University of Baltimore School of Law Dean Ronald Weich assisted Senate Democrats as they prepared in July 2005 to advise President George W. Bush on whom he should name to succeed U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, journalist Joan ...

Tagged with: advice and consent filibuster harry reid Joan Biskupic john roberts ronald weich Samuel Alito sandra day o'connor university of baltimore school of law William Rehnquist

Welcome to Monday, the 56th anniversary of the premiere of the television soap opera “General Hospital.” Here are some news items to get your week started: — California’s mandatory fingerprinting of lawyers reveals past convictions. — In trial testimony, ex-Sen. ...

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WASHINGTON — Democrats want to push tax cuts through the Senate for companies that hire new workers, give raises or buy major new equipment this year. With neither party eager to let the other claim campaign-season victories, the ultimate fate ...

Tagged with: Barack Obama democrats harry reid House Speaker John Boehner john boehner republicans Small business tax cuts Taxes

WASHINGTON — Senate Republicans on Tuesday blocked a Democratic bill calling for equal pay in the workplace. But President Barack Obama and his congressional allies aren’t finished appealing to women on the No. 1 concern for all voters: the cash ...

Tagged with: Barack Obama harry reid mitt romney republicans U.S. Sen. Barbara Mikulski

WASHINGTON — Lawmakers are under pressure to find a way to keep federal aid flowing to highway and transit programs beyond the end of this month after a transportation bill failed to clear a procedural hurdle in the Senate. The ...

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WASHINGTON — The Senate emphatically passed emergency legislation Tuesday to avoid a first-ever government default, rushing the legislation to President Barack Obama for his signature just hours before the deadline. The vote was 74-26. Obama signed the bill little more than ...

Tagged with: budget budget deficit credit rating harry reid john boehner mitch mcconnell senate timothy geithner washington

WASHINGTON — The White House and congressional leaders worked Monday to align lawmakers from both parties behind their formula for averting a financial meltdown and halting the government’s prolific spending habits. Despite resistance from both liberals and conservatives, momentum appeared ...

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WASHINGTON — Ending a perilous stalemate, President Barack Obama announced agreement Sunday night with Republican congressional leaders on a compromise to avoid the nation’s first-ever financial default. The deal would cut more than $2 trillion from federal spending over a ...

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WASHINGTON — Six days away from a potentially calamitous government default, House Republicans appeared to be coalescing Wednesday around a work-in-progress plan by House Speaker John Boehner to increase the U.S. borrowing limit and chop $1 trillion in federal spending. ...

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WASHINGTON — Democratic and Republican congressional leaders shopped competing debt-crisis solutions and President Barack Obama canceled fundraising appearances Monday, as a politically gridlocked capital lurched into a climactic last full week before the Aug. 2 default deadline. Even amid acknowledgments by ...

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