Congress

The Fight Over the 2020 Census Could Determine Which Party Controls Congress

By Jay L. Zagorsky, The Conversation

John H. Thompson, the director of the U.S. Census Bureau, just resigned amid a funding fight over the 2020 Census . Since it comes at the same time that the president fired the director of the FBI ,...
The GOP Health Care Plan Gives Democratic Fundraising a Big Boost

By Maxwell Tani, Business Insider

Following the passage of the American Healthcare Act on Thursday, Democrats expressed outrage at House Republicans — online, in person, and at the bank. In a joint statement released Friday,...
If Ossoff Wins Big in Georgia, Democrats Could Sweep the 2018 Midterms

By Eric Pianin

Republicans are desperately trying to hang onto a Georgia House seat up for grabs in Tuesday’s special election to dampen Democrats’ prospects for establishing a beachhead before the 2018...
Seven Tests That Can Keep Republicans from Screwing Up

By Edward Morrissey

It didn’t take long for Republicans to make their first tin-eared mistake after winning a broad victory in November. In fact, they had barely opened the new session of Congress before performing a...
This Is Exactly Why Paul Ryan Didn't Want to Be Speaker of the House

By Rob Garver

Paul Ryan never wanted to be speaker of the House, and Wednesday was a perfect example of why. The guy who made his reputation as the Republicans’ wonk-in-chief as chairman of the Budget Committee...

The End of Antibiotics? Drug-Resistant Superbug Reaches the US

By LENA H. SUN and Brady Dennis, The Washington Post

For the first time, researchers have found a person in the United States carrying bacteria resistant to antibiotics of last resort, an alarming development that the top U.S. public health official...
As the Debt Hits $19 Trillion, Has the US Reached a Tipping Point?

By Rob Garver and Eric Pianin

For several years, the growing federal debt was ignored as the economic recovery chipped away at once massive spending shortfalls of $1 trillion or more. Now, there’s an uneasy feeling among many...
How to Stem the Feds’ Spending Addiction Before It Cripples Our Economy

By Charles Blahous

At a time when the presidential campaigns seem to be about everything other than the federal budget, the latest projections from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) serve as a stark reminder that...
Tea Party Revolts Against Obama’s Budget as Debt Exceeds $19 Trillion

By Eric Pianin

In what appears to be an extraordinary snub of White House budget director Shaun Donovan, the Republican chairs of the House and Senate Budget Committees announced on Thursday they would not host...
House Report Says Treasury Secretary Misled Congress Over Debt Ceiling Risks

By Eric Pianin

During an October 2013 appearance before the Senate Finance Committee, Lew warned Congress against a “manufactured crisis” over the debt ceiling in Washington. He added that prioritization was “...

McConnell in Training for Debt Limit War with Obama

By Josh Boak and Eric Pianin, The Fiscal Times

It’s no more Mr. Nice Guy for Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. Just a week ago, the Kentucky Republican sealed a compromise with Vice President Joe Biden to stop a devastating tax hike and...
McConnell Bests Boehner As GOP Negotiator-in-Chief

By Eric Pianin

In the wake of his politically disastrous handing of the fiscal cliff crisis, House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio may have ceded the mantle of leadership to Mitch McConnell, the taciturn, 70-year-old...
Group Threatens Lawmakers Who Vote 'Yes' on Sandy Bill

By Josh Boak, The Fiscal Times

Congressional Republicans find themselves in the eye of an ideological storm on disaster relief for Hurricane Sandy. This time it’s from a conservative group known to bankroll challengers in GOP...
New Congress Faces New War over Debt Ceiling

By Josh Boak, The Fiscal Times

House Speaker John Boehner didn’t bother to hit the reset button with the White House on Thursday when the new 113th Congress was sworn-in.
Details of Senate Fiscal Cliff Tax Deal

By Eric Pianin

Here is a summary of the fiscal cliff agreement approved by the Senate early Tuesday morning by a vote of 89 to 8. The House is set to vote on the plan today, and this is not a slam dunk. Many house...

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