Jul 31 Congress in fight against clock to pass legislation before summer break By Donna Cassata, Associated Press WASHINGTON — Rushing toward the exits, Congress on Thursday scrambled to wrap up legislation addressing the problem-plagued Veterans Affairs Department and a looming shortfall in highway money. House Republicans sought to win over reluctant, tea party conservatives on a border… Continue reading
Jul 31 Morning Line’s Top 10 Senate Races for July By Domenico Montanaro, Terence Burlij, Rachel Wellford, Simone Pathe Today in the Morning Line: Our updated Top 10 Senate races Iowa jumps four spots to No. 5 Kentucky, Georgia slide a little for Democrats Can Congress get it all done with hours to go before recess? Battle for… Continue reading
Jul 30 Senate passes $8B bill to fund highways through December By Joan Lowy, Associated Press WASHINGTON -- The Senate delivered an unexpectedly strong vote Tuesday in favor of taking action later this year to resolve the chronic funding problems that have bedeviled highway and transit programs, a sign that Congress may have reached the limit… Continue reading
Jul 29 Congress at odds over $225 million aid package for Israel By Donna Cassata, Associated Press WASHINGTON — Democratic and Republican members of Congress scrambled Tuesday to seal a $225 million boost to Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system before they break this week for a month-long recess. But the House and Senate are at odds… Continue reading
Jul 28 Watch Lawmakers announce bipartisan breakthrough on VA health care reform By PBS News Hour Continue watching
Jul 25 U.S. House of Representatives’ staffers blocked from editing by Wikipedia By Anna Christiansen Following “abuse of editing privileges” by anonymous IP addresses within the U.S House of Representatives, Wikipedia has barred House staffers from contributing for 10 days. Those with registered personal accounts may still log into the online encyclopedia and edit. Continue reading
Jul 24 House, Senate VA committees offer competing veteran health bills By Associated Press WASHINGTON — With Congress scheduled to recess in a week, the chairmen of the House and Senate Veterans Affairs committees offered competing proposals Thursday to fix a veterans' health care program scandalized by long patient wait times and falsified records… Continue reading
Jul 23 Senate agrees on short-term fix for highway fund By Associated Press WASHINGTON — The Senate agreed Wednesday on an $11 billion measure to temporarily fix a multibillion-dollar shortfall in federal highway and transit programs, setting up a vote next week on several alternatives. Continue reading
Jul 16 Contraception ruling serves as political pitch By Donna Cassata, Associated Press In an election-year pitch to female voters, Democrats on Wednesday pressed for legislation that would restore free contraception for women who get their health insurance from companies that object on religious grounds. Continue reading
Jul 11 Watch Construction companies relying on federal Highway Trust Fund face Congressional roadblock By PBS News Hour The federal Highway Trust Fund is running out of money. Congress only has a few weeks to find more revenue, the Obama administration warned, or else the states will see a 28 percent reduction in federal funds, and 700,000 jobs… Continue watching