Topic: Capitol Hill
Top galleries, list articles, quizzes
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Briefing
Four curious outcomes if the Electoral College ends in a tie
Here are four ways that a 269-to-269 tie in the Electoral College could play out in the 2012 presidential election.
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10 richest members of Congress
The 10 wealthiest members of Congress in 2012 include Senate and House members hailing from all over the US. Can you guess which political party had the most lawmakers on the list – and who grabbed the top spot?
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Briefing
Obama vs. Romney 101: 5 ways they differ on military issues
Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney has not been expansive regarding his views of the war in Afghanistan – perhaps because both he and President Obama do not have significantly different plans. But here are five areas where the candidates differ on military issues.
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Briefing
Obama vs. Romney 101: 6 ways they differ on health-care reform
Former Gov. Mitt Romney has taken a libertarian turn since championing health-care reforms in Massachusetts, including an individual mandate to purchase insurance, which became the model for President Obama's signature law. Here’s a list of areas where the candidates differ.
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Top 3 lessons the US military has learned in Afghanistan
As robust defense budget wranglings continue on Capitol Hill, much of the debate about one of the Pentagon's largest expenses – Afghanistan – centers around just how effective the decade-long fight has been. Here are the top three lessons that US military has learned in Afghanistan.
All Content
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Is Obama's second term sunk? 'Maybe I should just pack up and go home.'
On the 100th day of his second term, President Obama laughed at the suggestion he may have run out of 'juice' for his agenda and expressed optimism on immigration reform.
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Pentagon budget woes: furlough civilians, buy tanks you don't want
Once again, the Pentagon wants to scrap a weapon – in this case, the Abrams tank – that Congress has an interest in preserving. But with 'sequester' cuts, the tradeoff will be civilian furloughs.
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Chorus grows against Obama administration's sanctions-heavy Iran policy
The Obama administration's effort to end Iran's nuclear program has focused on punitive measures, with little diplomatic outreach. Critics say this jeopardizes negotiations.
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Girding for a federal budget battle royale, parties wrangle over rules
With Capitol Hill bracing for a battle over financial policy this summer, the focus now is on rules for the committee that will seek to reconcile House and Senate versions of the federal budget.
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Energy Voices House aims to expand oil drilling in Gulf of Mexico
Members of the US House of Representatives last week proposed legislation that would open up more areas for oil drillers offshore, Graeber writes. Lawmakers say getting more work done in the Gulf of Mexico would ensure energy independence.
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In US-China talks on cyber conflict, a top Chinese general owns to dangers
At a press briefing in Beijing with Martin Dempsey, chairman of US Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Fang Fenghui offered some agreement on the damage of cyberattacks, a 'friction point' in US-China relations.
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Immigration reform and Boston bombing: why some make a connection
Should the Boston bombing be part of the debate on immigration reform? Some say the proposal would make the US more vulnerable, but others say the discussion should not be so narrow.
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Decoder Wire After Senate defeats, prospects for gun control shift to states
The failure of the Senate to pass even gun control measures that had overwhelming public support signals that the clout of the gun lobby is powerful enough to block reform on Capitol Hill.
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Decoder Wire Boston bombing. Ricin in D.C. Texas inferno. Any links?
Boston bombing case has no suspect or suspects, which has opened the door to speculation. But the fire in Texas appears to be happenstance, and an arrest has been made in connection with the poison-laced letters.
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Decoder Wire Ricin roils Washington: How dangerous? (+video)
Preliminary tests indicate that letters sent to President Obama and to Sen. Roger Wicker (R) of Mississippi were laced with the potentially deadly poison ricin. They were postmarked Memphis, Tenn.
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John Kerry to Congress: Middle East peace effort is urgent
In his first congressional hearing as secretary of State, John Kerry tells lawmakers that, after the Benghazi attacks, the US must fortify security for diplomats, press for a two-state solution in the Middle East.
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Afghanistan war can yet be won, US general tells Congress
The commander of US forces in Afghanistan outlined three achievements that would secure a 'win' after 11 years of combat – acknowledging none is yet in hand. He gave Congress a report Tuesday on the war's progress.
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Boston bombing: Obama says culprits will feel 'weight of justice'
"We will find out who did this. We'll find out why they did this," President Obama said in his brief statement after the Boston bombing. "Any responsible individuals, any responsible groups, will feel the full weight of justice."
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Immigration reform: What about those who arrive legally but never leave? (+video)
An estimated 40 percent of the more than 10 million undocumented people in the US today came legally but stayed after their visa expired. It's a major issue in the immigration debate.
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US names 18 Russians as human rights violators. What happens next?
The law requiring the administration's action roiled US-Russia relations after its passage last year. Some in Congress said the list of 18 rights violators was too short, but the US is bracing for blowback.
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GOP's Rep. Dave Camp envisions inclusive path to a fiscal 'bargain'
Dave Camp, House Ways and Means Committee chairman, said Thursday that involving more members of Congress in budgeting and deficit-cutting could yield, if not a 'grand bargain,' at least a modest deal.
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Bipartisan deal on background checks: Biggest gun control win yet?
Two senators announced a bipartisan deal on a gun control bill that would expand background checks. Its passage is hardly assured, but just the compromise is significant.
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Cover Story
How dealmaking gets done on Capitol HillIn the new politics of Congress, deals are no longer fashioned by moderates, who vanished long ago, but by a few lawmakers on the left and right who have the respect, clout, and just enough pragmatism to surmount the culture of division.
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Deals that changed history
A look back at three major pieces of historical federal legislation, started and finished by small groups of men intent on statesmanship.
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Focus
Tax reform: Why a kinder, simpler tax code eludes Congress, so farAs Tax Day nears, Americans in the throes of preparing their returns may be dreaming of a simpler tax code. Here's why tax reform is such a tall order for Congress – and how two lawmakers are laying the groundwork for it now.
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USA Update Newtown family members entreat Congress over need for gun controls
Family members of the children and educators killed in the Newtown, Conn., school shooting are on Capitol Hill Tuesday, lobbying on behalf of Obama's push for gun control legislation.
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Amid North Korea crisis, US scrubs missile test to avoid 'misperception' (+video)
Calling off the missile test – which had nothing to do with North Korea – is just one way the US is quietly trying to defuse tensions on the Korean Peninsula.
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Sandy Hook families on Air Force One: why it matters
In an unusual move, 11 family members of Sandy Hook victims will fly with President Obama back to Washington on Air Force One so they can lobby Congress on gun control.
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Chaplain, Korean War hero, to receive medal of honor 62 years after his death
Chaplain Emil Kapaun was credited with saving hundreds of soldiers during the Korean War and received the Distinguished Service Cross and many other medals. On April 11 President Barack Obama will award him the Medal of Honor posthumously.
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Obama's budget offends just about everybody. Is that compromise?
President Obama will unveil his federal budget proposal this coming week. Based on leaked details, the plan already is getting hammered by his own liberal base as well as by Republicans.
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