- American, French journalist killed in Syrian bombardment of Homs (+video)
- Nuclear talks with Iran? Senators implore Obama to draw line in the sand.
- Climategate sequel? Scientist lies to get Heartland Institute documents.
- High gas prices: How big a problem for Obama?
- Obama sings the blues with Mick Jagger, B.B. King (+video)
Topic: John Boehner
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Who's who on Congress's debt 'super committee'
Congress has created a special super committee to find at least $1.2 trillion in US budget cuts. If the plan is voted down, automatic spending cuts are slated to occur. Here are the 12 lawmakers named to the super committee.
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In Pictures: Who's who in the US debt crisis
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Obama open to short-term deal on debt ceiling. Here are five ideas.
The White House announced Wednesday it would support a short-term deal to raise the debt ceiling. Suddenly, Washington is awash in prospects for a deal. Check out these five.
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Out of options in debt ceiling talks? Nope, here are five.
How many ways are there to resolve the debt ceiling crisis? Frustration is mounting in both political parties as an Aug. 2 deadline looms to avoid default on America's debt obligations and deficit-reduction negotiations are gridlocked. Still, at least five options for handling the matter have been discussed in recent days and months. Other possible solutions may emerge, but here’s the state of play on the options to date.
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Photos of the Day: Photos of the Day 06/19
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High gas prices: How big a problem for Obama?
The last five times gas prices have spiked, the incumbent party has lost the presidential election. On Tuesday, the national average price of gasoline was $3.57 a gallon.
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Robert Reich
Gas prices: How rising fuel costs influence lawmakers
Gas prices are up, and it's already prompted Republicans to pass a bill to expand offshore drilling and and force the White House to issue a permit for the Keystone XL pipeline. But the hike in gas prices won't be as steep, or lasting, as some think.
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Payroll tax vote exposes divisions within each party
Despite the bipartisan support for the payroll tax bill, blocks in both parties had reservations: Republicans angry that the measure was not paid for, and Democrats worried about the health of Social Security.
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How payroll tax gridlock in Congress finally came unstuck
A deal to prolong the payroll tax cut has also paved the way for Congress to extend long-term unemployment benefits and the Medicare 'doc fix' to the end of the year.
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Rep. Paul Ryan: Payroll tax fight 'caused damage' to GOP (+video)
Long battle in Congress over extending a payroll tax break 'caused damage' to Republicans because it 'muddled' differences between the parties, Paul Ryan, House Budget Committee chairman, said Thursday.
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Payroll tax deal close: Why did Republicans back down? (+video)
Senate Republicans came to a realization on the payroll tax cut fight: We got the policy right but the politics wrong and it’s time to move on. Specifics of the deal are still being hashed out.
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Congress poised to scale back unemployment benefits from 99 weeks
House and Senate negotiators agree to shrink the maximum number of weeks someone can collect unemployment benefits. Many states have been reducing them anyway, as jobless rates fall.
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In surprise move, GOP leaders admit defeat in payroll tax battle
House GOP leaders had wanted to offset the cost of a payroll tax extension by spending cuts. But their decision Monday suggests that the political cost of a stalemate was too high.
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Can birth-control flap rekindle 'repeal ObamaCare' crusade?
Republicans see the surge in support for religious freedom as an opening to overturn President Obama’s signature health-care reform. Conservatives are not likely to let the issue go lightly.
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CPAC recap: As much talk about big-hatted Pilgrims as the economy
CPAC attendees Thursday heard from Rep. Michele Bachmann, Sen. Mitch McConnell, and Gov. Rick Perry. But the economy wasn't a major CPAC theme.
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Catholic furor over birth control rule turns Democrats on one another
The Catholic Church's anger over a proposed federal rule to force church-affiliated organizations to offer health plans covering birth control has provided Republicans with an opportunity – and Democrats with a problem.
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GOP threatens huge cuts to unemployment insurance
The stalemate in Congress over extending a payroll tax cut also affects unemployment insurance. Republicans want to limit federal benefits for the long-term unemployed to 59 weeks, down from 99 weeks now. One Republican says he's willing to go to 26 weeks.
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Boehner vows Congress will reverse Obama birth control policy
Congress enters the church-state fray over the Obama policy on birth control, with House Speaker John Boehner saying Wednesday that lawmakers will reverse it if the White House doesn't.
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Unemployment rate drops to 8.3 percent. Is that a problem for Mitt Romney?
It could become harder for Republicans such as Mitt Romney to blame President Obama for a lack of jobs. In January, the unemployment rate fell to its lowest level since February 2009.
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DC Decoder
How to get House and Senate bills to match up on payroll tax cut?
A conference committee on the payroll tax cut meets Wednesday to try to resolve differences between House and Senate bills. It's the old-fashioned way of coming to agreement, used for barely half the bills in the last Congress.
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Gabrielle Giffords resigns today with standing ovation
Rep. Gabrielle Giffords has resigned from the House, to focus on her recovery, with a standing ovation from her colleagues.
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Gabrielle Giffords to attend State of Union before stepping down (+video)
Gabrielle Giffords will attend President Obama's State of the Union Tuesday before resigning from Congress. Gabrielle Giffords vows to return to work for Arizona after her recovery.
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Keystone XL oil pipeline ensnared in political gamesmanship
Republicans tried to force Obama's hand on the permit to construct the Keystone XL oil pipeline, and now he's forced theirs. The fight may not be over, signaling that energy will be a 2012 campaign issue.
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PIPA and SOPA: What you need to know
As PIPA and SOPA work their way through Congress, the controversial bills have raised many questions. The most common: Wait, what are PIPA and SOPA?
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Canada hopeful US will approve Keystone pipeline
Obama called Prime Minister Stephen Harper to explain that the decision on Wednesday was not on the merits of the pipeline but rather on the 'arbitrary nature' of a Feb. 21 deadline for a decision.
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Keystone pipeline rejected over politics, say Republicans
Obama says he rejected the Keystone pipeline because mandated deadlines would not allow proper a fair review, but Republicans are accusing him of putting politics ahead of sound policy.
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Obama puts Keystone pipeline on hold, decries 'rushed and arbitrary' deadline
Speaker Boehner accuses Obama of 'selling out American jobs for politics,' but Keystone pipeline operator TransCanada says it will submit plans for a rerouted project later this year.
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House to reject debt limit increase. Why that doesn't really matter.
The House is voting Wednesday on a resolution disapproving of a request by President Obama to raise the national debt limit by $1.2 trillion. But the issue actually was resolved last summer.
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Justice Dept says recent recess appointments legal
The department released a 23-page legal opinion Thursday summarizing the advice it gave the White House before the Jan. 4 appointments. GOP leaders have argued the Senate was not technically in recess when Obama acted so the regular Senate confirmation process should have been followed.
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The Vote
Unemployment rate: How low can it go by Election Day? Under 8 percent?
Though the unemployment rate dipped to 8.5 percent last month, it remains uncomfortably high for a president seeking reelection. Economists crunch the numbers to see if it's possible for unemployment to dip to 8 percent by Election Day.
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