Congress

Boehner New Congress_Thir.jpg

House Speaker-designate John A. Boehner of Ohio walks out of his home on Capitol Hill in Washington Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2011, prior to the start of the 112th Congress. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

B1 tax cut AH.jpg

Illustration: 112th Congress and tax cuts by Alexander Hunter for The Washington Times

Mark Hamill stars as Luke Skywalker, here with the character Yoda, in "Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back," which is among the films selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in its National Film Registry. (AP Photo/Lucasfilm Ltd)

Classic Film_Lea.jpg

John Travolta, here with Karen Lynn Gorney, stars in the 1977 disco musical "Saturday Night Fever," which the Library of Congress will preserve as part of its National Film Registry. (AP Photo/Paramount Pictures)

Classic_Film.sff.jpg

This undated handout photo provided by the Library of Congress shows a scene from the movie "Airplane." The film is one 25 selections to the 2010 National Film Registry. (AP Photo/Library of Congress)

20101219-202843-pic-453746101.jpg

Associated Press IRS Commissioner Douglas Shulman cautioned Congress against waiting till 2011 to settle the tax-cut extension fight.

B1 congress AH.jpg

Illustration: Democratic Congress by Alexander Hunter for The Washington Times

Clemens Baseball Ster_Star.jpg

Former Major League Baseball pitcher Roger Clemens, center, accompanied by his lawyers, Michael Attanasio, left, and Rusty Hardin, arrives at court in Washington, Wednesday, Dec. 8, 2010, for an interim status conference on charges he lied to Congress when he denied taking steroids or other performance enhancing drugs. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

20101207-215329-pic-204786109.jpg

Rep. Harold Rogers, Kentucky Republican, is set to wield the House Appropriations Committee gavel in the 112th Congress. (Associated Press)

20101205-203327-pic-362922122.jpg

Sen. Max Baucus, Montana Democrat, plans to push for further renewable-energy subsidies before the lame-duck Congress expires. (Associated Press)

20101130-215503-pic-698946980.jpg

Erskine Bowles (right) and Alan K. Simpson, co-chairmen of President Obama's independent commission, said they are not sure whether they will have the supermajority of votes needed Friday to approve an aggressive deficit-reduction plan to submit to Congress.

20101130-201127-pic-169590537.jpg

ASSOCIATED PRESS Erskine Bowles (right) and Alan Simpson, co-chairmen of President Obama's independent commission, said they are not sure whether they will have the supermajority of votes needed Friday to approve an aggressive deficit-reduction plan to submit to Congress.

20101122-190039-pic-777202858.jpg

"Americans don't want Congress passing massive trillion-dollar bills that have been thrown together behind closed doors," Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, here with Sen. Lamar Alexander (center), said recently. Big-ticket economic issues face the lame-duck Congress after Thanksgiving. (Associated Press)

20101117-212150-pic-998210241.jpg

Associated Press photographs House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, California Democrat, and House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer, Maryland Democrat, walk to a news conference on Capitol Hill on Wednesday, after being re-elected as the leaders of the House Democrats, although they will be in the minority in the 112th Congress next year.

B3 Cortes GG WEB.jpg

Illustration: Lame Duck Congress by Greg Groesch for The Washington Times

20101114-191105-pic-537774463.jpg

Associated Press Rep. Michele Bachmann, Minnesota Republican, will be among those rallying on the Capitol grounds at noon Monday to inveigh against excess spending by the lame-duck Congress.

20101111-203543-pic-523167388.jpg

Rep. Ike Skelton, Missouri Democrat, is worried about a chasm developing between the U.S. military and the public after he leaves Congress. (Associated Press)

20101020-204610-pic-924297547.jpg

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke advised Congress earlier this year to avoid big spending cuts now and rein in spending on entitlement programs such as Social Security and Medicare over the next five to 10 years. (Associated Press)

20101010-192112-pic-42368937.jpg

ASSOCIATED PRESS "We need a new majority in Congress that will stand up to President Obama and insist that he starts listening to the American people," House Minority Leader John A. Boehner, Ohio Republican, said at a rally at a manufacturing facility in his home state.

20101003-194714-pic-747774396.jpg

Associated Press Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, Georgia Republican, seen here in Washington in February, has maintained a high profile since leaving Congress in 1999.