In Washington, a proposal to sell naming rights
As many state and local governments across the nation deal with the aftermath of severe budget cuts prompted by the Great Recession, a Washington ...

'No budget, no pay' advances despite reservations
In an earlier era, a move like the one engineered by House GOP leaders to pass a "no budget, no pay" measure probably would have been stopped in its ...

Thousands march for gun control in Washington
Thousands of people, many holding signs with names of gun violence victims and messages such as "Ban Assault Weapons Now," joined a rally for gun ...

Democrats may stand in Obama's way on gun measures
As the Senate prepares to begin debating new gun control measures, some of President Barack Obama's fellow Democrats are poised to frustrate his ...

Once GOP stronghold, West veers into Dems' column
A political generation ago, the West signaled the nation's rightward swing, from the emergence of Ronald Reagan to the success of tax-limitation ...

White House, senators launching immigration push
President Barack Obama will launch a campaign next week aimed at overhauling the nation's flawed immigration system and creating legal status for ...

Abortion opponents march in Washington
Anti-abortion demonstrators from around the country marched through Washington to the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court on Friday to protest a landmark ...

Court says Obama appointments violate constitution
President Barack Obama violated the Constitution when he bypassed the Senate last year to appoint three members of the National Labor Relations Board, ...

Obama picks foreign policy aide as chief of staff
President Barack Obama announced Friday that his new chief of staff is longtime trusted aide Denis McDonough, whom the president described as a close ...

Obama presses liberal agenda as he starts 2nd term
From gun control to gay rights, President Barack Obama's second-term agenda is shaping up as an unabashedly liberal wish list. In less than a week, ...

McDonough no stranger to Obama inner circle
In selecting Denis McDonough to be his next and fifth chief of staff, President Barack Obama is tapping a longtime confidant and unflappable ally to ...

Senate OKs modest restrictions on filibusters
The tradition-laden Senate voted Thursday to modestly curb filibusters, using a bipartisan consensus rare in today's hyper-partisan climate to make ...

What's a filibuster look like? Not Jimmy Stewart
From Jimmy Stewart's fictional all-night talkathon to real-life dramas over World War I and civil rights, the Senate's filibuster has played a notable ...

Kerry tackles questions on Iran, Syria, Hagel
Sen. John Kerry, President Barack Obama's nominee for secretary of state, collected pledges of support Thursday and testified at his confirmation ...

Obama picks former prosecutor to head SEC
President Barack Obama sent his strongest signal yet Thursday that he wants the government to get tougher with Wall Street, appointing a former ...

Top white-collar crime prosecutor to lead SEC
President Barack Obama on Thursday nominated Mary Jo White, a former U.S. attorney who built a reputation prosecuting white-collar criminals, ...

Congress charts new collision course over deficit
The nation's sharp disagreements over taxes and spending are on a re-routed collision course, as Senate Democrats launch a plan that includes new ...

Debt crisis averted - but spring fight still ahead
Retreating with a purpose, Republicans sped legislation through the House on Wednesday to avert the imminent threat of a government default but ...
Biden to promote gun control in pro-gun Virginia
Vice President Joe Biden is launching a White House campaign of road trips to promote gun control with a visit to Virginia, a state that has ...
Dems, GOP may be near end of filibuster dispute
Senators may be nearing an end to their partisan dispute over curbing unlimited delays called filibusters. Whatever the resolution, it probably won't ...

Biden's recent moves stoking chatter about 2016
Joe Biden is thanking Democratic supporters in the afterglow of President Barack Obama's second inauguration, dropping plenty of hints that he may try ...

White House: Allen's NATO nomination to go ahead
The White House said Wednesday it will go ahead with Gen. John Allen's nomination to become commander of NATO forces in Europe, following his ...
Senate Democrats plan budget debate
Incoming Senate Budget Committee Chairman Patty Murray says Democrats controlling the chamber will attempt to pass a budget for the first time since ...

Gay activists laud Obama speech, now want action
President Barack Obama's emphatic gay-rights advocacy in his inaugural address thrilled many activists. Yet almost immediately came the questions and ...

US Afghan commander cleared in Petraeus email case
A Pentagon investigation has cleared Gen. John Allen, the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, of professional misconduct in exchanging emails with a ...