The latest updates and debate on the 113th Congress covering key issues such as immigration, defense, cybersecurity and taxes along with demographics, historical data and biographies of the newest members of the Senate and House of Representatives.
By Tom Howell Jr. - The Washington Times
House Republicans on Tuesday accused federal agencies of failing to prepare for the automatic sequester cuts, saying they had two years to get ready but instead the administration spent time on "scare tactics." Published March 19, 2013
By Cheryl K. Chumley - The Washington Times
Failing to address climate change could drive women into prostitution, said 13 House Democrats who signed a resolution saying women are affected more negatively than men by the dramatic weather shifts. Published April 30, 2013
By David Sherfinski - The Washington Times
After several years of complaining that Congress didn't have a budget, Republicans are now the ones holding up the 2014 budget process. Published April 23, 2013
By Shaun Waterman - The Washington Times
It's Tax Day, and lawmakers from both parties are pressing the Internal Revenue Service to come clean about its policy on reading taxpayers' email without a warrant. Published April 15, 2013
By Shaun Waterman - The Washington Times
Opponents of a bill to let private companies share cybersecurity information with the federal government vowed Thursday to continue their fight, saying the proposed law would lead to broader government monitoring of the Internet. Published April 11, 2013
By David Sherfinski - The Washington Times
New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and U.S. Sen. Tom Coburn predict the Senate will pass a measure to strengthen background checks on gun sales, but National Rifle Association CEO Wayne LaPierre warned Sunday that Mr. Bloomberg cannot "buy America" on the issue. Published March 24, 2013
By Stephen Dinan - The Washington Times
For Republicans, the budget debate is all about "balance." For Democrats, it's about being "balanced." That letter "d" amounts to a $4 trillion difference between the two sides. Published March 21, 2013
By Cheryl K. Chumley - The Washington Times
House Speaker John Boehner says he and President Obama have their differences, but in the end, their relationship is one of trust and friendship. Published March 18, 2013
By Valerie Richardson - The Washington Times
Republicans presented a united front on debt and taxes Sunday, ruling out tax increases as a way of reaching a "grand bargain" on the budget despite President Obama's recent efforts to pour on the charm. Published March 17, 2013
By Jessica Chasmar - The Washington Times
Sen. John McCain is walking back from calling Sens. Rand Paul and Ted Cruz "wacko birds" in an interview, saying he respects the senators and what they stand for. Published March 17, 2013
By Guy Taylor - The Washington Times
More than six months since the deadly attacks on a U.S. diplomatic post and a nearby CIA facility in Benghazi, Libya, several Republican lawmakers say they still are looking for answers and are frustrated that the White House is blocking their access to an unknown number of American survivors. Published March 17, 2013
By David Eldridge - The Washington Times
Sen. Bob Corker, Tennessee Republican, said Sunday that his GOP colleagues would support a "grand bargain" — a long-term deal addressing the country's fiscal problems — that includes additional tax revenue if President Obama and the Democrats will back substantive reform in entitlement programs. Published March 17, 2013
By Cheryl K. Chumley - The Washington Times
Sen. Harry Reid, who heads a Democratic-controlled Senate that hasn't passed a budget in more than three years, says bringing forth a tax-and-spend plan each year — as required — is too hard. Published March 15, 2013
By Tom Howell Jr. - The Washington Times
Senate Democrats on Wednesday defeated the latest Republican effort to repeal President Obama's health-care law, signaling that the 2012 elections did little to change the bitter political divisions over the 3-year-old policy. Published March 13, 2013
By Cheryl K. Chumley - The Washington Times
Bill Gates will don his Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation co-chairman hat and head to Capitol Hill on Thursday, where he's expected to speak before the freshmen class of lawmakers. Published March 13, 2013
By David Sherfinski - The Washington Times
Amid deep party-line divisions, the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday approved Congress' first post-Newtown gun control bill — a proposal to crack down on gun trafficking and straw purchases meant to circumvent the law — but the panel pushed the toughest work off until next week. Published March 7, 2013
By Ben Wolfgang - The Washington Times
They spent the weekend blaming each other for the $85 billion in sequestration cuts that began taking effect Friday — but top Democrats and Republicans were careful Sunday to keep the door open to a breakthrough deal on the federal budget. Published March 3, 2013
By Jim Abrams - Associated Press
The House on Thursday passed and sent to President Obama a far-reaching extension of the Violence Against Women Act. The vote came after House Republican leaders, cognizant of divisions in their own ranks and the need to improve their faltering image among female voters, accepted a bill that cleared the Senate two weeks ago on a strong bipartisan vote. Published February 28, 2013
By Cheryl K. Chumley - The Washington Times
Rep. Tom Latham, Iowa Republican, said he won't seek the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Democratic Sen. Tom Harkin. Published February 28, 2013
By Cheryl K. Chumley - The Washington Times
Secretary of Defense nominee Chuck Hagel may not find a lot of love within the Republican Party, but Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan supports him. Published February 26, 2013
By Associated Press
The Supreme Court won't hear an appeal of a decision upholding a century-old ban on corporate campaign contributions in federal elections. Published February 25, 2013
By Seth McLaughlin - The Washington Times
Though years in the brewing, the internal fight over the direction of the Republican Party has exploded onto front pages and political talk shows this month after strategist Karl Rove announced the formation of a new political action committee designed to promote more electable candidates. Published February 24, 2013
By Sean Lengell - The Washington Times
The Obama administration amped up its offensive Sunday with Republicans over the $85 billion in across-the-board federal spending cuts scheduled to kick in Friday, releasing fresh warnings of a "real impact on people's lives" despite GOP claims the White House is exaggerating the potential ill effects. Published February 24, 2013
By Cheryl K. Chumley - The Washington Times
Former President Jimmy Carter, who touts one of the lowest average approval ratings among all U.S. chief executives for his 1977-1981 term of office, said President Obama's biggest problem is Congress. Published February 21, 2013
By Associated Press
House Minority Whip Steny H. Hoyer says Congress must "put aside ideological constraints" and resolve differences over taxes, budget and spending. Published February 21, 2013
By Seth McLaughlin - The Washington Times
House Speaker John A. Boehner's new "Senate first" strategy could put red state Democrats — especially those facing potentially tough re-election battles in 2014 — in a tough spot: Reject the White House's liberal second-term agenda and run afoul of party leaders, or back the president and alienate voters back home. Published February 18, 2013
By Jessica Chasmar - The Washington Times
New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg has taken the gun fight to Chicago and is poised to spend $2 million in an attempt to defeat former Rep. Debbie Halvorson in her bid for the U.S. House seat vacated by disgraced Rep. Jesse L. Jackson Jr. Published February 17, 2013
By David Sherfinski - The Washington Times
Congressional Republicans on Sunday accused the White House of poisoning the well on immigration reform by leaking a draft proposal while senators from both parties are working toward a compromise on the issue, saying the move shows President Obama is more concerned with scoring political points than passing legislation. Published February 17, 2013
By Stephen Ohlemacher - Associated Press
Outgoing Social Security Commissioner Michael J. Astrue has some parting shots for Congress, the White House and advocates for seniors. They have all "really walked away from Social Security," he says, leaving the program "fraying because of inattention to its problems." Published February 14, 2013
By Cheryl K. Chumley - The Washington Times
Democrats in the Senate are gearing up legislation that will offset proposed spending cuts to federal agencies and the Pentagon, with a focus on imposing taxes on million-dollar earners. Published February 14, 2013
By Cheryl K. Chumley - The Washington Times
President Obama's push to hike the minimum wage from $7.25 per hour to $9 per hour may sound good to minimum wage earners, but business owners and economic analysts aren't applauding. History shows that mandated minimum wage hikes often lead to massive job loss. Published February 13, 2013
By Emily Miller - The Washington Times
President Obama's State of the Union speech Tuesday was carefully staged to promote his gun-grabbing second-term agenda. Arrangements were made so TV cameras would pan to the faces of victims of gun violence in the House galleries. Published February 13, 2013
By Dr. Milton R. Wolf - The Washington Times
"Et tu, GOP?" tweeted writer and comedian Stephen Kruiser upon watching the Republicans cave to President Obama's so-called "fiscal cliff" tax and spending hikes. "Kidding, I knew you had the knife." Published January 7, 2013
By Robert Weiner and Richard Mann
Despite outward statements of widespread support from his caucus after his re-election Thursday, Rep. John A. Boehner's speakership was hanging by a thread, within three votes of mandating a second ballot, largely because he allowed the "fiscal cliff" deal to go through the House. Published January 7, 2013
By Chris Perkins
My neighbor's 10-year-old station wagon has a terrible noise coming from the engine compartment that has been getting louder over time. Something is obviously very wrong. Published January 4, 2013
By Emily Miller - The Washington Times
Rep. John A. Boehner was re-elected speaker on Thursday, but his grasp of the oversized gavel is less firm. Nine Republicans abstained or voted to have someone lead the House, unlike two years ago, when the ranks were unified behind him. Published January 3, 2013
Rep. Paul Ryan said Sunday that the proposed budget he's planning to roll out this week calls for repealing President Obama's health care overhaul and that Republicans did not lose the argument on Medicare in the 2012 election. Published March 10 2013
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid led off Thursday's session with praise for Sen. Rand Paul's 13-hour filibuster the previous day, saying the junior senator from Kentucky used the rules the right way — and showed a strong spine, as well as other body parts. Published March 7 2013
The Obama Justice Department is still trying to figure out how to handle the legalization of marijuana possession in Colorado and Washington state, but one senator on Wednesday said that in an era of stretched budgets, the feds should back off. Published March 6 2013
The Senate Conservatives Fund announced Wednesday that it has made defeating Sen. Mark L. Pryor, Arkansas Democrat, its No. 1 priority in the 2014 election. Published February 27 2013
Sen. John McCain, one of the leading opponents of President Obama's nomination of former Sen. Chuck Hagel to be the new defense secretary, said Sunday that it's likely Mr. Hagel will be confirmed, but that he still doesn't believe he's qualified for the post. Published February 17 2013
Sen. Charles E. Schumer, New York Democrat, said Sunday that a bipartisan group that has been crafting a plan regarding background checks for gun sales has made progress, but he appeared less bullish on the prospects of a ban on so-called assault weapons. Published February 17 2013
By Dave Boyer
Following up on his inaugural address, Mr. Obama devoted a lengthy passage of his speech to his intention to combat climate change, asking Congress to pursue a "bipartisan, market-based solution" and threatening executive action if it did not. Published February 12 2013
By Cheryl K. Chumley - The Washington Times
At least 32 lawmakers and congressional aides attended a four-day, lobbyist-paid technology conference in Las Vegas, despite ethics rules that normally limit such travel to one day. Published February 6, 2013
The 113th Congress Special Section: The 113th Congress Special Section: Download the special section, available in the Jan. 8, 2013, edition of The Washington Times. (4.4 MB)
