U.S. Politics
Around-the-clock political news and analysis from Reuters. Follow @ReutersPolitics for more.
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House chooses Boehner as speaker again despite dissent http://reut.rs/WoVq9Hby ReutersPolitics via twitter 1/4/2013 1:46:32 AM -
Insight: "Fiscal cliff" fracas: From smiles to distrust to rancor http://reut.rs/Ulo0hiby ReutersPolitics via twitter 1/4/2013 6:35:33 AM
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Exclusive: U.S. senators call for probe into coal export sales http://reut.rs/UnkWBeby ReutersPolitics via twitter 1/4/2013 2:12:22 PM
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A look at U.S. unemployment from 2008 to the present. [Reuters graphic]
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Live video: House of Representatives discussing Hurricane Sandy flood relief legislation (C-SPAN) http://cs.pn/edasEDby ReutersPolitics via twitter 1/4/2013 3:10:11 PM
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Rep. Frank Pallone on Hurricane Sandy relief: "This action by the House Republican leadership is too little and too late."
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Rep. Frank Pallone on Hurricane Sandy relief: "I have no idea what the Senate's going to do...we could be waiting another three weeks."
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Insight: "Fiscal cliff" fracas: From smiles to distrust to rancor
It began so optimistically.
On November 16, after their first "fiscal cliff" session with President Barack Obama, the four leaders of Congress had stood in the driveway of the White House shoulder-to-shoulder for what is a rare photo these days, Republicans and Democrats together, smiling.
There they were at the microphone, talking about a "framework" for tax reform and deficit reduction.
In hindsight, the shot of House Speaker John Boehner and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell - the Republicans - with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi - the Democrats - seems like an old family photo, before things went bad.
From that day on the driveway, things went downhill, rather quickly.
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At approximately 11:25am Eastern Time, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 41, a bill that provides $9.7 billion in Hurricane Sandy flood relief aid.
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State Department briefing set to begin at 12:30pm ET, we will have live video here -
FDA proposes new rules for US food safety
WASHINGTON, Jan 4 (Reuters) - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Friday proposed two new food safety rules in an ongoing effort to prevent foodborne illnesses such as E. coli and salmonella poisoning.
The agency called on makers of food that will be sold in the United States, whether produced domestically or imported, to develop a formal plan for preventing illness and to correct any problems that arise.
The FDA also proposed safety standards for the production and harvesting of fruits and vegetables on farms, and said it expects to follow with additional rules calling on importers to verify the safety of food grown or processed abroad. -
White House says Congress must raise debt limit
The White House said on Friday it is vital for Congress to quickly resolve future tax and spending feuds, and raise the U.S. borrowing authority to avoid economic uncertainty.
"It is quite clear that the economy will be better if Congress does its job and does what it routinely has done historically which is raise the debt limit without problem," Alan Krueger, chairman of the White House Council of Economic Advisers, said in an interview on Bloomberg television.
Speaking just days after President Barack Obama and lawmakers settled a hard-fought "fiscal cliff" deal to avert tax hikes and spending cuts, he warned a battle on borrowing costs and the budget might lead the U.S. to risk a credit downgrade.
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Postal Service looks to new Congress for rescue http://reut.rs/UofYnXby ReutersPolitics via twitter 1/4/2013 6:03:01 PM
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Hillary Clinton has spoken to Senator John Kerry regarding a smooth transition - State Dept briefing. Live updates: http://live.reuters.com/Event/Politicsby ReutersPolitics via twitter 1/4/2013 6:09:28 PM
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State Dept will not give details on requested postponement of Richarson/Google meeting with North Korea. Live updates: http://live.reuters.com/Event/Politicsby ReutersPolitics via twitter 1/4/2013 6:11:35 PM
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Patriot missiles on Turkey border will be deployed today and continue until the end of Jan - State Dept. Live updates: http://live.reuters.com/Event/Politicsby ReutersPolitics via twitter 1/4/2013 6:20:16 PM
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"I interviewed Chuck Hagel in July. Had no real sense that he would be top contender for SecDef job." - James Ledbetter (@ledbetreuters)
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"The President reacts as John Brennan briefs him on the details of the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn. The President later said during a TV interview that this was the worst day of his Presidency." (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
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Video: A mashup of Speaker Boehner's trail of tears - Rough Cuts -
Congress verifies: Obama, Biden win Electoral College vote http://reut.rs/WrL7ldby ReutersPolitics via twitter 1/4/2013 7:24:33 PM
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US Supreme Court to hear child custody case
WASHINGTON, Jan 4 (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday agreed to consider whether two parents were properly ordered to turn over a 27-month-old girl they had raised since birth to her biological father simply because he was an American Indian.
(Reporting by Jonathan Stempel; Editing by Kevin Drawbaugh and Sandra Maler) -
Budget battles threaten to limit Obama's second-term agenda http://reut.rs/WrRAN3by ReutersPolitics via twitter 1/4/2013 7:57:02 PM
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US Supreme Court to review judge's role in plea talks
WASHINGTON, Jan 4 (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday agreed to consider whether a defendant's guilty plea must automatically be thrown out if the presiding federal judge plays a role in plea negotiations.
The case involved the interpretation of federal criminal procedure rules that instruct courts not to participate in such talks, but which say an error can be excused if a defendant's "substantial rights" are not affected.
Anthony Davila, the defendant, had been charged by a Georgia federal grand jury with conspiring to defraud the government by submitting false income tax refund claims that used the stolen identities of state prison inmates.
(Reporting by Jonathan Stempel; Editing by Kevin Drawbaugh and Sandra Maler) -
NBC News confirms @joshrogin scoop about Hagel DoD selection happening early next week. But WH continues to deny. http://firstread.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/01/04/16353378-hagel-likely-to-be-nominated-for-defense-secretary-next-week?liteby Chuck Todd via twitter 1/4/2013 8:27:55 PM -
Former Representative Giffords visits town hit by school shooting
Former Representative Gabrielle Giffords, who survived a mass shooting in her Arizona district two years ago, met with Newtown officials on Friday afternoon before heading to visit with families of the victims of last month's Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre.
Giffords arrived at Newtown's town hall a bit before 3 p.m. ET and met with First Selectman Pat Llodra and School Superintendent Janet Robinson among other officials.
After about 30 minutes, Giffords and a small entourage boarded their vehicles and drove off from the town hall.
On Thursday, Steven Jensen, spokesman for Connecticut Lieutenant Governor Nancy Wyman, said Giffords planned to attend a private event at a local home on Friday.
Giffords' visit is three weeks to the day since 20-year-old Adam Lanza burst into Sandy Hook Elementary School in rural Newtown, about 70 miles northeast of New York City, and killed 20 first graders and six school staff members.
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NBC News confirms @joshrogin scoop about Hagel DoD selection happening early next week. But WH continues to deny. http://firstread.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/01/04/16353378-hagel-likely-to-be-nominated-for-defense-secretary-next-week?liteby Chuck Todd via twitter 1/4/2013 10:44:51 PM
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.@rosiegray scoops: Rand Paul on a pro-Israel charm offensive http://www.buzzfeed.com/rosiegray/rand-paul-courts-pro-israel-figuresby BuzzFeedBen via twitter 1/4/2013 10:45:01 PM -
All signs point to Hagel as pick for defense secretary http://reut.rs/UpxTuhby ReutersPolitics via twitter 1/5/2013 12:17:33 AM
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"Fiscal cliff" deal a budget help or hindrance? Yes, says CBO http://reut.rs/UpBHffby ReutersPolitics via twitter 1/5/2013 12:34:04 AM
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Congress approves some Sandy storm relief amid anger over delay http://reut.rs/UpKWfqby ReutersPolitics via twitter 1/5/2013 1:24:03 AM
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AT&T, Microsoft among donors to Obama's second inauguration http://reut.rs/Uq2d89by ReutersPolitics via twitter 1/5/2013 3:02:32 AM
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Obama says U.S. can't afford more showdowns over debt, deficits http://reut.rs/WusZapby ReutersPolitics via twitter 1/5/2013 11:34:32 AM
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Analysis: Obama's ad team used cable TV to outplay Romney http://reut.rs/UrF718by ReutersPolitics via twitter 1/5/2013 1:26:45 PM
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Video: Rep. Dave Camp (Michigan) delivers GOP weekly address -
Video: President Obama's weekly presidential address -
"I believe we can find more places to cut spending without shortchanging things like education, job training, research and technology all which are critical to our prosperity in a 21st century economy. But spending cuts must be balanced with more reforms to our tax code. The wealthiest individuals and the biggest corporations shouldn’t be able to take advantage of loopholes and deductions that aren’t available to most Americans."
-President Obama, delivering the weekly presidential address on Saturday, January 5, 2013"I believe in a simple principle: When it comes to the tax code, everyone should play by the same rules. Your tax rate should be determined by what's fair, not who you know in Washington. The simple truth is that we are in this fiscal mess because Washington takes too much of your money and then wastes it. That's the real problem, and it needs a real solution."
-Rep. Dave Camp (R-Michigan), delivering the weekly GOP address on Saturday, January 5, 2013 -
Video: Obama likely to nominate Sen. Hagel as next Secy. of Defense (FOX News) -
Video: Sandy victims frustrated by delayed relief (Deborah Lutterbeck reports) -
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Video: Sen. McConnell (R-Kentucky) says tax issue "is over now." (NBC) -
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"The tax -- the revenue -- the tax issue is finished, over, completed. That's behind us. Now the question is, what are we going to do about the biggest problem confronting our country and our future? And that's our spending addiction."
-Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) on ABC's "This Week" Sunday."We've resolved the tax issue now. It's over. It's behind us. We were able to get permanent tax relief for 99% of American taxpayers and for 500,000 small businesses. So that's behind us. What's left to be dealt with is the spending, and it's a shame that the president doesn't embrace the effort to reduce spending. None of us like these situations like the sequester or the debt ceiling or the operation of government to try to engage the president to deal with this."
-Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) on NBC's "Meet the Press" Sunday."The tax issue is over. We resolved that a few days ago. Everybody's taxes were going to go up because that's the way the law was written, eight few days ago, 90 percent -- 95 percent of Senate Republicans worked -- voted for a permanent tax relief for 99 percent of the American taxpayers and 500,000 small businesses, not a single Republican senator voted to raise anybody's taxes. The tax issue is over. And now it's time to pivot to the single biggest threat to our country, both in the short term and the long term."
-Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) on CBS' "Face the Nation" Sunday. -
Video: Sen. Heitkamp (D-ND) says Obama gun control proposal "way in extreme"
Battle rages near Aleppo, air onslaught continues
BEIRUT Syrian government and rebel forces battled for control of high ground on the Aleppo outskirts on Saturday as warplanes bombed the city's opposition-held east relentlessly in a Russian-backed offensive that has left Washington's Syria policy in tatters. | Video