December 20, 2015 Defense bill hits snag over land swaps, wilderness Quick passage of a sweeping defense policy bill hit a snag on Wednesday over public lands, dividing Senate Republicans.
December 20, 2015 Lawmakers agree on $585 billion defense bill House and Senate negotiators have reached agreement on a $585 billion defense policy bill that provides funds to expand the U.S. mission in Iraq to counter Islamic State militants and gives the military the authority to train moderate Syrian forces.
December 20, 2015 Congress returns with immigration action threatening to fuel budget fight Members of Congress who return Monday to Capitol Hill for the final two weeks of their session will be faced with passing a federal budget, addressing the immigration issue, battling the Islamic State and a bundle of other concerns before leaving for the holidays.
December 20, 2015 Poisoning the well? Obama’s immigration vow complicates AG nomination, budget bill President Obama's vow to press ahead with executive action on immigration may already be poisoning the well, as House Speaker John Boehner warned last week.
December 20, 2015 Congress returns for brief, post-election session with ISIS fight funding among top issues After an extended election-season break, Congress returns to Washington this week with a list of unresolved issues, including passage of a temporary spending bill and whether to approve President Obama’s request for more money to fight the Islamic State group.
December 20, 2015 Singing protesters interrupt Senate after Keystone bill fails The demonstrators began their show shortly after the Senate rejected the bill.
December 20, 2015 Obama returns to DC to firestorms over Keystone, health law, immigration After a packed overseas trip that included some icy encounters with Vladimir Putin and high-stakes talks with China's Xi Jinping, President Obama is back in Washington where a new cluster of confrontations awaits.
December 20, 2015 Landrieu pushes Keystone vote in bid to boost energy industry, runoff chances Sen. Mary Landrieu is looking for a win-win situation, as she pushes for a Senate vote to approve the long-delayed Keystone pipeline in a bid to deliver a victory for the energy industry -- and for herself, in a tough runoff election next month.
December 20, 2015 Senate approves $12.3 billion water bill Congress sent the White House a $12.3 billion water projects bill half the size of its last one seven years ago -- before the economy sank into a deep recession that helped swell the government's debt and before lawmakers swore off cherry-picking pet projects for folks back home.
December 20, 2015 Mitch McConnell: GOP majority won't change filibuster rules Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said he will not lower the 60-vote threshold for passing legislation in the Senate next year if the GOP wins the majority in November.