David R. Sands

Senate welcomes Burris to fold

A who's who of senators and House members flocked to Sen. Roland Burris on the U.S. Senate floor after his swearing-in Thursday as the chamber's newest member, ending an embarrassing episode for Democrats who vowed to block his appointment.

January 16, 2009

Senate gives Obama use of bailout

The Senate on Thursday turned back a bid to cut off the second $350 billion phase of the unpopular Wall Street bailout, after President-elect Barack Obama fulfilled Democrats' desire to use funds to aid homeowners.

January 16, 2009

Biden, Clinton bid Senate goodbye

Joseph R. Biden Jr. offered passion and Hillary Rodham Clinton offered mostly prose as they said their goodbyes to the Senate Thursday to take up top posts in the Obama administration.

January 15, 2009

Hill support erodes for bailout funding

President-elect Barack Obama scrambled Wednesday to shore up congressional support to spend the second $350 billion under the Wall Street taxpayer bailout plan, amid mounting signs that Republicans who backed the original plan in October will overwhelmingly oppose it this time around.

January 15, 2009

New Congress bids to make history

They made it to Washington. Now, the big question is whether they can make history.With Democrats firmly in control of the White House and Congress for the first time in 14 years, two hot wars, a deepening economic crisis and an ambitious reform agenda laid out by President-elect Barack Obama, the 111th Congress has a chance to claim a slot as one of the most productive and influential legislative sessions ever.

January 14, 2009

Bush requests bank bailout funds

President Bush on Monday formally asked Congress for the second half of the $700 billion Wall Street bailout package at the behest of President-elect Barack Obama.

January 13, 2009

Burris takes Senate seat

UPDATED: Overcoming intense opposition from his own party leaders, former Illinois Attorney General Roland Burris on Monday won a battle of wills and is expected to fill the Senate seat vacated by President-elect Barack Obama.

January 13, 2009

House approves bills for equal pay

House Democrats put their beefed up majority to work Friday to pass two bills that ease limits on pay discrimination lawsuits, the first pieces of legislation passed this session.

January 10, 2009

Frank wants $40 billion for homeowners

House Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank Friday laid out a series of conditions he will demand before the Treasury Department can spend the second half of the $700 billion Wall Street bailout fund that Congress approved in October.

January 10, 2009

Four Senate terms enough for Bond

Longtime Missouri Republican Sen. Christopher S. Bond, a dominant force in his state's politics for more than three decades, announced Thursday he will not seek a fifth term, dealing his party another setback in a bid to cut into the Democratic majority in the chamber.

January 9, 2009

Citigroup to back rewriting mortgages

Giant lender Citigroup announced Thursday it would support an effort in Congress to rewrite bankruptcy laws to give struggling homeowners the ability to rewrite the terms of their mortgages to avoid foreclosure -- the first major crack in the banking industry's opposition to the idea.

January 9, 2009

Sen. Bond won’t seek fifth term

Longtime Missouri Republican Sen. Christopher S. Bond, a dominant force in his state's politics for more than three decades, announced Thursday he will not seek a fifth term, dealing his party another setback in a bid to cut into the Democratic majority in the chamber.

January 8, 2009

Obama vows cutback in Social Security

President-elect Barack Obama vowed to tackle Social Security and Medicare spending as this year's deficit was projected to reach $1.2 trillion -- a figure to go higher thanks to an economic recovery package before Congress.

January 8, 2009

Chess masters defy drug testing

By attacking one of the kings of the game, the world's chess bureaucrats have backed themselves into a corner.

January 7, 2009

House rule changes squander good will

The spirit of bipartisan cooperation didn't survive the first day of the 111th Congress as House Democrats pushed through a package of rule changes Tuesday that the furious Republican minority said trampled their traditional rights to affect legislation.

January 7, 2009

Madoff scheme may hurt investor protection fund

The industry-financed fund that protects investors from securities fraud will be stretched badly by the $50 billion scandal involving Wall Street investing legend Bernard Madoff and may need a federal bailout, the head of the Securities Investor Protection Corp. said Monday.

January 6, 2009

Congress digs into Madoff scandal today

Congress gets its first crack today at the $50 billion financial fraud involving Wall Street investing legend Bernard Madoff, with Democrats vowing to use the scandal to spur an overhaul of the government's financial regulatory system.

January 5, 2009

Labor’s ‘priority’ on back burner

Labor unions invested heavily in Barack Obama's presidential victory, but the return on their investment may be awhile in coming.

December 29, 2008

Bailout funds face major hurdles

Under fire from the left and the right, Treasury Secretary Henry M. Paulson Jr. has a tough fight and few allies as he seeks congressional approval to top off the tank with the second $350 billion from the federal bailout fund.

December 21, 2008

Liberals lobbying for stimulus plan

A broad coalition of liberal, environmental and labor groups Thursday announced plans to spend up to $5 million to lobby Congress on a massive new economic stimulus plan that would be ready for President-elect Barack Obama to sign the day he takes office Jan. 20.

December 19, 2008