WASHINGTON  – Southern Democrats who watched the trouncing of their party’s gubernatorial nominee in Virginia this week are starting to worry that a rising anti-Democratic tide in the South may reverse their hard-fought gains from the last two national elections.
“They say people won’t walk a mile to vote for you but they’ll walk 100 miles [...]

They came with strollers and strong opinions…moms converged on Capitol Hill demanding universal coverage for kids.
Pamela Shaw, Senior Policy Consultant of the Children’s Defense Fund said, “Without significant changes children will be worse off rather than better off. We say that children must be better off after health reform.”
Today opponents of health care reform stage [...]

WASHINGTON  – The Senate Democratic leader is indicating lawmakers may not complete health care legislation this year, missing President Barack Obama’s deadline on his signature issue.
Asked if the Senate would complete comprehensive legislation in the next two months, Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., said Tuesday:  “We’re not going to be bound by any timelines.”
Reid said he [...]

WASHINGTON, D.C. — In Washington Thursday, democrats rolled out a brand new plan for health reform, with a toned-down version of the government insurance option.
But republicans argue the plan includes too many taxes that’ll either be levied on or passed on to the poor and middle class.
Democrats made a big show of announcing their new [...]

WASHINGTON  – After months of struggle, House Democrats rolled out sweeping legislation Thursday to extend health care coverage to millions who lack it and create a new option of government-run insurance. A vote is likely next week on the plan largely tailored to President Barack Obama’s liking.
Speaking on the steps of the Capitol, Speaker Nancy [...]

WASHINGTON  – The House has approved a stopgap spending measure to avoid a shutdown for 11 Cabinet-level departments whose budgets won’t be enacted by a midnight Saturday deadline.
The measure would give Congress until Dec. 18 to finish seven incomplete spending measures that were supposed to be wrapped up by Sept. 30. The bill passed by [...]

WASHINGTON – Despite a vaguely worded veto threat by President Barack Obama, the House was expected Thursday to easily adopt a major defense policy bill that calls for continued development of a costly alternative engine for the Pentagon’s next generation fighter jet.
The move comes as the House debated the annual defense authorization bill to guide [...]

WASHINGTON  – The Obama administration said Tuesday it has received applications from 24 states seeking $50 billion for high-speed rail projects, more than six times the money designated in the economic stimulus plan.
A decision on which projects will receive funds will be made this winter, Joseph Szabo, head of the Federal Railroad Administration, said in [...]

BOSTON  – U.S. Rep. Michael Capuano said Wednesday he will run for the late Edward M. Kennedy’s Senate seat, arguing he is the best candidate to continue his fellow Democrat’s liberal philosophical tradition and better tested in the national political arena than leading rival Martha Coakley.
The blunt, plainspoken former mayor of Somerville said he plans [...]