Articles tagged with congress

Fri, May 18, 2012

Top Republican woman in Congress becomes a force

By Thomas Ferraro

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - In the last three weeks, she has sparred on national television with Democrats over Republican policies toward women, been ...

Thu, May 17, 2012

JPMorgan's Dimon says will testify before Congress

By Dave Clarke

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - JPMorgan Chase & Co Chief Executive Jamie Dimon has agreed to testify before Congress over the bank's recent trading losses, which have ignited a political debate over whether large U.S. banks need to be reined in by regulators or new laws.

U.S. Senate Banking Committee Chairman Tim Johnson said in a statement on Thursday that his panel will invite Dimon to appear before Congress.

He did not say on what date the committee wants Dimon to testify but that it would follow a set of hearings with regulators on the trades and efforts to implement Wall Street reforms that will conclude on June 6.

"As always, we will continue to be open and transparent with our regulators and Congress," JPMorgan spokesman Kristin Lemkau said in a statement. She said Dimon will appear before the panel.

Last week JPMorgan announced that it has suffered at least $2 billion in losses due to trades that went bad.

Johnson said committee staff has been discussing the losses with regulators and the bank since they were disclosed and have determined Dimon should testify.

Critics of Wall Street have pointed to the trades as evidence that reforms called for under the 2010 Dodd-Frank financial oversight law should be strictly enforced once finalized.

Two regional Federal Reserve presidents have said the losses underscore the point that banks like JPMorgan are too big to manage and should be broken up.

These reactions are being dismissed by some analysts and lawmakers as an overreaction since the bank's stability has not been put at risk.

"Even with this loss, I believe they're one of the most profitable financial institutions in the country and unless the facts are diametrically different from what we've heard, there is no risk from this loss to depositors or to tax payers," House Financial Services Chairman Spencer Bachus said on Wednesday.

WASHINGTON WRANGLING

The JPMorgan losses have, in particular, put a renewed focus on whether regulators should tighten the so-called Volcker rule that will restrict bank trading activities. A proposed rule was released in October and a final version is expected later this year.

The restrictions will ban banks from proprietary trading, or trades that are made solely for their own profit, and greatly limit their ability to invest in hedge funds.

The crackdown is named after former Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volcker who championed the idea.

Its supporters say banks that receive federal backstops, such as deposit insurance, should not make risky trades that could endanger deposits and possibly taxpayer money.

Banks have lobbied the issue heavily saying if the restrictions are too tightly drawn they will negatively impact financial markets and make it harder, for instance, for companies in a variety of businesses to raise funds.

Democratic Senators Carl Levin and Jeff Merkley, who authored the Volcker rule language in Dodd-Frank, said the October proposal creates a loophole in the crackdown because it would give banks the latitude to hedge against portfolio risk as opposed to individual positions.

They have been publicly pressuring regulators to tighten the rule since the trading losses were announced.

In a sign of the political importance surrounding the issue, Levin told reporters on Thursday that White House National Economic Council Director Gene Sperling called him this week to discuss the Volcker rule. Levin said he urged Sperling to have the White House speak out on the need to tighten the hedging language.

The rule is being written by the federal banking regulators, the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, all of which are independent regulators.

Under Dodd-Frank, the Treasury Department is suppose to coordinate the rule writing and Levin has previously said he believes the department pushed for the broader hedging exemption allowed under the October proposal.

On Thursday, he said Sperling had assured him that is not the case and that Treasury has only tried to coordinate discussions.

"I accepted that," he said.

One regulator has come out publicly in favor of tightening the October proposal.

CFTC Chairman Gary Gensler wants a final rule to bar portfolio hedging, his spokesman Steve Adamske said.

(Additional reporting by David Henry and Alexandra Alper; Editing by Neil Stempleman)

Wed, May 16, 2012

Confrontation brews in Congress over detainee law

By David Alexander

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Lawmakers moved toward a confrontation over the government's power to detain suspected terrorists on Wednesday as the Republican-led ...

Fri, May 11, 2012

Embattled Arizona sheriff will not run for Congress

PHOENIX (Reuters) - A tough-on-immigration Arizona sheriff, who resigned as co-chairman of Mitt Romney's state campaign in February after allegations he threatened a male ...

Thu, May 10, 2012

Panetta warns Congress over Pentagon budget gridlock

By Andrea Shalal-Esa and David Alexander

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Defense Secretary Leon Panetta warned on Thursday that gridlock in Congress over the Pentagon budget could ...

Mon, May 07, 2012

Senate Republicans block Democratic student loan bill

By Thomas Ferraro

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Senate Republicans blocked on Tuesday a White House-backed bill that would end a tax break for the wealthy in ...

Fri, May 04, 2012

Obama urges "common sense" from Congress on jobs

ARLINGTON, Virginia (Reuters) - President Barack Obama said on Friday he would urge Congress next week to implement "common sense ideas" to accelerate job growth ...

Wed, May 02, 2012

China's Chen appeals to U.S. congress, Clinton treads carefully

By Chris Buckley and Paul Eckert

BEIJING/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Blind Chinese dissident Chen Guangcheng made a dramatic plea for U.S. protection in a ...

Mon, April 30, 2012

Ex-pitcher Clemens targeted by Congress in "show trial": lawyer

By Ian Simpson

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A lawyer for former baseball ace Roger Clemens derided as a "show trial" on Monday the Capitol Hill hearing ...

Fri, April 27, 2012

Congress urged to waive time limits for Delafield Civil War hero

WASHINGTON (WTAQ) - Congress is being asked to waive military time limits, so a Civil War hero from Delafield can be honored.

Senate Democrat Herb ...

Thu, April 26, 2012

Bird strikes on airliners targeted in Congress, at airports

By Thomas Zambito

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Never mind unruly passengers, baggage fees and wind shear. The real scourges of air traffic these days are ...

Sun, April 22, 2012

Obama strategist sees Republican "reign of terror" in Congress

By Bill Trott

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republicans in the U.S. Congress are under a "reign of terror" imposed by the party's conservative wing ...

Sun, April 22, 2012

Democrat launches his bid for Congress

UNDATED (WKZO) --    Congressional Candidate Mike O’Brien has introduced himself to the district.  The Saugatuck Democrat says taking on incumbent Fred Upton won’t ...

Fri, April 20, 2012

Colombia scandal implicates 12th U.S. military member

By Phil Stewart

BOGOTA (Reuters) - A 12th U.S. military service member was linked to a prostitution scandal in Colombia on Monday and the ...

Thu, April 19, 2012

Turmoil at U.S. nuclear regulator spills into Congress

By Roberta Rampton

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A toxic internal battle that has scarred the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission as it works on historic reforms ...

Wed, April 18, 2012

Congress, White House in tug-of-war over arms sales

By Jim Wolf

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Obama administration has trimmed the U.S. Congress' decades-long role in vetting billions of dollars in proposed arms ...

Mon, April 16, 2012

Lawmakers set to trade partisan punches over taxes

By Kim Dixon

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama and congressional Republicans square off this week over tax hikes for millionaires and tax cuts for ...

Fri, April 13, 2012

New U.S. sanctions may hinge on Iran talks: Congress aides

By Roberta Rampton

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The fate of a new package of sanctions on Iran proposed by U.S. lawmakers may hinge on whether ...

Sun, April 08, 2012

Congress' spring break a time for voters to vent

By Samuel P. Jacobs

CLAREMONT, New Hampshire (Reuters) - At home in New Hampshire, the land of Yankee skepticism, congressman Charlie Bass was being asked ...

Thu, April 05, 2012

Congress mail threat suspect pleads not guilty to more charges

By Teresa Carson

PORTLAND, Oregon (Reuters) - A registered nurse from the Portland area pleaded not guilty on Thursday to additional charges stemming from more ...

Thu, April 05, 2012

Congress inaction risks 2013 tax "disaster": IRS chief

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The commissioner of the U.S. tax-collecting Internal Revenue Service warned on Thursday of "a real disaster" for taxpayers next year should ...

Wed, April 04, 2012

Obama signs insider trading bill, wants more curbs on Congress

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama called on Wednesday for stricter controls on lawmakers to confront "the corrosive influence" of money in Washington as he ...

Sun, April 01, 2012

More charges filed against man who sent threatening letters to Congress

PORTLAND (WTAQ) - A federal grand jury is adding to the list of charges against a Washington state man accused of sending threatening letters to ...

Wed, March 28, 2012

Congress passes stopgap transport funding bill

By Donna Smith

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Congress averted a weekend shutdown of thousands of transportation construction projects on Thursday by passing a stopgap funding ...

Wed, March 28, 2012

MF Global execs ignorance, silence stymie Congress

By Sarah N. Lynch and Aruna Viswanatha

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - An MF Global executive who has become a central figure in the desperate shifting of ...

Fri, March 23, 2012

Congress cracks down on roll-your-own cigarettes

UNDATED (WSAU) The U.S. Senate has something to say about roll-your-own cigarette machines. An amendment to the $109-billion federal highway bill would classify ...

Thu, March 22, 2012

Congress members face new curbs on insider trading

By David Lawder

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Senate on Thursday voted overwhelmingly to send President Barack Obama legislation imposing new curbs on insider trading by ...

Thu, March 22, 2012

Romney's man in Congress seeks to rally support

By Thomas Ferraro

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Roy Blunt approached a fellow Republican on the U.S. Senate floor a few weeks back and made a ...

Wed, March 21, 2012

Verizon tells Congress cable deals ease spectrum crunch

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Verizon Communications and Comcast executives, in testimony on Capitol Hill on Wednesday, defended joint spectrum and marketing deals as a way for ...

Sat, March 10, 2012

Man charged over threatening letters sent to US Congress

By Theresa Carson

PORTLAND, Oregon (Reuters) - A man was arrested and charged on Friday in connection with about 100 envelopes containing threatening letters and ...

Wed, March 07, 2012

New bill in Congress would include WI rivers in keeping Asian carp out of Great Lakes

WASHINGTON (WTAQ) - A new bill in Congress would include Wisconsin rivers in the federal government’s strategy to keep the invasive Asian carp out ...

Wed, March 07, 2012

Lawmakers clash on Obama push for Russia trade bill

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. lawmakers on Wednesday disagreed over President Barack Obama's push for legislation this year to strengthen trade ties with Russia ...

Tue, March 06, 2012

SEC chairman pitches budget boost to Congress

By Sarah N. Lynch

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission asked Congress for a big budget hike on ...

Thu, March 01, 2012

Congress OK's St. Croix River bridge

WASHINGTON (WSAU) – The U.S. House voted 339-to-80 this morning to allow construction of the much-debated four-lane bridge over the Saint Croix River near ...

Wed, February 29, 2012

House Rules Committee chairman to retire from Congress

By Steve Gorman

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - California Congressman David Dreier, chairman of the powerful House Rules Committee, said on Wednesday he would retire from ...

Fri, February 17, 2012

Congress passes payroll tax holiday, unemployment benefits extension

WASHINGTON D.C. (WTAQ) - In a rare show of bi-partisanship, both the House and Senate voted to give President Obama the economic reform package ...

Thu, February 16, 2012

Joseph Kennedy III launches bid for Congress

By Lauren Keiper

BOSTON (Reuters) - Joseph Kennedy III, the grandson of the late Senator Robert F. Kennedy, announced on Thursday his candidacy for the ...

Tue, February 14, 2012

Congress ends bitter tax battle with bill passage

By Richard Cowan and Donna Smith

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Congress ended a three-month battle on Friday by passing legislation to extend a tax cut for ...

Wed, February 08, 2012

Pro-ethanol bill stalled in Congress

WASHINGTON (WSAU) A U-S House committee has voted to slow down the process of adding more ethanol to gasoline. Menomonee Falls Republican Jim Sensenbrenner ...

Tue, February 07, 2012

Times Square vendor who thwarted car bomb runs for Congress

By Jonathan Allen

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A street vendor who helped thwart a bombing attack in Times Square in May 2010 has announced he ...

Tue, February 07, 2012

Times Square vendor who thwarted car bomb runs for Congress

By Jonathan Allen

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A street vendor who helped thwart a bombing attack in Times Square in May 2010 has announced he ...

Mon, February 06, 2012

Opponents: Congress went too far in Obama healthcare law

By James Vicini

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Congress went beyond its powers by requiring Americans to buy insurance under President Barack Obama's sweeping healthcare overhaul ...

Sun, February 05, 2012

Catholics urged to write Congress on birth control rule

By Greg McCune

CHICAGO (Reuters) - American Catholic clergy called on the faithful to write Congress to protest new birth control rules from President Barack ...

Sun, February 05, 2012

Catholics urged to write Congress on birth control rule

By Greg McCune

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Catholic clergy on Sunday called on the faithful to write Congress to protest new birth control rules from President ...

Sun, February 05, 2012

Bigger rigs could drive on Wisconsin roads if Congress OK's bill

WASHINGTON D.C. (WTAQ) - Much larger trucks could be driving on Wisconsin highways if Congress decides the efficiencies of bigger loads are more important ...

Sat, February 04, 2012

Obama presses Congress to pass aid to homeowners

(Reuters) - President Barack Obama on Saturday pressed lawmakers to pass his proposal to provide up to $10 billion in aid to struggling homeowners, saying ...

Sat, February 04, 2012

Obama presses Congress to pass aid to homeowners

By Caren Bohan

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama on Saturday pressed lawmakers to pass his proposal to provide up to $10 billion in aid ...

Fri, February 03, 2012

Obama tells Congress: "don't muck up" U.S. recovery

ARLINGTON, Virginia (Reuters) - Jobs figures released on Friday show the U.S. economy is growing and healing, President Barack Obama said, calling on Congress ...

Thu, February 02, 2012

Blue Dog Democrat Heath Shuler to retire from Congress

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina (Reuters) - Democratic U.S. Representative Heath Shuler said on Thursday he would not seek a fourth term representing a North Carolina ...

Thu, February 02, 2012

Bernanke urges action to heal housing markets

By Barbara Liston

ORLANDO, Florida (Reuters) - Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke on Friday issued a call to action to restore U.S. housing markets ...

Tue, January 31, 2012

Netflix says Congress can help bring Facebook app to U.S.

By Jasmin Melvin

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Netflix Inc on Tuesday urged a panel of senators to support legislation that it said would allow the company ...

Fri, January 27, 2012

Obama presses Congress to step up aid for homeowners

By Margaret Chadbourn

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama on Wednesday proposed a multi-billion-dollar package to help U.S. homeowners refinance and stave off foreclosure ...

Fri, January 27, 2012

MF Global ex-risk chief to testify before Congress

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Michael Roseman, the former chief risk officer who is said to have raised red flags about aggressive trading bets at MF Global ...

Wed, January 25, 2012

Giffords quits Congress to focus on recovery

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Amid tears, salutes and standing ovations, Representative Gabrielle Giffords submitted her resignation from Congress on Wednesday to focus on her recovery from ...

Wed, January 25, 2012

Former White House candidate Bachmann to seek Congress

MINNEAPOLIS (Reuters) - U.S. Representative Michele Bachmann, who three weeks ago ended her campaign for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination, said she will seek ...

Wed, January 25, 2012

Wounded Giffords resigns from Congress

By Tim Gaynor

TUCSON, Ariz (Reuters) - Representative Gabrielle Giffords, gravely wounded a year ago in a deadly Tucson shooting spree, submitted her resignation from ...

Mon, January 23, 2012

Keystone activists to protest oil, Congress ties

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A coalition of environmental groups plans to stage a rally against "Big Oil's corruption" on Capitol Hill on Tuesday, hours before ...

Sun, January 22, 2012

Giffords leaving Congress to recover from shooting

(Reuters) - Representative Gabrielle Giffords, shot in the head during a shooting spree in Tucson, Arizona, last year, said Sunday she will step down this ...

Sun, January 22, 2012

Wounded Rep. Giffords bids farewell to constituents

By Tim Gaynor

TUCSON, Ariz (Reuters) - Representative Gabrielle Giffords walked stiffly into an Arizona charity on Monday in a bittersweet farewell to voters before ...

Fri, January 20, 2012

Congress has legal clout on Keystone pipeline: study

By Roberta Rampton

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Congress has the constitutional right to legislate permits for cross-border oil pipelines like TransCanada's Keystone XL, according ...

Fri, January 20, 2012

Congress reaches breakthrough on aviation bill

By John Crawley

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Congressional leaders reached a breakthrough compromise on Friday on the most difficult issue holding up action on long-stalled U ...

Fri, January 20, 2012

Congress puts anti-piracy bills on ice

(Reuters) - Lawmakers on Friday indefinitely postponed anti-piracy legislation that pits Hollywood against Silicon Valley, two days after major Internet companies staged an online protest ...

Fri, January 20, 2012

Congress puts brakes on anti-piracy bills

By Jasmin Melvin

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Lawmakers stopped anti-piracy legislation in its tracks on Friday, delivering a stunning win for Internet companies that staged an ...

Wed, January 18, 2012

Obama education reforms advance as Congress falters

By Lisa Lambert

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama's administration is moving ahead in reforming U.S. education without the help of the Congress ...

Tue, January 17, 2012

Occupy protesters rally against Congress at Capitol

By Ian Simpson

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Demonstrators from the Occupy movement rallied at the Capitol and congressional office buildings on Tuesday to protest against the ...

Mon, January 16, 2012

Disapproval of Congress hits new high: poll

By JoAnne Allen

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A record 84 percent of Americans say they disapprove of the way the Congress is doing its job compared ...

Fri, January 13, 2012

FDA sends user-fee recommendations to Congress

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. health regulators said on Friday they have submitted to Congress new recommendations for how manufacturers will help fund their review ...

Fri, January 13, 2012

Obama seeks to revamp government, focus on exports

By Laura MacInnis

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama asked Congress on Friday for broad powers to overhaul the U.S. government and untangle what ...

Thu, January 12, 2012

Dean of California Republicans in Congress to retire

By Steve Gorman

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Representative Jerry Lewis, dean of California's congressional delegation and the state's longest-serving Republican ever on Capitol ...

Thu, January 12, 2012

Dean of California Republicans in Congress to retire

By Steve Gorman

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Representative Jerry Lewis, dean of California's congressional delegation and the state's longest-serving Republican ever on Capitol ...

Thu, January 05, 2012

CME faces regulatory probe on MF Global: sources

(Reuters) - The futures regulator has been investigating whether the CME Group did enough to safeguard customer money before the collapse of MF Global last ...

Wed, January 04, 2012

Congress presses rating agencies on MF Global: report

(Reuters) - Congressional investigators have stepped up their inquiry into the work of credit rating firms that examined MF Global's overly risky bets on ...

Wed, January 04, 2012

Obama sidesteps Congress, puts three on labor board

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama skirted Congress on Wednesday to fill three vacancies on an embattled labor board, drawing sharp criticism from big business ...

Wed, January 04, 2012

Cordray says politics won't distract consumer cop

By Dave Clarke

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - In his first full day as chief of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Richard Cordray sought to lower the ...

Fri, December 23, 2011

Congress punts hard payroll tax work to 2012

By Richard Cowan and Rachelle Younglai

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama signed into law a two-month payroll tax cut extension on Friday, capping a ...

Fri, December 23, 2011

Congress approves payroll tax deal

By Richard Cowan and Rachelle Younglai

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Congress approved a two-month payroll tax cut extension on Friday, capping an exhausting year of partisan ...

Wed, December 21, 2011

Waiting for Congress, Obama takes dog Bo shopping

ALEXANDRIA, Virginia (Reuters) - With his wife and daughters already in Hawaii for the holidays, President Barack Obama took his dog Bo shopping on Wednesday ...

Wed, December 21, 2011

Obama adviser: Congress inaction clouding U.S. outlook

By Rick Rothacker

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina (Reuters) - Congressional deadlock has clouded the U.S. economic outlook and may force banks to revise their growth ...

Mon, December 12, 2011

Congress cannot accelerate Keystone decision: State Department

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. State Department warned on Monday that a plan by congressional Republicans to fast track the Canada-to-Texas Keystone XL pipeline ...

Sun, December 11, 2011

Obama says to keep standing up to Congress on taxes

By Laura MacInnis

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama defended his leadership style on Sunday and said he would keep standing up to Congress as ...

Fri, December 09, 2011

Political ties win Corzine respect in Congress

By Alexandra Alper

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A day after Jon Corzine got politely grilled by lawmakers over the collapse of futures brokerage MF Global Holdings ...

Fri, December 09, 2011

Congress punts hard payroll tax work to 2012

By Richard Cowan and Rachelle Younglai

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama signed into law a two-month payroll tax cut extension on Friday, capping a ...

Thu, December 08, 2011

Congress passes spending bill to keep government running

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Senate on Saturday passed a $915 billion bill to fund most federal agency activities through next September and avert a government ...

Tue, December 06, 2011

Former vets official plans U.S. House bid

UNDATED (WSAU) – Wisconsin’s former veterans affairs secretary will try to get elected to Congress next year.

Ray Boland has announced his candidacy for ...

Tue, December 06, 2011

Congress turns up heat on CFTC, MF Global's Corzine

By Dave Clarke and Sarah N. Lynch

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Lawmakers examining the collapse of MF Global skewered the top U.S. futures regulator for ...

Fri, December 02, 2011

Congress subpoenas Corzine on MF Global collapse

By Alexandra Alper and Charles Abbott

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Former MF Global chief Jon Corzine was subpoenaed to testify before Congress, setting up an awkward ...

Wed, November 30, 2011

Congress steps into states' scuffle over sales tax

By Lisa Lambert

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - After the frenzy of "Cyber Monday," members of Congress on Wednesday entered into a different scuffle over web shopping ...

Tue, November 22, 2011

Businesses fret as Congress dallies on tax cut

By Patrick Temple-West

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Bonus season could come early this year for employees who are paid on commissions, payroll servicers said on Tuesday ...

Tue, November 22, 2011

Businesses fret as Congress dallies on tax cut

By Patrick Temple-West

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Bonus season could come early this year for employees who are paid on commissions, payroll servicers said on Tuesday ...

Tue, November 22, 2011

MF Global customers get hope; Corzine asked to testify

By Nick Brown, Christopher Doering and Jonathan Stempel

(Reuters) - Former customers of MF Global Holdings Ltd got some good news on Tuesday, as the ...

Tue, November 22, 2011

Obama urges Congress to save payroll tax cut

MANCHESTER, New Hampshire (Reuters) - President Barack Obama said on Tuesday U.S. lawmakers would have a chance to vote again next week to extend ...

Mon, November 21, 2011

Stop automatic defense cuts, Panetta urges Congress

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Automatic spending cuts that could result from a special congressional committee's failure to reach a deficit-reduction agreement could "tear a seam ...

Sun, November 20, 2011

Obama pushes divided Congress to extend tax cut

By Alister Bull

MANCHESTER, New Hampshire (Reuters) - President Barack Obama challenged the U.S. Congress on Tuesday to vote next week to save an ...

Fri, November 18, 2011

Congress unlikely to probe Gingrich's Freddie work

By Mark Hosenball

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Congressional committees are in no rush to investigate what U.S. Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich did for up ...

Thu, November 17, 2011

Obama signs stopgap funding bill: White House

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama on Friday signed a bill to fund the government until December 16, the White House said, after it was ...

Wed, November 16, 2011

Congress passes modest job-creation bill

By Andy Sullivan

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - In a rare display of cooperation, Republicans and Democrats in Congress overwhelmingly approved a limited jobs bill on Wednesday ...

Wed, November 16, 2011

Millionaires ask Congress: "Raise our taxes"

By Thomas Ferraro

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Nearly 140 millionaires asked a divided U.S. Congress on Wednesday to increase their taxes for the sake of ...

Thu, October 13, 2011

U.S. Postal Service reform moves forward in Congress

By Emily Stephenson

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Lawmakers on Thursday advanced legislation to overhaul the financially strapped U.S. Postal Service but removed a plan to ...

Thu, October 13, 2011

Congress panels fail to craft deficit-cut ideas

By Richard Cowan

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A special committee of Congress, struggling to find bipartisan consensus on ways to cut the federal budget, is not ...

Wed, October 12, 2011

White House working with Congress on yuan bill issues

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House said on Wednesday it was talking to U.S. lawmakers to iron out issues it has with a bill ...

Wed, October 12, 2011

Congress OKs Korea, Panama, Colombia trade deals

By Doug Palmer

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Congress on Wednesday approved long-delayed trade pacts with South Korea, Colombia and Panama that are expected to lift ...

Tue, October 11, 2011

Analysis: Boehner stands firm against China currency bill

By Susan Cornwell

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A controversial U.S. bill aimed at forcing China to raise the value of the yuan has cleared the ...

Tue, October 11, 2011

Senate Republican jobs bill urges tax reform and cuts

By Thomas Ferraro

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Senate Republicans, having rejected President Barack Obama's jobs bill, offered a sweeping and largely repackaged plan of their ...

Mon, October 10, 2011

"Joe the Plumber" may run for Congress in Ohio

(Reuters) - Samuel Joseph Wurzelbacher, better known as "Joe the Plumber" when he was thrust into the 2008 presidential campaign after questioning Democrat Barack Obama ...

Mon, October 10, 2011

Congress watchdog probes solar loans after Solyndra

By Roberta Rampton

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A top Republican congressional watchdog wants the Energy Department to turn over documents and emails about $4.7 billion ...

Wed, October 05, 2011

Analysis: Jobs debate in the hands of voters, not Congress

By Andy Sullivan

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - It increasingly appears that the debate over job creation in the United States will be resolved by voters, not ...

Tue, October 04, 2011

Congress settles funding fight, for now

By Andy Sullivan

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The House of Representatives on Tuesday passed a bill that puts the government on stable financial footing for six ...

Tue, October 04, 2011

Congress likely to pass trade deals: lawmaker

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A senior congressional Democrat said on Tuesday he expected Congress to pass three trade agreements with South Korea, Colombia and Panama, despite ...

Mon, October 03, 2011

Obama to send trade deals to Congress Monday: Senator Hatch

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama will send three long-delayed trade deals to Congress later on Monday afternoon, a top Republican senator said.

Senator Orrin ...

Mon, October 03, 2011

Obama challenges Congress to vote on jobs bill

By Laura MacInnis

ST. LOUIS (Reuters) - President Barack Obama challenged Republican leaders on Tuesday to put his entire $447 billion jobs plan to a ...

Mon, October 03, 2011

Obama and Republicans cooperate to move trade pacts

By Doug Palmer and Matt Spetalnick

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Years of political deadlock over U.S. free trade deals with South Korea, Colombia and Panama ...

Sat, October 01, 2011

Delayed free trade deals may go to Congress soon

By Steve Holland and Doug Palmer

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama may send to Congress as early as Monday three long-stalled free trade agreements ...

Wed, September 28, 2011

Analysis: States lobby against Medicaid cuts in Congress

By David Morgan

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - With billions of dollars in Medicaid spending at risk in Congress, states are forming a loose confederacy to oppose ...

Mon, September 26, 2011

House expected to pass funding bill Thursday

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The House of Representatives is expected to pass on Thursday a short-term funding bill to avert a government shutdown, a top Republican ...

Thu, September 22, 2011

Congress delays budget fight until Monday

By Andy Sullivan

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Congress set the stage for another last-minute budget showdown as lawmakers delayed action on a broad spending bill ...

Thu, September 22, 2011

Obama's "Buffett tax" roils Congress tax debate

By Richard Cowan

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - When Senator Charles Schumer urged quick action to raise taxes on the rich -- people like billionaire Warren Buffett -- he ...

Thu, September 22, 2011

Four tax facts for Congress deficit super panel

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The chief tax researcher of Congress gave a "super committee" on deficit reduction a broad look on Thursday at the condition of ...

Wed, September 21, 2011

Congress heads to another budget showdown

By Andy Sullivan and Thomas Ferraro

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A sharply divided Congress careened toward another high-stakes budget battle on Thursday as lawmakers remained at ...

Tue, September 20, 2011

High-stakes disaster aid fight looms in Congress

By Andy Sullivan

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Congress on Tuesday drifted toward another confrontation that could disrupt wide swaths of the government as Democrats sought to ...

Wed, September 14, 2011

Analysis: Happy talk doesn't mean compromise in Congress

By Andy Sullivan

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republicans in Congress may have dialed back their rhetoric, but that does not mean they are any more likely ...

Tue, September 13, 2011

Showdown over disaster aid looms in Congress

By Andy Sullivan

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Congress headed toward a showdown on disaster aid on Tuesday as the Democratic-controlled Senate advanced a measure that is ...

Tue, September 13, 2011

Congress, White House spar over Guantanamo records

By Mark Hosenball

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Obama administration is caught in a standoff with Congress over records documenting the release of suspected militants from ...

Tue, September 13, 2011

Congress budget agency warns panel of economic ills

By Richard Cowan and Donna Smith

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A softening U.S. economy means that Congress's "super committee" on deficit reduction must be ...

Tue, September 13, 2011

Kevin Brady optimistic Congress to OK trade deals very soon

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A senior Republican lawmaker said he was optimistic Congress would pass three long-delayed trade deals with South Korea, Panama and Colombia "very ...

Mon, September 12, 2011

Congress at odds over disaster aid

By Andy Sullivan

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republicans and Democrats in Congress moved to quickly approve disaster aid on Monday but remained at odds over the ...

Mon, September 12, 2011

Business leaders tell Congress to "go big" on deficit cuts

By Laura MacInnis

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Business leaders and former U.S. government officials on Monday urged a congressional committee tasked with slashing America's ...

Mon, September 12, 2011

Obama sends jobs plan to Congress, eyes tax hikes

By Steve Holland and Matt Spetalnick

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama sent his jobs bill to Congress on Monday and proposed paying for it ...

Fri, September 09, 2011

Congress set to avoid transport shutdowns

By John Crawley

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Legislation emerged in Congress late on Friday that would allow the government to avoid shutdowns of aviation and highway ...

Fri, September 09, 2011

Obama asks Congress for $5.1 billion in disaster aid

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama asked Congress on Friday for $5.1 billion in supplemental disaster relief as damage from Hurricane Irene and other ...

Thu, September 08, 2011

Congress approves patent overhaul bill

By Diane Bartz

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Congress gave final approval to an overhaul of the U.S. patent system on Thursday, sending the bill aimed ...

Wed, September 07, 2011

Republicans ask Obama to send Congress trade pacts

By Doug Palmer

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Nearly a dozen Republican senators on Wednesday urged President Barack Obama to quickly send Congress three long-delayed trade deals ...

Mon, September 05, 2011

Analysis: Is Congress hurting the economy?

By Andy Sullivan

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - With the economy facing a heightened risk of sliding back into recession, the country's elected representatives may be ...

Sat, September 03, 2011

Obama ups pressure over transportation

By Alister Bull

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama, under fire over high unemployment, stepped up pressure on Congress on Saturday to pass transportation legislation ...

Wed, August 31, 2011

Obama moves jobs speech to September 8

By Jeff Mason and Thomas Ferraro

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama on Wednesday agreed to unveil new jobs proposals in an address to Congress ...

Wed, August 31, 2011

Obama says Congress must pass transport bills

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama, seeking to preserve jobs in a tough economy, urged Congress on Wednesday to not hold up temporary funding measures ...

Tue, August 30, 2011

Obama pushes transport bills, says jobs at stake

By John Crawley and Lisa Lambert

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama urged Congress Wednesday to quickly pass multibillion-dollar temporary funding bills for aviation and ...

Sun, August 21, 2011

USPS hopes Congress delivers overhaul package

By Emily Stephenson

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - In just a few weeks, the U.S. Postal Service expects to be insolvent, barring intervention by a divided ...

Thu, August 18, 2011

Groupon shares mobile location plans with Congress

By Alistair Barr

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Groupon Inc disclosed some details of its plan to offer location-based offers through mobile phones when the largest ...

Wed, August 17, 2011

Congress, not Fed, must do more for economy: Fisher

MIDLAND, Tx (Reuters) - The Federal Reserve has no business easing monetary policy further when the real problem facing the economy is fiscal mismanagement in ...

Mon, August 15, 2011

Obama blames Congress Republicans on bus tour

By Alister Bull

PEOSTA, Iowa (Reuters) - President Barack Obama on Tuesday sought to turn voter anger over the economy toward Republicans in the Congress ...

Fri, August 12, 2011

Congress faces tough decisions on gasoline tax

By Richard Cowan

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A multibillion-dollar gasoline tax to maintain U.S. highways and mass transit will be in jeopardy when Congress resumes ...

Thu, August 11, 2011

Obama says political divide is hurting economy

By Jeff Mason

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama said on Saturday that bitter fights between Democrats and Republicans in Washington were hurting the economy ...

Thu, August 11, 2011

Striking Verizon workers boost jobless claims

By Lucia Mutikani

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Striking workers at Verizon Communications pushed up new U.S. jobless claims last week, but there was little evidence ...

Mon, August 08, 2011

Senate panel reviewing S&P downgrade

By Rachelle Younglai and Richard Cowan

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Senate Banking committee has begun looking into last week's decision by Standard and Poor ...

Fri, August 05, 2011

Congress may reverse post office cuts

UNDATED (WSAU) There’s an effort brewing in Congress to save the post offices that are targeted for closing. The Postal Service wants to ...

Thu, August 04, 2011

Disapproval of Congress hits new high: poll

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Disapproval of Congress rose to an all-time high after weeks of rancorous partisan battles over raising the U.S. debt ceiling took ...

Thu, August 04, 2011

IRS will not go after airline fare hikes

By John Crawley

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The government does not plan to go after more than $400 million in airline revenue from fare increases that ...

Wed, August 03, 2011

Congress leaders agree on path to trade deals

By Doug Palmer

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Congressional leaders said on Wednesday they have agreed upon a path to approve three long-delayed free trade agreements and ...

Tue, August 02, 2011

Congress plans to block consumer agency job

By Dave Clarke

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Congressional Republicans plan to block President Barack Obama from appointing a director for the new consumer agency over the ...

Mon, August 01, 2011

Efforts to end FAA shutdown falter in Senate

By John Crawley

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Efforts to craft a compromise to end a partial shutdown of federal aviation programs faltered in the U.S ...

Mon, August 01, 2011

White House adviser says deficit deal will pass Congress

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - White House senior adviser David Plouffe said on Monday that he believes the newly minted deal to raise the U.S. debt ...

Mon, August 01, 2011

Somerhalder addresses Congress on environment issues

The 32 year old is an avid environmentalist and has set up his own non-profit organisation, the Ian Somerhalder Foundation, to boost awareness about ...

Mon, August 01, 2011

Wall Street closes worst week since '08 with wild day

By Angela Moon

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stocks closed out their worst week in more than two years on Friday in a volatile session that ...

Sun, July 31, 2011

McConnell: Congress close to debt deal

WASHINGTON, D.C. (WSAU) - Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell tells CNN's "State of the Union" lawmakers are close to reaching a debt ...

Sat, July 30, 2011

Senate delays key debt vote until later on Sunday

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid on Saturday delayed a test vote on the Democratic debt limit increase plan until 1 p.m ...

Sat, July 30, 2011

Somerhalder addresses Congress on environment issues

The 32 year old is an avid environmentalist and has set up his own non-profit organisation, the Ian Somerhalder Foundation, to boost awareness about ...

Fri, July 29, 2011

Americans press Congress on debt via phones, Twitter

By Deborah Charles

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Americans took to the phone lines and the Internet on Friday after President Barack Obama urged them again to ...

Fri, July 29, 2011

New drug regulator asks Congress for more power

By Anna Yukhananov

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Drug companies should take more responsibility for the safety of ingredients sourced overseas, and Congress should make them if ...

Wed, July 27, 2011

CEOs say yes to Congress on removing tax breaks

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The CEO of Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and other major U.S. employers told Congress on Wednesday they would be willing to give ...

Tue, July 26, 2011

Timeline: Congress has a week to write a debt deal

(Reuters) - The Congress faces an August 2 deadline for raising the government's $14.3 trillion limit on borrowing and averting a potentially catastrophic ...

Sun, July 24, 2011

Congress "nutters" risk global finance: UK minister

LONDON (Reuters) - Right-wing "nutters" in the United States Congress holding up a deal to prevent a catastrophic debt default are a greater risk to ...

Sat, July 23, 2011

White House warns Congress not to play politics with debt

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama continues to oppose a short-term extension of the country's debt ceiling, which he feels could lead to the ...

Sat, July 23, 2011

Congress working on new debt legislation: McConnell

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell said on Saturday congressional leaders were working on fresh legislation to prevent the United States defaulting on ...

Thu, July 21, 2011

CFTC should follow Congress on Dodd-Frank: Wetjen

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Mark Wetjen, selected as a commissioner at the U.S. futures regulator, said the agency should follow the intent of Congress when ...

Tue, July 12, 2011

Republicans hope for upset in California Congress race

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A Republican businessman with Tea Party backing looked for an upset on Tuesday over a Democratic Los Angeles city councilwoman in ...

Tue, July 05, 2011

Default avoided but fears on economy remain

By Andy Sullivan and Jeff Mason

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States stepped back from the brink of default on Tuesday but congressional approval of ...

Fri, July 01, 2011

Privacy groups ask Congress for stronger law

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A coalition of consumer and privacy groups is pressing the Senate for stronger legislation to ensure that consumers' private information is kept ...

Thu, June 30, 2011

Republicans block action on Bush trade pacts

By Doug Palmer

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Senate Republicans on Thursday blocked action on three free trade agreements they have long supported to protest against President ...

Mon, June 27, 2011

Congress begins work on new farm bill

UNDATED (WSAU) Congress is starting to put together the next five-year Farm Bill.

The package of federal farm-related programs and policies is due to ...

Sun, June 19, 2011

Gates warns Congress not to cut off Libya funds

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Defense Secretary Robert Gates warned Congress on Sunday not to cut off funding for U.S. military involvement in Libya and predicted ...

Tue, June 14, 2011

Seeking funds, Treasury says World Bank vital to U.S.

By Doug Palmer

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. leadership on global economic issues could fade if Washington does not retain influence at the World Bank ...

Fri, June 10, 2011

Iraq government says Congress delegation "not welcome"

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq said on Friday a visiting Congress delegation was "not welcome" in the country, citing reports its leader called on Baghdad to ...

Fri, June 10, 2011

U.S. exporters vexed as Congress fights over trade

By Doug Palmer and Rod Nickel

WASHINGTON/WINNIPEG, Manitoba (Reuters) - Jason Speer is eagerly eyeing Colombia's booming oil sector for his Illinois-based company ...

Wed, June 08, 2011

Lone Oklahoma Democrat in Congress will not run again

By Steve Olafson

OKLAHOMA CITY (Reuters) - The only Oklahoma Democrat in Congress said on Tuesday that he will not run for re-election next year ...

Wed, June 01, 2011

Vanishing giants in a sharply divided Congress

By Richard Cowan and Thomas Ferraro

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The long-gone old bulls of the Congress -- giants like Democrats Ted Kennedy and Tip O'Neill ...

Fri, May 20, 2011

Obama, on Libya deadline, welcomes Congress support

By Alister Bull

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama, facing criticism from some lawmakers that U.S. military action against Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi is ...

Mon, May 16, 2011

Obama oil plan aims to hush rancor in Congress

By Timothy Gardner and Roberta Rampton

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama's new plan to expand oil production in the Gulf of Mexico and ...

Sat, May 14, 2011

Governor Walker In Wausau, Addresses Conservation Congress

WAUSAU, Wis (WSAU) Governor Scott Walker was in Wausau on Friday speaking to the annual Wisconsin Conservation Congress convention. 360 delegates from around the ...

Thu, May 12, 2011

Obama presses Congress on cybersecurity measures

By Diane Bartz

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House on Thursday pressed Congress to pass strong cybersecurity measures to protect consumers' personal information and safeguard ...

Thu, May 12, 2011

Don Bates Jr Announces Run For Congress

TERRE HAUTE, IN (WIBQ)  --  Don Bates Jr. announced his candidacy for the spot being vacated by GOP Rep. Mike Pence who has decided to ...

Wed, May 11, 2011

Congress poised to pass Colombia deal: Baucus

By Doug Palmer

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A top senator said on Wednesday he expected Congress to soon pass a free trade agreement with Colombia despite ...

Tue, May 10, 2011

Court says Congress and president failed to help veterans

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Accusing Congress and the president of neglecting to take appropriate action to save veterans' lives, a federal appeals court called for ...

Tue, May 10, 2011

Israel's Netanyahu to address Congress on May 24

By Matt Spetalnick

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will address the U.S. Congress on May 24 on a Washington visit that ...

Tue, May 10, 2011

Netanyahu to address Congress May 24: House speaker

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will address a joint meeting of Congress on May 24, House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner announced ...

Mon, May 09, 2011

Fed's Lacker: Congress playing with fire on debt limit

By Rachelle Younglai

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A top Federal Reserve official on Monday warned that Congress was playing with fire by not raising the country ...

Mon, May 09, 2011

Congress to see more theatrics over high oil

By Timothy Gardner

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Lawmakers will clash this week over strategies for combating high gasoline prices and repealing tax incentives enjoyed by big ...

Tue, May 03, 2011

Business pushes Congress to clear bigger trucks

By John Crawley

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Manufacturers, retailers, and other businesses are quietly working with truckers in renewing a push for government permission to operate ...

Sun, May 01, 2011

Gas prices and debt to dominate Congress in May

By Richard Cowan

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Congress returns to work on Monday to begin negotiations in earnest on the government's jumbo-sized debt, even ...

Fri, April 29, 2011

Business gears up to pressure Congress on debt limit

By Rachelle Younglai and Tim Reid

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Big manufacturers, fearful of higher borrowing costs, are lining up with Wall Street banks to pressure ...

Tue, April 26, 2011

Congress deepens Apple location tracking probe

By Jasmin Melvin

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Lawmakers extended their probe into location tracking on mobile devices this week, asking Apple Inc and other developers to ...

Fri, April 22, 2011

Furor over air controllers to spill into Congress

By John Crawley

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - An uproar over lapses by U.S. air traffic controllers will spill into Congress where critics of organized labor ...

Wed, April 20, 2011

Congress "on the hook" on debt limit: Treasury

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Deputy Treasury Secretary Neal Wolin said on Wednesday that Congress will not allow a default on the national debt to occur because ...

Wed, April 20, 2011

Tom Vilsack's wife mulling run for Congress in Iowa

DES MOINES, Iowa (Reuters) - Christie Vilsack, the wife of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, said on Wednesday she is preparing a run for the Iowa ...

Wed, April 20, 2011

Obama urges pressure on Congress to act on immigration

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama said on Tuesday that he cannot reform U.S. immigration laws alone and pressure must be brought to bear ...

Tue, April 19, 2011

White House: Panama trade deal ready for Congress

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Obama administration said on Tuesday it is ready to ask Congress to approve a long-awaited free trade agreement with Panama now ...

Mon, April 18, 2011

White House and Congress under pressure from S&P move

By Jeff Mason and Kim Dixon

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Lawmakers and the White House seized on Standard & Poor's revised U.S. credit outlook on ...

Sun, April 17, 2011

Congress will raise debt limit: Geithner

By David Lawder

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Congressional Republicans have assured President Barack Obama that they would not hold the economy hostage over raising the debt ...

Thu, April 14, 2011

Congress passes $38 billion spending cut bill

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Congress on Thursday approved $38 billion in spending cuts this year as part of a bill to fund the federal government ...

Thu, April 14, 2011

U.S. to invite Israel's Netanyahu to address Congress

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - House Speaker John Boehner will invite Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to address a joint meeting of the Congress during a visit ...

Wed, April 13, 2011

Geithner says Congress will pass debt limit increase

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said on Wednesday that Congress will allow the country to borrow more by agreeing to increase the $14 ...

Wed, April 13, 2011

Cuban Communist Party congress looks to future

By Jeff Franks

HAVANA (Reuters) - Cuba's ruling Communist Party meets on Saturday for a congress expected to introduce possible future leaders and endorse ...

Fri, April 08, 2011

Congress approves measure to avert shutdown

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Congress early on Saturday passed a one-week stopgap funding measure to avert a federal government shutdown, clearing the way to approve a ...

Thu, April 07, 2011

Obama, Congress leaders start U.S. budget meeting

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama has begun a meeting with congressional leaders at the White House to discuss ways to avoid a government shutdown ...

Thu, April 07, 2011

Obama meeting with Congress leaders delayed one hour

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - There will be a one-hour delay in a meeting on Thursday between President Barack Obama and congressional leaders, which is now set ...

Thu, March 17, 2011

Congress buys more time for budget dispute

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Congress on Thursday bought itself more time to work out a much-delayed deal to fund the government for the next six ...

Wed, March 16, 2011

Republicans in Congress aim to cut foreign aid

By Susan Cornwell

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - From hydrogen fuel cell-powered bikes to aid for an African country that spent millions on a massive monument, Republican ...

Wed, March 16, 2011

Geithner says Congress must raise debt limit

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said on Wednesday that there was no alternative except for Congress to raise the debt ceiling so that ...

Tue, March 15, 2011

Challenges to Dodd-Frank surface in Congress

By Kevin Drawbaugh

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The first targeted legislative challenges to 2010's Dodd-Frank financial regulation reforms are emerging in the Congress, with nine ...

Tue, March 15, 2011

Geithner backs Congress eyeing of covered bonds

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner on Tuesday backed efforts from lawmakers on Capitol Hill to look into ways to expand the way homes ...

Fri, March 11, 2011

Congress eyes flood insurance fix as tsunami nears

By Kevin Drawbaugh

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - As a tsunami bore down on the western United States, a congressional panel explored ways to fix the broken ...

Thu, March 10, 2011

No consensus seen in Congress for U.S. Libya action

By Susan Cornwell

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - As the Obama administration wrestles over what to do about Libya, the voices on Capitol Hill offer no consensus ...

Wed, March 09, 2011

Congress wades into flood insurance overhaul

By Kevin Drawbaugh

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Congress is pulling on its hip waders again to try to rescue a government policy wreck left over from ...

Tue, March 08, 2011

Affleck to testify before Congress

The Good Will Hunting star has championed humanitarian issues in the African country since a 2008 visit, which inspired him to make a short ...

Mon, March 07, 2011

USTR tells Congress ready to move South Korea trade deal

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Obama administration signaled on Monday it was ready to begin final talks with Congress enact a free trade deal with South ...

Wed, March 02, 2011

Mickey Rooney tells Congress of abuse

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Veteran actor Mickey Rooney on Wednesday urged elderly victims of abuse to speak up to anyone who will listen and described to ...

Tue, March 01, 2011

Social Security reform debate stirs in Congress

By Richard Cowan

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - While Congress brawls over how to shrink a $1.6 trillion budget deficit this year, an even tougher battle ...

Tue, March 01, 2011

Congress buys more time for budget dispute

By Andy Sullivan

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Congress on Thursday bought itself more time to work out a much-delayed budget deal as the costs of ...

Sat, February 26, 2011

Obama urges Congress to avoid budget gridlock

By Alister Bull

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama Saturday urged Congress to find "common ground" to prevent a damaging government shutdown, as Republicans and ...

Thu, February 17, 2011

Congress votes to renew anti-terrorism powers

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Legislation to renew three expiring surveillance provisions of the anti-terrorism Patriot Act won final congressional approval on Thursday.

The Republican-led House of ...

Wed, February 16, 2011

Debit card fee fight returns to Congress

By Dave Clarke and Maria Aspan

WASHINGTON/NEW YORK (Reuters) - Visa and banks will press lawmakers on Thursday for relief from a proposed slashing ...

Mon, February 14, 2011

U.S. aims Latam trade accords to Congress by mid-year

By Pascal Fletcher

MIAMI (Reuters) - President Barack Obama's administration aims to send stalled free trade pacts with Colombia and Panama to Congress by ...

Mon, February 14, 2011

Obama's Pentagon budget hits divided Congress

By Andrea Shalal-Esa and Jim Wolf

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama sent Congress a $671 billion defense budget on Monday with $13 billion in ...

Fri, February 11, 2011

Tea Party makes a quick mark in Congress

By John Whitesides

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Tea Party conservatives -- those budget-cutting, anti-establishment activists who shook up the Republican Party last year -- have a message for ...

Thu, February 10, 2011

Anti-computer hacking bill coming in Congress

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Strengthening cybersecurity is the goal of legislation being introduced in Congress after reports of hack attacks on computer networks at Nasdaq OMX ...

Wed, February 09, 2011

Congress agrees to name courthouse for slain Tucson judge

PHOENIX (Reuters) - The Congress on Wednesday approved a bill to name a new federal courthouse in Arizona for a senior judge killed in the ...

Wed, February 09, 2011

Geithner: cooperation in Congress will aid economy

By Glenn Somerville

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner on Wednesday strongly pitched increased bipartisan cooperation among lawmakers as vital for building business and ...

Wed, January 26, 2011

Library of Congress hawk finally leaves the building

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Cooper's hawk that had called the Library of Congress main reading room home for a week was caught on Wednesday ...

Sun, January 16, 2011

Congress urged to raise debt limit

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Congress must allow the country to borrow more to avoid a debt default that would wreak havoc on financial markets and ...

Sat, January 08, 2011

Obama urges end to "symbolic battles" in Congress

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama urged newly empowered Republicans on Saturday not to wage "symbolic battles" against him but to instead work together to ...

Thu, January 06, 2011

Fed, widely lampooned, faces restive Congress

By Mark Felsenthal

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Federal Reserve's policies have been ridiculed by cartoon characters, comedians, and finance ministers. Now it's Congress ...

Tue, January 04, 2011

Congress may force White House to expand drilling: group

By Tom Doggett

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Congress should pass legislation, if necessary, to force the Obama administration to open more offshore areas to oil and ...

Thu, December 30, 2010

Empire Strikes Back and The Exorcist make Congress archives

Twenty five films have been selected to be stored in the national archives as part of an annual drive to preserve movies with artistic ...

Wed, December 22, 2010

Obama says look at deficit cutting in new Congress

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama on Wednesday said cutting the deficit and debt will have to be looked at as soon as the new ...

Wed, December 22, 2010

Health bill for 9/11 responders clears Congress

By Donna Smith

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Legislation to provide medical care for firefighters and other responders to the September 11, 2001 attacks passed the Congress ...

Tue, December 21, 2010

Congress OKs dual-source warship purchase

By Jim Wolf

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Congress cleared the Navy to split a roughly $10 billion purchase of the first 20 in a new class ...

Tue, December 21, 2010

UPDATE: Congress OK's Continuing Resolution, Includes Marinette Marine LCS Deal

WASHINGTON D.C. (WTAQ) - A government funding bill which includes a multi-billion dollar Navy contract for Marinette Marine has cleared the U.S. House ...

Sun, December 19, 2010

Congress Repeals "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"

Thu, December 16, 2010

Congress votes to end ban on gays in military

By Donna Smith and Thomas Ferraro

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Congress on Saturday voted to repeal the ban against gays serving openly in the military ...

Sun, December 12, 2010

White House expects Congress to pass tax plan

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - White House adviser David Axelrod said on Sunday he expected the House of Representatives to vote on President Barack Obama's tax ...

Thu, December 09, 2010

Congress votes to avert Medicare doctor pay cut

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Legislation to avert a 25 percent pay cut for doctors treating patients covered by the federal Medicare health insurance program for the ...

Thu, December 09, 2010

Obama urges Congress to approve tax compromise

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama said on Thursday that passing a tax compromise that he reached earlier this week with Republicans would boost the ...

Wed, December 08, 2010

White House aide sees tax deal succeeding in Congress

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House believes President Barack Obama's tax deal with Republicans will succeed in Congress, despite criticism from Democrats who oppose ...

Thu, December 02, 2010

Congress votes to avert government shutdown

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Congress on Thursday extended soon-to-expire funding for the federal government for another two weeks, giving Democrats time to craft a more lasting ...

Mon, November 29, 2010

Congress votes to delay pay cut to doctors

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Legislation to postpone for one month a hefty cut in payments to doctors who participate in the U.S. Medicare health insurance ...

Mon, November 29, 2010

U.S. Congress returns to work with long to-do list

By John Whitesides

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Lawmakers face a lengthy to-do list, topped by a dispute over expiring tax cuts, when they return to work ...

Fri, November 19, 2010

China condemns Congress for security report

BEIJING (Reuters) - China's Foreign Ministry on Friday hit back at a report to Congress on China's military capabilities and economic policies, saying ...

Wed, November 17, 2010

Oil groups press Congress for Interior funding

By Ayesha Rascoe

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Oil industry groups on Wednesday urged U.S. lawmakers to allocate more money for the federal offshore drilling regulator ...

Mon, November 15, 2010

Liberals in Congress press on tax cuts

By Kim Dixon and Richard Cowan

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Liberals in the House of Representatives pressed their case against extending Bush-era tax cuts for the ...

Sat, November 13, 2010

Obama to push for START in "lame duck" congress

YOKOHAMA, Japan (Reuters) - President Barack Obama said the United States is working closely with Russia on its interest in joining the World Trade Organization ...

Tue, November 09, 2010

SEC's Schapiro says new Congress won't slow reform

By James B. Kelleher

CHICAGO (Reuters) - The top securities regulator said on Tuesday she doubts her agency's overhaul of the country's financial ...

Mon, November 08, 2010

Doctors urge Congress to halt Medicare pay cuts

By Julie Steenhuysen

CHICAGO (Reuters) - The American Medical Association unleashed its latest salvo on Monday in its campaign against cuts in Medicare payments to ...

Wed, November 03, 2010

Stalemate seen in Congress on banking and housing

By Kevin Drawbaugh

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republicans grabbed the steering wheel of the U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday, but weren't expected to ...

Tue, October 12, 2010

Markets pricing in split Congress, gains under GOP

By Ryan Vlastelica

NEW YORK (Reuters) - This November, the bulls are looking for elephants.

The Republican Party, with an elephant as its symbol, could ...

Thu, October 07, 2010

No respite for China likely from new Congress

By Paul Eckert

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A change of control of the Congress after next month's elections might take a harsh spotlight off China ...

Thu, October 07, 2010

Congress ethics panel to hear Rangel case November 15

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Trials in the Congress on alleged ethics violations against two prominent Democrats -- Charles Rangel and Maxine Waters -- will not be held until ...

Sat, October 02, 2010

Wen says some in Congress politicize trade gap

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao criticized members of Congress in an interview set to air on Sunday for "politicizing" the U.S. trade ...

Wed, September 29, 2010

Congress OKs higher mortgage loan limit extension

By Corbett B. Daly

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Congress on Thursday voted to extend higher loan limits for government-backed mortgages, a move that ...

Tue, September 28, 2010

Congress funding fight may delay Wall Street reforms

By Andy Sullivan and Roberta Rampton

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Obama administration may have to wait several months to implement parts of the landmark Dodd-Frank ...

Fri, September 24, 2010

Congress poised to extend GSE home loan limits

By Corbett B. Daly

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Congress is poised to extend next week increased loan limits on mortgages backed by Fannie Mae and Freddie ...

Thu, September 23, 2010

Congress rolls back part of Wall Street reform bill

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Lawmakers voted on Thursday to repeal a provision in their landmark Wall Street reform bill that exempted securities regulators from complying with ...

Thu, September 23, 2010

Congress sends small business bill to Obama

By Donna Smith

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A $30 billion small business lending bill cleared Congress on Thursday, giving President Barack Obama's embattled Democrats a ...

Wed, September 22, 2010

J&J to Congress: Motrin buyback was legal, FDA knew

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. health regulators knew that Johnson & Johnson's McNeil unit was using a contractor to buy back potentially faulty batches of ...

Fri, September 17, 2010

Tea Party seen pressuring Congress on spending

By Thomas Ferraro

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The rise of the conservative Tea Party movement will put pressure on the U.S. Congress to cut federal ...

Mon, September 13, 2010

U.S. groups urge Congress not pass China currency bill

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Thirty-six U.S. farm and business groups urged Congress on Tuesday not to pass legislation threatening China with duties on some of ...

Mon, September 13, 2010

U.S. to tell Congress of up to $60 billion Saudi arms deal

By Phil Stewart

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Obama administration will soon notify Congress of an arms package for Saudi Arabia worth up to $60 billion ...

Fri, August 20, 2010

Candy makers mad at Obama and Congress for Mexico tariff

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Candy makers on Friday blamed President Barack Obama's administration and Congress for a new 20 percent duty on $45 million of ...

Thu, August 19, 2010

Clemens indicted for lying to Congress

By James Vicini and Jeremy Pelofsky

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Baseball great Roger Clemens, one of the best pitchers in the sport's history, was indicted ...

Sun, August 01, 2010

Congress questions BP's use of dispersants in Gulf

By Deborah Zabarenko and Ross Colvin

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - BP's use of dispersant chemicals on the Gulf of Mexico oil spill is sparking questions ...

Wed, July 28, 2010

Aviation bill prospects dim in Congress

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Prospects that Congress would enact a measure to overhaul U.S. aviation programs dimmed significantly on Wednesday as the House of Representatives ...

Tue, July 27, 2010

Congress approves Afghan surge funds

By Susan Cornwell

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Congress on Tuesday approved funding to pay for President Barack Obama's Afghanistan troop increase despite growing skepticism among ...

Sun, July 25, 2010

Congress gives Obama long-delayed Afghan war funds

By Matt Spetalnick and Sayed Salahuddin

WASHINGTON/KABUL (Reuters) - The Congress on Tuesday gave President Barack Obama long-delayed funding for his troop increase in ...

Sat, July 24, 2010

Dean: charges could oust Rangel from Congress

By Thomas Ferraro

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democratic Representative Charles Rangel deserves to expelled from Congress if the ethics charges against him are true, former Democratic ...

Wed, July 21, 2010

Jobless aid bill clears Congress

By Donna Smith

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Congress voted on Thursday to restore aid for about 2.5 million jobless Americans while President Barack Obama ...

Wed, July 14, 2010

Wall Street reform clears Congress

By Andy Sullivan and Kevin Drawbaugh

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Congress on Thursday approved the broadest overhaul of financial rules since the Great Depression and ...

Wed, July 14, 2010

Pentagon warns Congress: accounts running dry

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Pentagon said on Wednesday it may be forced to take extreme measures -- like not paying salaries -- if the Democratic-led Congress fails ...

Tue, July 13, 2010

Congress to extend middle-class tax cuts

By Kim Dixon and Donna Smith

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Congress will likely act to extend tax cuts for the middle class to avoid choking off ...

Thu, July 08, 2010

U.S. unions urge Congress to pass China currency bill

By Doug Palmer

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The largest U.S. labor group urged Congress on Friday to pass legislation to fight China's currency practices ...

Thu, July 01, 2010

Alliance: Optimistic Congress Will Help Fighting Asian Carp in Great Lakes

CHICAGO, Ill. (WTAQ) - The head of the Alliance for the Great Lakes says he’s optimistic that Congress will pass a bill to speed ...

Wed, June 30, 2010

Congress backs home tax credit extension

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Congress on Wednesday approved a bill extending the closing deadline for homebuyers trying to take advantage of a popular tax credit ...

Thu, June 24, 2010

Congress OKs sanctions on Iran's energy, banks

By Susan Cornwell

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Congress on Thursday approved tough new unilateral sanctions aimed at squeezing Iran's energy and banking sectors, which could ...

Sun, June 20, 2010

Schumer says Congress must up pressure on China

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Senator Charles Schumer said on Sunday China's gradual approach to lifting its currency peg amounted to "backing off" its promises, and ...

Sun, June 20, 2010

Bill Clinton aims to help Democrats retain Congress

By Thomas Ferraro

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Bill "The Comeback Kid" Clinton is trying to help fellow Democrats rebound from poor public opinion ratings and retain ...

Wed, June 16, 2010

Obama's call on energy bill fails to sway Congress

By John Whitesides and Richard Cowan

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama's muted call for comprehensive energy legislation failed to sway a ...

Mon, June 14, 2010

BP to face isolation from peers at Congress hearings

By Ayesha Rascoe

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Top competitors are expected to distance themselves from BP Plc <BP.L> on Tuesday as normally clubby oil industry ...

Sun, June 13, 2010

Congress nears deal on bank trading crackdown

By Kevin Drawbaugh

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - One of the last major agreements needed to approve historic Wall Street reform -- a compromise on curbing risky bank ...

Thu, June 10, 2010

Obama pushes Congress on financial reforms, spill

By Patricia Zengerle

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama pushed congressional leaders Thursday to pass energy, financial reform and jobs measures, even as they grapple ...

Wed, June 09, 2010

Congress looks at making cities more "livable"

By Lisa Lambert

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Senate moved closer on Wednesday to making the concept of "livable communities" a part of national law that ...

Wed, June 09, 2010

Congress to act on Iran this month

By Susan Cornwell

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Congress will pass additional sanctions on Iran this month, a Democratic lawmaker predicted on Wednesday, calling new U.N ...

Mon, June 07, 2010

Final act begins in Congress on Wall Street reform

By Kevin Drawbaugh

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Negotiators from the Senate and House will begin meeting this week to craft a final Wall Street reform bill ...

Tue, June 01, 2010

Group: Congress' Pork Projects Down 15%

WASHINGTON D.C. (WTAQ) - Washington’s pork is a little leaner this year. The Citizens Against Government Waste said Congress approved 9,100 projects ...

Thu, May 27, 2010

U.S. Congress hears benefits of synthetic biology

By Maggie Fox, Health and Science Editor

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Synthetic biology can be used to make nonpolluting fuel, instant vaccines against new diseases and ...

Wed, May 26, 2010

Consumers skeptical of Congress on regulation

By Lauren Young and Daniel Trotta

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Small investors angry with Wall Street about their battered portfolios see little relief coming from ...

Tue, May 25, 2010

Doyle, Obama Urging Congress to Help Small Businesses

WASHINGTON D.C. (WTAQ) - Governor Jim Doyle teamed up with President Obama at the White House Tuesday to urge Congress to help small businesses ...

Thu, May 20, 2010

Congress closer to extending Build America Bonds

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Congressional leaders will introduce a bill on Thursday to extend the stimulus plan's Build America Bond program while gradually lowering the ...

Thu, May 20, 2010

Mexican Prez Scolds Congress on Guns, Immigration

WASHINGTON D.C. (WTAQ) - Mexican President Felipe Calderon is asking the U.S. to get a handle on guns. Addressing a joint meeting of ...

Mon, May 17, 2010

Hedge funds lobbyist gives names to Congress: report

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A Washington hedge fund lobbying group has given names and contact information about its members to Congressional investigators, the Wall Street ...

Thu, May 13, 2010

Transocean hires U.S. lobby firm to work Congress

By David Morgan

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Transocean Ltd, one of the companies under fire over the massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, has ...

Mon, May 10, 2010

Exchange execs to address Congress panel on sell-off

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Senior executives from NYSE Euronext, Nasdaq OMX Group Inc and CME Group Inc will testify to a congressional panel on Tuesday on ...

Fri, May 07, 2010

Stock shock roils Congress amid Wall St debate

By Kevin Drawbaugh and Thomas Ferraro

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Shock waves from the U.S. stock market plunge rolled through Washington on Friday and underscored ...

Thu, May 06, 2010

Karzai may face hostile audience in U.S. Congress

By Susan Cornwell

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Once hailed as a hero in the U.S. Congress, Afghan President Hamid Karzai may find the welcome mat ...

Tue, May 04, 2010

U.S. oil spill hurting energy moves in Congress

By Richard Cowan

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The massive, uncontrolled oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is roiling President Barack Obama's carefully laid plans ...

Wed, April 28, 2010

Congress panel backs flood insurance overhaul

By Kevin Drawbaugh

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A bill to overhaul the troubled National Flood Insurance Program, which covers more than five million homes and businesses ...

Thu, April 15, 2010

Congress votes to restore lapsed jobless aid

By Andy Sullivan

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Congress on Thursday voted to restore jobless benefits for hundreds of thousands of Americans who had lost them during ...

Tue, April 13, 2010

Congress could skip budget blueprint this year

By Andy Sullivan

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Democratic-controlled U.S. Congress could forego trying to approve a budget blueprint this year, a move that could ...

Wed, March 24, 2010

Jobless aid could halt after Congress fails to act

By Andy Sullivan

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Hundreds of thousands of jobless Americans could once again face a disruption in their unemployment benefits after Congress failed ...

Fri, March 19, 2010

Once skeptical, Congress warms to CFTC's Gensler

By Christopher Doering

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Gary Gensler, who once supported market deregulation blamed for the recent financial meltdown, has been winning over members of ...

Fri, March 19, 2010

Obama says Congress poised for historic vote

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama said on Friday that the U.S. Congress is poised to "do something historic" this weekend by approving a ...

Wed, March 17, 2010

Government sets school bonds, Congress approves rebates

By Lisa Lambert

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - State and school districts can now tap their 2010 allocations of stimulus school construction bonds, which total $11 billion ...

Wed, March 17, 2010

Wisconsin companies spend more to lobby Congress

UNDATED (WSAU) Almost half the Wisconsin companies which have lobbyists in Washington spent more last year to try to get their way. According to ...

Mon, March 15, 2010

First of several job-creation bills clears Congress

By Andy Sullivan

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A package of tax breaks and highway spending cleared Congress on Wednesday, the first of what Democrats hope will ...

Thu, March 11, 2010

SEC head prods Congress on derivatives rules

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The top U.S. securities regulator said market watchdogs need to supervise credit default swaps, securities blamed for exacerbating 2008's market ...

Thu, March 04, 2010

Levin takes over as Congress' top tax writer

By Thomas Ferraro

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Representative Sander Levin took over on Thursday as top tax writer for the Congress, replacing fellow Democrat Charles Rangel ...

Mon, March 01, 2010

Turkey warns U.S. against "genocide" bill in Congress

ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkey warned on Monday relations with its ally the United States would be damaged if a U.S. congressional panel votes this ...

Fri, February 26, 2010

Congress panel cites evidence of Toyota concealment

By Steve Gorman

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A U.S. congressional panel has found evidence Toyota routinely withheld company records it should have turned over ...

Thu, February 25, 2010

Congress extends Patriot Act, no new protections

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Legislation to extend expiring provisions of the anti-terror USA Patriot Act won final congressional approval on Thursday, with Democrats unable to add ...

Thu, February 25, 2010

Highway, jobless aid halt; Congress talks jobs

By Andy Sullivan

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Unemployment benefits for hundreds of thousands of jobless people ran out on Monday and highway programs across the United ...

Thu, February 25, 2010

Pentagon urges Congress to wait on gays in military

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Defense Secretary Robert Gates and military leaders want Congress to hold off on lifting restrictions on homosexuals in the armed forces until ...

Tue, February 23, 2010

Bernanke to outline exit path to skeptical Congress

By Pedro Nicolaci da Costa

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Ben Bernanke may have cleared the hurdles to his confirmation for a second term as Federal ...

Tue, February 23, 2010

Activists Push Congress To Pledge More To Great Lakes Cleanup

WASHINGTON D.C. (WTAQ) - About 100 Midwest environmental activists are urging Congress Tuesday to approve more money to clean up the Great Lakes. President ...

Fri, February 12, 2010

Land Not Running For Congress

(Lansing, MI)  --  Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land will not be running for Congress.  There was speculation that Land might seek the seat being ...

Fri, February 12, 2010

Toyota emphasizes U.S. presence to Congress

By John Crawley

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Toyota Motor Corp, facing scrutiny in Congress over safety recalls, is working overdrive to remind lawmakers of its U ...

Tue, February 09, 2010

Back-to-back snow storms put Congress on ice

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The House of Representatives on Tuesday postponed further action on legislation until later this month as the capital city braced for a ...

Tue, February 09, 2010

Bernanke's Congress hearing put off due to weather

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke's scheduled testimony before Congress on Wednesday has been postponed due to inclement weather, the ...

Fri, February 05, 2010

Obama urges Congress to back small business plan

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama on Saturday appealed to fellow Democrats and rival Republicans to back a plan to use $30 billion in bank ...

Thu, February 04, 2010

Toyota chief plans U.S. trip as Congress seeks answers

By Nobuhiro Kubo and David Bailey

TOKYO/DETROIT (Reuters) - Toyota Motor <7203.T> said on Friday its embattled head is planning a U.S ...

Wed, February 03, 2010

Plan to cut mortgage principal pitched to Congress

By Al Yoon

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A group of influential mortgage investors is intensifying efforts to encourage a new phase to U.S. housing ...

Sun, January 17, 2010

Congress makes job creation top 2010 priority

By Thomas Ferraro

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Members of the U.S. Congress begin 2010 scrambling to reduce the double-digit U.S. jobless rate, knowing their ...

Thu, December 24, 2009

Debt limit hike wins final Congress approval

By Andy Sullivan and Thomas Ferraro

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A divided U.S. Senate gave final congressional approval on Thursday to a $290 billion hike ...

Wed, December 16, 2009

Two bills in Congress to restore Glass-Steagall

By Kevin Drawbaugh

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Financial giants such as Goldman Sachs Group could be broken up under two bills introduced in the U.S ...

Tue, December 15, 2009

Congress should back energy incentives soon: Obama

ALEXANDRIA, Va (Reuters) - President Barack Obama on Tuesday urged U.S. lawmakers to create incentives for American households to weatherize their homes and said ...

Mon, December 14, 2009

Obama seen notifying Congress soon on trade talks

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. business groups widely expect President Barack Obama to formally notify Congress as early as Monday of his intention to negotiate ...

Sat, December 12, 2009

Congress OKs bill to boost SEC, fund agencies

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A $447 billion bill that would boost financial oversight and high-speed rail, encourage needle exchanges for drug addicts, and advance other Democratic ...

Wed, December 09, 2009

Madoff victims seek help from Congress

By Rachelle Younglai

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Investors duped by Bernard Madoff's epic $65 billion scam urged Congress on Wednesday to change laws so that ...

Tue, December 08, 2009

Congress plans remedy in GM, Chrysler dealer dispute

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - General Motors and Chrysler would be forced to resolve disputes arising from their plans to close more than 2,000 dealerships, under ...

Mon, December 07, 2009

U.S. EPA moves on emissions as Congress stalls

By Timothy Gardner

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency formally declared that greenhouse gases endanger human health Monday, allowing President Barack Obama ...

Tue, December 01, 2009

Congress grapples with estate tax

By Kim Dixon

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. House Democratic Leader Steny Hoyer said the chamber would vote this week to permanently extend the estate ...

Wed, November 25, 2009

Obama's agenda runs into economic angst in Congress

By Thomas Ferraro and Emily Kaiser

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama is paying a price for a recession that began before he took office ...

Thu, November 19, 2009

Congress urged to combat China trade practices

By Paul Eckert, Asia Correspondent

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States must combat China's trade-distorting industrial and currency policies with U.S. trade laws ...

Wed, November 18, 2009

Financial reforms grind forward in Congress

By Kevin Drawbaugh

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Congress edged closer on Wednesday to creating new government powers to break up giant financial firms ...

Wed, November 18, 2009

Congress panel backs big bank break-up power

By Kevin Drawbaugh

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. House Financial Services Committee voted on Wednesday to approve a proposal that would empower government regulators ...

Mon, November 16, 2009

Banks sense danger, warn Congress on breakup power

By Kevin Drawbaugh

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Some of the world's largest financial firms on Monday urged a top U.S. lawmaker not to pursue ...

Fri, November 13, 2009

Estate tax debate imminent in Congress

By Kim Dixon

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The joke among tax lobbyists in the nation's Capitol is that 2010 may be the best year for ...

Wed, November 04, 2009

Aid for jobless, homebuyers clears Congress

By Andy Sullivan

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Congress approved more aid for jobless workers and broadened tax breaks for homebuyers and businesses on ...

Tue, November 03, 2009

Angela Merkel presses U.S. on climate in speech to Congress