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December 20, 2015

Congress returns with busy agenda shortened by election year politics

Members of Congress return this week to Capitol Hill after a five-week summer break for an abbreviated September session in which they are expect to pass a budget bill to avoid a government shutdown but avoid taking any tough votes that could hurt their respective parties in the November elections.

December 20, 2015

The Vicious Circle: 50 years ago, the ‘Beltway’ was born

A half-century ago this week, a major infrastructure project awarded the American electorate one of its favorite political scapegoats: The Beltway.

December 20, 2015

House revives, approves border crisis bill – as Obama vows to ‘act alone’

The House late Friday revived and approved a Republican-authored border crisis bill after GOP leaders hurriedly resolved an internal battle that scuttled the vote a day earlier – but with the Senate on recess and the House soon to follow, there’s little chance of any bill reaching President Obama’s desk until the fall.

December 20, 2015

House passes Veterans Affairs overhaul, Senate poised to give final approval

The House approved a $17 billion package Wednesday aimed at fixing the scandal-scarred Department of Veterans Affairs, boosting the chances that Congress can finalize the bipartisan legislation before lawmakers leave for the August recess.

December 20, 2015

House GOP bill would block Obama from extending deportation relief to any others

The move is aimed at winning over skeptical conservatives to support an emergency spending bill for the immigration crisis on the border.

December 20, 2015

Congress races to tackle VA, border crisis and more before recess

That sound you hear is the buzz of Congress actually trying to get something done.

December 20, 2015

House, Senate resume talks over VA fix

Talks have resumed after slowing to a halt earlier in the week on congressional efforts to reform the Veterans Affairs Department.

December 20, 2015

House to consider $10.8B highway funding bill

With an August deadline looming, the House is poised to act on a bill that would temporarily patch over a multibillion-dollar pothole in federal highway and transit programs while ducking the issue of how to put the programs on sound financial footing.

December 20, 2015

House approves resolution backing Israel's right to defend itself against Hamas

The House of Representatives on Friday approved a non-binding resolution backing Israel's right to defend itself against Hamas rocket attacks.

December 20, 2015

Pelosi holds little hope for immigration reform

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi says she sees little hope for comprehensive immigration reform this year.The California Democrat said following Saturday's visit to a Border Patrol facility in Brownsville where unaccompanied children are being held that she was more optimistic a few days ago. She said Republican Speaker of the House John Boehner gives little reason to be hopeful now, but didn't elaborate.