msnbc.com: Capitol Hill

Divided Senate opens health care debate

Tue, 1 Dec 2009 00:03:16 GMT

The Senate begins over sweeping health care legislation that President Barack Obama and congressional Democrats have vowed to approve and Republicans have sworn to block.

Barack Obama - Health care - United States Senate - Democratic - United States

Reid: Senate to work weekends on health care

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 19:52:49 GMT

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid says lawmakers will work weekends to complete a sweeping health care bill because "nothing can be more important than this."

Harry Reid - Majority leader - Health care - Health - Health Policy

White House tries to spur mortgage relief plan

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 22:13:58 GMT

The Obama administration's efforts to step up pressure on the lending industry to provide mortgage relief includes few new incentives or penalties.

Foreclosure - Mortgage - Presidency of Barack Obama - Business - Real Estate

Senate set for health care debate

Sun, 29 Nov 2009 16:55:36 GMT

With the Senate set to begin debate Monday on health care overhaul, the all-hands-on-deck Democratic coalition that allowed the bill to advance is fracturing already.

Health care - Democratic - United States Senate - Health - Senate

BofA aims to clearly spell out credit card terms

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 14:25:43 GMT

Bank of America is sending its credit card customers a one-page letter with a simple explanation of the interest rates and fees they're being charged starting Monday.

Bank of America - Credit card - Interest rate - Business - Financial services

Levin: Afghan forces key to success

Sun, 29 Nov 2009 21:48:57 GMT

The leading Senate Democrat on military matters says an Afghan surge, not an American surge, is central to succeeding in the 8-year-old war in Afghanistan.

Afghanistan - War in Afghanistan - Asia - Democratic Party - Warfare and Conflict

The Grio: Rep. Rangel faces challenge from former staffer

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 16:32:28 GMT

Competition - Public Health and Safety - Health - Emergency Services - Fire Fighting

Newsweek: Deconstructing Arkansas and Blanche Lincoln

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 14:39:31 GMT

Most observers assume Sen. Blanche Lincoln’s hesitancy to support her party’s health-care-reform package is directly related to her reelection bid in 2010. But that doesn’t tell the full story.

Blanche Lincoln - Arkansas - Healthcare reform - United States - Health

NYT: Health bill revives abortion groups

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 07:53:24 GMT

Lobbying over abortion was turning into a sleepy business. But the health care debate has brought a new boom, and both sides are exploiting it with fund-raising appeals.

Abortion - Health care - Health - Reproductive Health - Clinics and Services

Ill. Democrats: Keeping Obama Senate seat not easy

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 23:53:11 GMT

The White House and Illinois Democrats said Tuesday that their bid to hold on to President Barack Obama's old Senate seat won't be easy and their difficulties aren't just because of the scandal that engulfed ousted Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

Barack Obama - Illinois - Rod Blagojevich - United States Senate - White House

For Reid, Dodd, clout cuts both ways

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 19:41:34 GMT

Two Senate leaders trying to steer a pair of President Barack Obama's high-stakes initiatives through Congress are being dogged by re-election worries, and it's not clear whether their legislative prominence will help or hurt them.

Barack Obama - United States Congress - United States Senate - United States - Society and Culture

Poll: Americans conflicted over health overhaul

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 05:08:54 GMT

Most Americans don't expect a health care overhaul to affect their lives directly, but those who worry about the fallout outnumber those expecting to come out ahead, a poll out Tuesday has found.

Health - United States - Health Policy - Medicine - Health Systems

Schumer: Dems can go it alone on health care

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 15:24:37 GMT

A leading Senate Democrat said Monday his party is determined to push through a health care overhaul bill with or without Republican support because the "system is broken."

Democratic - United States Senate - Health - Health care - United States

Senate health bill targets ‘Cadillac’ plans

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 21:47:32 GMT

Schoolteacher Kinzi Blair makes only $46,000 a year, but she has what many would consider a "Cadillac" health plan, now targeted for a big tax increase by health reformers.

Health insurance - United States Senate - Insurance - Financial Services - Business

Text message exposed senator’s affair

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 02:25:38 GMT

A Nevada man whose wife had an affair with Sen. John Ensign said he discovered the relationship after intercepting a text message around Christmas in 2007.

John Ensign - Nevada - Christmas - Hampton - New York Times

Senate Democrats at odds over health care bill

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 12:56:07 GMT

The dispute among Democrats foretells of a rowdy floor debate next month on legislation that would extend health care coverage to roughly 31 million Americans.

Barack Obama - Health care - United States Senate - Senate - United States

Congress is losing its patience with the Fed

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 19:01:23 GMT

Suddenly the Federal Reserve is everybody's punching bag.

United States Congress - Government - Federal Reserve System - Finance - Central Banks

NYT: Senator cements role at heart of debate

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 15:12:41 GMT

No sooner had Arkansas Sen. Blanche Lincoln promised to deliver one crucial vote in support of a health care overhaul than she threatened to withhold the next one.

Blanche Lincoln - Health care - New York Times - Health - United States

Rep. Kennedy: I’m barred from communion

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Roman Catholic Bishop Thomas Tobin has banned Rep. Patrick Kennedy from receiving Communion in Rhode Island because of the congressman's support for abortion rights, Kennedy says.

Rhode Island - Catholic Church - United States - Pro-choice - Society and Culture

Senate Dems win key vote to advance health bill

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 03:23:30 GMT

A sweeping health care overhaul narrowly clears its first hurdle in the Senate, with Democrats casting 60 party-line votes to open debate.

Democratic - Health care - Legislation - United States - Health

Ethics panel: No punishment for Sen. Burris

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:21:15 GMT

The Senate ethics committee admonished Roland Burris for making "inconsistent, misleading or incomplete" statements about the circumstances surrounding his appointment, but did not recommend any punishment.

United States Senate - United States Senate Select Committee on Ethics - Senate - Roland Burris - Ethics

House panel votes to audit Federal Reserve

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:28:37 GMT

A key House committee voted to assess upfront fees on large financial firms to pay for the failure of their peers and to require a congressional audit of the secretive Federal Reserve.

Federal Reserve System - FederalReserve - Financial institution - Committee - United States

Giuliani said to lean toward Senate race

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:32:43 GMT

Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani is leaning toward running for the U.S. Senate rather than making a bid for governor, two Republican advisers say.

Rudy Giuliani - Mayor of New York City - United States - Politics - United States Senate

Senate girds for historic debate on health bill

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 23:37:29 GMT

Congressional budget crunchers Thursday said the Democrats' latest health care plan would hold down federal red ink for at least a 20-year stretch, an assessment that boosted the bill's advocates as the Senate moved gingerly toward a historic debate.

Health care - Democratic - United States Senate - Senate - Health

Botax ? Nip/tuck levy to help fund health plan

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 20:05:39 GMT

The White House and Senate Democrats have turned to a proposal to tax breast implants, tummy tucks, wrinkle-smoothing injections and other procedures as they search for ways to pay for costly health care overhaul plans.

White House - Health care - Health - Breast implant - Medicine

Moderate Dems wooed in crucial health vote

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 02:20:48 GMT

With no margin for rebellion, Senate Democratic leaders push ahead toward a crucial weekend test vote on their sweeping health care bill.

Barack Obama - Democratic - Health care - United States Senate - United States

CBO: Senate health plan to cost $849 billion

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 01:37:18 GMT

The Congressional Budget Office estimates a health care plan by Senate Democrats would cover 94 percent of Americans and reduce the number of uninsured by 31 million.

Barack Obama - Health care - Democratic - United States Senate - Senate

Senate confirms controversial judge

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 01:20:22 GMT

The Senate on Thursday confirmed U.S. District Judge David Hamilton for the Chicago-based federal appeals court, approving a nominee targeted by conservatives as a liberal activist.

David Hamilton - Senate - United States - Chicago - United States federal judge

Poll: Most support curbs on malpractice suits

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:52:53 GMT

Most Americans want Congress to deal with malpractice lawsuits driving up the cost of medical care, says an Associated Press poll.

Health care - United States Congress - Associated Press - United States - Congress

Byrd now longest-serving member of Congress

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 19:57:29 GMT

West Virginia Sen. Robert C. Byrd became the longest-serving lawmaker in congressional history Wednesday, a milestone to be marked with a morning of Senate tributes and a special resolution.

United States Congress - United States Senate - United States - Senate - Legislator

Democrats beat GOP filibuster on judge

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 01:07:57 GMT

Democrats crush a Senate filibuster against an appeals court nominee, demonstrating to Republicans they can't stop President Obama from turning the federal judiciary to the left.

Filibuster - Republican - United States Senate - United States - Democratic