington state homeowner Velma Kellen. The good news was he had fixed her heating ducts after she reported her furnace was failing to heat the house. The bad news: Someone was living in a crawlspace under the... more »

• Unusual respite from surging health care costs

  January 7, 2013 3:58 PM

  WASHINGTON - The government says Americans kept health care spending in check for three consecutive years. It's an unusual respite, since health care usually surges ahead of overall economic growth. Will the relief linger? That's not clear. It could fade if jobs come roaring back as the economy recovers. The... 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 »

• US economy adds 155K jobs, rate stays at 7.8 pct.

  January 4, 2013 3:13 PM

  WASHINGTON - The U.S. job market proved resilient in December despite fears that the economy would tumble over the fiscal cliff. The Labor Department reports employers added 155,000 jobs, roughly matching the solid but unspectacular monthly pace of the past two years. The gains were not enough to reduce unemployment... 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 »

• FTC: Google to license patents, exclude snippets

  January 3, 2013 12:25 PM

  WASHINGTON - U.S. antitrust regulators say they have found no evidence to claims that Google unfairly favors its own services in search results. The Federal Trade Commission also says Google is agreeing to license patents deemed to be "essential" for rival mobile devices such as Apple Inc.'s iPhone and iPad.... more »

• Red states, too, get health care nod from Obama

  January 3, 2013 11:10 AM

  WASHINGTON- Some bipartisan cooperation may finally be breaking out in the nation's contentious battle over health care overhaul. The Obama administration announced Thursday that four red states are on the list of those getting the initial go-ahead to build their own health insurance marketplaces. Open enrollment for millions... 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 »

• Clinton leaves hospital after treatment for clot

  January 2, 2013 5:50 PM

  WASHINGTON - Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton has been released from a New York hospital where she was treated for a blood clot in her head. Clinton spokesman Philippe Reines says her doctors advised her that she has been making progress on all fronts and are confident she will... 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 »

• 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 »

• Dems want House vote on Senate-passed 'cliff' deal

  January 1, 2013 2:42 PM

  WASHINGTON - House Democratic leaders are pressing Speaker John Boehner to let the House vote on the Senate-approved bipartisan compromise that would avert much of the impact of the so-called fiscal cliff. Following a nearly three-hour private meeting Tuesday between Vice President Joe Biden and House Democratic lawmakers, Minority Leader... more »

• GOP leader Cantor opposes Senate 'cliff' bill

  January 1, 2013 2:39 PM

  WASHINGTON - The No. 2 Republican in the House leadership says he opposes a Senate-passed measure to avert the so-called fiscal cliff. Virginia Rep. Eric Cantor told reporters after a two-hour closed-door meeting Tuesday with his GOP lawmakers that he did not support the bill. He said House leaders were... 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 »

• 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 »

• Doctors: Blood clot located in Clinton's head

  December 31, 2012 4:21 PM

  WASHINGTON - Doctors treating Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton for a blood clot say the clot formed in her head but they stress that they are confident she will make a full recovery. In an update Monday on Clinton's condition, her doctors say the blood clot did not result... 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 »

• Minimum wage gap grows wider between states

  December 31, 2012 2:20 PM

  OLYMPIA, Wash.- Hundreds of thousands of workers are set to get a pay raise to start 2013, as 10 states increase their minimum wage. Washington state will again lead the way Tuesday, raising its starting salary to $9.19 an hour. Washington was first to adopt automatic adjustments in 1998 to... more »

• McConnell: 2 sides close on 'fiscal cliff' deal

  December 31, 2012 2:06 PM

  WASHINGTON- Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell says he and the White House have agreed on preventing tax hikes that the "fiscal cliff" will trigger after midnight. And he says they are very close to an overall deal that would also prevent budget-wide spending cuts. The Kentucky Republican did not provide... more »

• Obama invites congressional leaders to cliff talk

  December 27, 2012 11:18 PM

  WASHINGTON - With the "fiscal cliff" clock winding down, President Barack Obama will meet with congressional leaders at the White House on Friday. The last-minute gathering will apparently attempt to reach a compromise to avoid a year-end across-the-board tax increases and deep spending cuts. Word of the meeting came after... more »

• House to return to session Sunday evening

  December 27, 2012 2:37 PM

  WASHINGTON- The House will be back in session Sunday evening as the "fiscal cliff" looms, threatening across-the-board tax increases and spending cuts with the new year. Officials said the Republican leadership informed the GOP rank and file of the plan to meet during a conference call Thursday. It is unclear... more »

• Still no movement on fiscal cliff

  December 27, 2012 8:02 AM

  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama will be back in Washington this morning, after a brief holiday vacation in Hawaii. The president and lawmakers are running out of time to work out an agreement to stave off the across-the-board tax increases and budget cuts that are set to take effect next... 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 »

• Obama's 2nd inauguration to draw smaller crowds

  December 26, 2012 6:09 AM

  WASHINGTON - With second inaugurations tending to draw fewer spectators, finding a place to stay in Washington this year won't be nearly as difficult as in 2009. Inauguration-goers have a range of lodging options, from reasonably priced rooms to ones that cost thousands of dollars a night. City... 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 »

• Boehner plans vote on backup proposal

  December 19, 2012 1:28 PM

  WASHINGTON - As the country continues to creep closer to the so-called "fiscal cliff," House Speaker John Boehner is planning a vote on his backup proposal tomorrow. "Plan B," as it's called, would block tax increases from being triggered Jan. 1 on everyone but those whose incomes exceed $1 million.... more »

• Petraeus mistress won't face cyberstalking charge

  December 18, 2012 10:55 AM

  WASHINGTON - The Justice Department is dropping its investigation into whether David Petraeus' mistress, Paula Broadwell, stalked a romantic rival online. Broadwell's lawyer, Robert Muse, gave The Associated Press a letter from U.S. Attorney Robert O'Neill that says no federal charges will be brought in Florida related to "alleged acts... 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 »

• Sen. Daniel Inouye of Hawaii dead at 88

  December 17, 2012 5:14 PM

  WASHINGTON - Influential Sen. Daniel Inouye, a World War II veteran and Medal of Honor recipient, has died. The Democrat from Hawaii broke racial barriers on Capitol Hill and played key roles in congressional investigations of the Watergate and Iran-Contra scandals. He had served in the Senate for 50 years... 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 »

• UPDATE: Law enforcement named wrong Lanza as shooter

  December 14, 2012 3:15 PM

  WASHINGTON - A law enforcement official says the suspect in the Connecticut school shootings is 20-year-old Adam Lanza, the son of a teacher at the school where the shootings occurred. A second law enforcement official says the boy's mother, Nancy Lanza, is presumed dead. The first official says Adam Lanza's... more »

• Kerry believed to be new Secy. of State choice

  December 14, 2012 10:59 AM

  WASHINGTON - He wasn't successful in his presidential bid eight years ago, but John Kerry may now be getting another job he's been hoping for. The Massachusetts senator is now considered the front-runner to replace Hillary Rodham Clinton as secretary of state. This, after U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice dropped out... more »

• Rice removes name from consideration to be secretary of State

  December 13, 2012 3:54 PM

  WASHINGTON - Susan Rice has withdrawn her name from consideration to be the next secretary of state after the embattled U.N. ambassador ran into a standoff with Republicans over an attack on Americans in Libya. President Barack Obama, in a statement, said he accepted Rice's decision to remove her name... 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 »

• Pelosi says time running out for fiscal cliff deal

  December 13, 2012 10:45 AM

  WASHINGTON - House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi says a deal must be reached "in the next couple of days or the very beginning of next week" to avoid the fiscal cliff of automatic tax hikes and spending cuts. The California Democrat criticized Republican House leaders for sending lawmakers home on... more »

• Senate Dems offer Sandy disaster aid package

  December 12, 2012 3:56 PM

  WASHINGTON - Senate Democrats have quickly cobbled together a $60.4 billion disaster aid package for New York, New Jersey and other states hit by Superstorm Sandy in late October. Working from the emergency spending request President Barack Obama made five days ago, the Senate Appropriations Committee on Wednesday released draft... 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 »

• Fed to spend $45B to sustain bond purchases

  December 12, 2012 11:40 AM

  WASHINGTON- The Federal Reserve will spend $45 billion a month to sustain an aggressive drive to keep long-term interest rates low. And it set a goal of keeping a key short-term rate near zero until unemployment drops below 6.5 percent. The policies are intended to help an economy that the... more »

• Crawford leads Wizards over Davis, Hornets 77-70

  December 12, 2012 10:39 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - Jordan Crawford scored 26 points and the Washington Wizards spoiled the return of overall No. 1 pick Anthony Davis, beating the New Orleans Hornets 77-70 on Tuesday night. Bradley Beal added 15 points for the Wizards, who trailed by as many as 13 and never led... more »

• House GOP press Obama for balanced fiscal deal

  December 12, 2012 9:54 AM

  WASHINGTON - House Republican leaders are pressing President Barack Obama to come up with plan they can accept for spending cuts and tax revenue to avoid the so-called "fiscal cliff" of automatic tax hikes and budget reductions. Speaker John Boehner tells reporters at a Capitol Hill news conference that... more »

• Michelle Obama donates to Toys for Tots

  December 11, 2012 3:52 PM

  WASHINGTON - Michelle Obama thanked military families for the inspiration they've given her as first lady as she delivered about 900 gifts Tuesday from White House aides to the Marine Corps' Toys for Tots campaign. Mrs. Obama said "military families are what inspires my work," as she thanked volunteers, donors... more »

• Quote on MLK Memorial to be removed

  December 11, 2012 2:39 PM

  WASHINGTON - Interior Secretary Ken Salazar is endorsing a plan to remove an inscription from the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial, rather than cut into the granite to replace it with a fuller quotation. Salazar will announce plans Tuesday to remove a paraphrase from King's "Drum Major" speech by carving... more »

• NTSB: Require ignition locks for all drunk drivers

  December 11, 2012 10:41 AM

  WASHINGTON - A federal safety board is recommending that all states require ignition interlock devices for convicted drunk drivers, including first-time offenders. The five-member National Transportation Safety Board said the devices are currently the best available solution to reducing drunk driving deaths, which account for about a third of the... more »

• Senate GOP leader calls on Dems to spell out cuts

  December 11, 2012 10:23 AM

  WASHINGTON - The Senate Republican leader is calling on President Barack Obama and Democrats to spell out where they would cut government spending as part of any deal to avoid the so-called "fiscal cliff." Sen. Mitch McConnell complained on Tuesday that Obama has spent his time talking about raising tax... more »

• RNC looking into what went wrong in 2012

  December 10, 2012 3:05 PM

  WASHINGTON - The Republican National Committee is launching an independent inquiry into what worked in 2012's elections - and, perhaps more importantly, what did not. RNC chairman Reince Priebus on Monday rolled out his effort, called the Growth and Opportunity Project, to look at how GOP nominee Mitt Romney came... 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 »

• US declaring Syrian rebel group as terrorist body

  December 10, 2012 12:47 PM

  WASHINGTON - The Obama administration is declaring a Syrian rebel group with alleged ties to al-Qaida as a terrorist organization. It's an effort to blunt the influence of extremists as the U.S. steps up cooperation with the Syrian opposition. The State Department's action blocks Jabhat al-Nusra's assets in the U.S.... 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 »

• Court to hear gay marriage cases

  December 7, 2012 3:37 PM

  WASHINGTON - The Supreme Court will take up California's ban on same-sex marriage, a case that could give the justices the chance to rule on whether gay Americans have the same constitutional right to marry as heterosexuals. The justices said Monday they will review a federal appeals court ruling that... 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 »

• FCC plans to make 911 texts available by May 2014

  December 7, 2012 12:31 PM

  WASHINGTON - The Federal Communications Commission says the nation's four largest wireless carriers have agreed to make emergency 911 texts available nationwide by May 2014. Major rollouts of the texting system are expected next year. The agency said Thursday that under the agreement with AT&T, Verizon, Sprint and T-Mobile, more... 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 »

• 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 »

• 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 »

• Christmas story accompanies lighting of Capitol Tree

  December 4, 2012 6:21 PM

  WASHINGTON - House Speaker John Boehner says the 10,000 lights on the Capitol Christmas Tree represent the "everlasting light" that entered the world with the birth of Jesus Christ. Boehner hosted Tuesday evening's lighting of the 65-foot spruce from Colorado. Eagle Scout Ryan Shuster of Colorado Springs flipped the switch... more »