January 31, 1997 -- Drawing on Politics. Political cartoonists assess the year thus far.

January 30, 1997 -- Civil Discourse. A panel of historians debates bipartisanship in government operations.

January 29, 1997 -- Cabinet Work. The Senate moved ahead on several fronts today in an effort to complete the confirmation work for President Clinton's second term cabinet.

January 22, 1997 -- Civil Discourse. A bipartisan look at the Washington atmosphere into which the abortion and other political and legislative debates must now exist.

January 22, 1997 -- Cohen at Defense. Kwame Holman reports on the Senate confirmation of William Cohen, President Clinton's nominee for secretary of defense.

January 21, 1997 -- Judgement Day. The House of Representatives today overwhelmingly voted to formally reprimand and fine Speaker Newt Gingrich $300,000 for ethics violations. The rebuke was the most serious ever levied against a Speaker of the House. Following a background report on the debate by Kwame Holman, the chairman and ranking member of the subcommittee that investigated the allegations discuss the day's events with Jim Lehrer.

January 21, 1997 -- Regional Views. Elizabeth Farnsworth leads a look at what our regional commentators think about the Gingrich ethics punishment and President Clinton's second inauguration.

January 17, 1997 -- Speaker Under Fire. House Speaker Newt Gingrich agreed today to pay a $300,000 fine as part of his punishment for violating House ethics rules. A report by the House Ethics Committee special counsel also recommended Gingrich be reprimanded by the full House in a vote scheduled for Tuesday. A reprimand is not as severe as a censure and would allow Gingrich to retain his post as Speaker of the House. We have more now from Kwame Holman.

January 17, 1997 -- Gingrich Ethics Hearings. The NewsHour pundits analyze the findings of the House Ethics Committee special counsel who recommended Friday that Newt Gingrich be reprimanded by the full House in a vote next week. Gingrich will also have to pay a $300,000 fine for violating House rules. Mark Shields, Paul Gigot and Norman Ornstein speak with Jim Lehrer.

January 17, 1997 -- Regional Views. Elizabeth Farnsworth leads a look at what our regional commentators think about the Gingrich ethics punishment and President Clinton's second inauguration.

January 14, 1997 -- Speaker Phone. The latest in the never-ending saga of the Gingrich ethics story is now also a McDermott ethics story dealing with a cellular phone call. Our coverage begins with a report by Kwame Holman, followed by an analysis of the technical aspects of the intercepted phone call, and a discussion with two legislators.

January 13, 1997 -- Belated Honor. More than 50 years after the guns fell silent on the second world war seven American soldiers received Congressional Medals of Honor long overdue. Joan Cartan-Hansen of Idaho Public Television reports.

January 10, 1997 -- Public Blood Feud. Words were used as weapons today in the U.S. Congress as Republicans and Democrats blamed each other for trying to undercut the process for punishing Speaker Gingrich for admitting ethics violations. Meanwhile, a Democratic congressman submitted to the press an illegal wire tap that suggests Gingrich violated his agreement with the Ethics Committee. After a backgrounder on the Gingrich scandal, Shields and Gigot discuss various ethical problems in both the House and the White House with Jim Lehrer.

January 10, 1997 -- Ethics in Perspective. Margaret Warner and veteran Congress watcher Norman Ornstein of the American Enterprise Institute discuss the Gingrich situation.

January 8, 1997 -- Ethics: A History Lesson. A panel of NewsHour historians puts perspective on political scandal, in light of the furor over Speaker Gingrich. They tell us that ethical violations over the course of U.S. history have, in fact, been more egregious than those committed by Gingrich or other recent politicians, although the public perception is that politicians are less virtuous than in the past.

January 8, 1997 -- Madame Secretary. Kwame Holman reports on Madeleine Albright's hearings before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

January 7, 1997 -- The Re-election of Speaker Gingrich. Newt Gingrich (R-GA) was re-elected speaker of the House of Representatives by a 216-vote majority. Following his victory, Gingrich told members that two years ago when he was elected the first Republican Speaker in 40 years, he may have become "too brash, too self-confident, or too pushy," and apologized. Kwame Holman provides a background report, followed by a discussion between Margaret Warner, and Congressional analyst, Norman Ornstein.

January 7, 1997 -- Gingrich Analysis. Some reaction to and analysis of the Gingrich re-election.

January 6, 1997 -- A Question of Ethics. As the House of Representatives prepares to choose its speaker, ethical questions continue to swirl around the House's current leader, Republican Speaker Newt Gingich. Many members, including Republican Banking Committee Chairman Jim Leach, have called for Gingrich to step aside. Two members of the House leadership, Republican Whip Tom DeLay of Texas and Democratic Whip David Bonior of Michigan, debate the charges against Speaker Gingrich and if he should continue in his leadership position.

January 6, 1997 -- Class of '97. Kwame Holman looks at the new Senate.