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Articles by Stephen Dinan

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (right), Kentucky Republican, returns to his office after a vote on the "fiscal cliff" deal on Capitol Hill on Tuesday, Jan. 1, 2013, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Senate votes to avoid ‘fiscal cliff’

Congress careened over the edge of the fiscal cliff at midnight, but a solution was in the offing after the Senate voted early Tuesday to approve a deal that combined tax-rate hikes and new stimulus spending, along with a two-month delay of automatic spending cuts.

December 31, 2012
Speaker of the House John Boehner, Ohio Republican, walks to a closed-door GOP caucus as Congress meets to negotiate a legislative path to avoid the so-called "fiscal cliff" of automatic tax increases and deep spending cuts that could kick in Jan. 1., at the Capitol, Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

GOP backs off Social Security income change

Republicans on Sunday conceded on their demand that any "fiscal cliff" deal trim Social Security cost-of-living increases, signaling the end — for now — of their push to reform entitlements in exchange for higher tax rates.

December 30, 2012
Sen. Chuck Grassley

Sandy-hit agencies get no free ride for new cars

The Senate passed a massive Superstorm Sandy relief bill late last week but not before lawmakers took a stab at some accountability — including insisting that the FBI, Secret Service and other law enforcement agencies first try to replace flood-damaged vehicles from within their existing fleets.

December 30, 2012
President Obama delivers a statement on the "fiscal cliff" negotiations with congressional leaders in the briefing room of the White House on Friday, Dec. 28, 2012, in Washington. The negotiations are a last-ditch effort to avoid across-the-board first-of-the-year tax increases and deep spending cuts. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Obama says immigration reform will be priority

President Obama says immigration is his major second-term priority, on par with his push for health care in his first term, according to an interview aired Sunday that continues to boost the issue to the top of the political conversation.

December 30, 2012
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., arrives at the White House in Washington, Friday, Dec. 28, 2012, for a closed-door meeting between President Barack Obama and congressional leaders to negotiate the framework for a deal on the fiscal cliff. The negotiations are a last ditch effort to avoid across-the-board first of the year tax increases and deep spending cuts. (AP Photo/ Evan Vucci)

Sides trade blame on ‘fiscal cliff’ as talks proceed

The two Senate leaders were trying Saturday to hash out a tax-and-spending deal to avert this "fiscal cliff," even as both sides took to the airwaves to try to assure voters they want to get something done.

December 29, 2012
**FILE** Sen. John McCain, Arizona Republican (Associated Press)

Senators try to head off ‘nuclear’ filibuster fight

Seeking to head off a poisonous debate over filibuster rules at the beginning of the new Congress, a gang of eight senators on Friday said they've worked out new procedures that could grease the legislative wheels while still preserving minority rights.

December 28, 2012
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada leaves the White House in Washington, Friday, Dec. 28, 2012, after a closed-door meeting between President Barack Obama and congressional leaders to negotiate the framework for a deal on the fiscal cliff. (AP Photo/ Evan Vucci)

Senate leaders hopeful for last-minute ‘fiscal cliff’ deal

The top Democrat and Republican in the Senate emerged from a meeting at the White House Friday evening to say they are hopeful they can strike a last-minute deal to avert the tax increases and spending cuts looming in less than four days.

December 28, 2012
House Minority Whip Steny H. Hoyer said Thursday that the chamber should be in session working to avoid the looming “fiscal cliff.” (Andrew Harnik/The Washington Times)

‘After you’ dance on ‘fiscal cliff’ deadline

House Republican leaders said Thursday that they will bring their chamber back to town this weekend to try to avert the "fiscal cliff" — the sole optimistic sign on a day when pessimism deepened within both parties on whether Congress can avoid the looming tax increases and automatic spending cuts.

December 27, 2012
Brian Emanuel Schatz (D-Hawaii), kisses his wife, Linda, after re-enacting his swearing-in ceremony with Vice President Joe Biden inside the old Senate Chamber at the U.S. Capitol Building, Washington, D.C., Thursday, Dec. 27, 2012. Schatz, who was the Lieutenant Governor for Hawaii was selected by Hawaii Gov. Neil Abercrombie to the U.S. Senate seat left vacant by the late Daniel K. Inouye. (Andrew Harnik/The Washington Times)

New Hawaii senator provides Democrats with reinforcements

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid called for reinforcements and Hawaii's governor responded, dispatching Lt. Gov. Brian Schatz to Washington to take over the state's empty Senate seat on Thursday, ahead of a series of potentially critical votes.

December 27, 2012
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada speaks to reporters following the Democratic policy luncheon on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Dec. 18, 2012. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

Reid: Time has run out on ‘fiscal cliff’

The Senate returned to business Thursday with an increasing sense that the country will go over the "fiscal cliff," leading to higher taxes and deep spending cuts across the board.

December 27, 2012
ICE Director John T. Morton (right) (Associated Press)

Increase in deportations hits criminals

The Obama administration has dramatically changed the composition of those it's deporting now that President Obama's non-deportation policy is in effect, setting an overall record for the number of people kicked out of the U.S. last year.

December 23, 2012
** FILE ** President Obama speaks at a news conference in the briefing room of the White House on Wednesday, Dec. 19, 2012 in Washington. (AP Photo/ Evan Vucci)

Obama administration sets deportation record

The Obama administration deported a record 409,849 illegal immigrants in the last fiscal year, with the majority of them convicted criminals, according to statistics released Friday.

December 21, 2012
Rep. Lamar Smith (Associated Press)

Homeland Security postpones stricter driver’s license rules

The Obama administration on Thursday once again delayed the deadline for states to comply with stricter standards for driver's licenses, which were put in place after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the U.S. and were designed to keep illegal immigrants from being able to get valid identification.

December 20, 2012
**FILE** Americans for Tax Reform chief Grover Norquist. (Barbara L. Salisbury/The Washington Times)

For conservatives, tax increase is in eye of beholder

President Obama and House Speaker John A. Boehner are squabbling over the "fiscal cliff," but an even bigger fight is going on within conservative circles over Mr. Boehner’s latest offer to extend tax cuts for all but millionaires, who would see their taxes increase.

December 19, 2012