Jacqueline Klimas

N.Y. Rep. Jeffries calls for bipartisan review of Obamacare rollout

Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, New York Democrat, said Monday that Congress should investigate the rollout of Obamacare, but that it should be done in a bipartisan way, not as a way to kill the health care law.

December 23, 2013

Sen. Rand Paul celebrates Festivus, airs grievances with Senate

To celebrate Festivus, Sen. Rand Paul, Kentucky Republican, aired his grievances with the Senate Monday morning on Twitter.

December 23, 2013

Rep. Paul Ryan defends cuts to military retirement in budget bill

Rep. Paul Ryan, Wisconsin Republican, defended controversial cuts to military retirement pay in the budget deal, saying that the need for military compensation reform is "undeniable."

December 23, 2013

Veterans groups say military cuts should prompt Obama budget veto

Two veterans groups demanded Thursday that President Obama veto the budget bill Congress passed earlier this week, saying that the cuts to military retirement benefits — which even the bill's authors now admit were a partial mistake — are an insult to former troops.

December 19, 2013

Capitol dome to undergo 2-year, $60 million renovation

The D.C. skyline is about to get another dose of scaffolding as two years of renovations begin on the Capitol dome in the spring.

December 19, 2013

Special ops vets slam military benefit cuts

Former members of U.S. special operations forces on Thursday demanded President Obama veto the budget bill Congress just passed, saying that the cuts to military retirement benefits — which even the bill's authors now admit were a partial mistake — are an insult to veterans.

December 19, 2013

Senate approves budget deal; Obama set to sign

Congress passed a new topline budget on Wednesday, sending it to President Obama's desk for his signature and signaling all sides in Washington are trying to avoid another government shutdown in January.

December 18, 2013

Military benefits glitch clouds Senate passage of budget deal

Congress passed a new topline budget on Wednesday, sending it to President Obama's desk for his signature and signaling all sides in Washington are trying to avoid another government shutdown in January.

December 18, 2013

Budget deal author Sen. Patty Murray vows to fix a ‘technical error’ in the bill

Lawmakers admitted they made a mistake in cutting the retirement benefits of disabled veterans and vowed to work on a fix after passing the budget deal.

December 18, 2013

Senators in rush to pass budget vow to undo cut to military retirement pay

Even as the Senate rushes to pass the new bipartisan budget agreement, lawmakers are acknowledging they botched part of the plan and are vowing to undo a cut to military retirement pay before it takes effect in 2015.

December 17, 2013

John Boehner among lawmakers shifting positions on sequester budget cuts

In 2011, he called the budget sequester "ugly" and said he wanted to do everything possible to avoid it, then earlier this year, he said the automatic spending cuts would remain in place until lawmakers put themselves on the path to a balanced budget over 10 years.

December 16, 2013

$50B a year in budget ‘savings’ will come from expired tax breaks

Those worried that the bipartisan budget making its way through Congress does not include enough deficit reduction can take some solace in the fact that more savings will quietly take effect after a number of tax breaks expire at the end of the year.

December 15, 2013

John Kerry: North Korean execution shows need for denuclearization

Secretary of State John F. Kerry says North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's execution of his uncle makes denuclearization even more of a priority for the United States.

December 15, 2013

Ryan pleads with conservatives as budget deal heads to Senate

As the bipartisan budget deal moves to the Senate, where it faces opposition from some Republicans, Rep. Paul Ryan is telling those on the right that the compromise is good for core conservative values.

December 15, 2013

Newtown victim’s sister says she’ll continue to fight for stricter gun control

Carlee Soto, little sister of a teacher who died protecting her students in the Newtown school shooting, said she believes the country will pass stricter gun control measures in the future, even though nothing has been done in the year since the shooting.

December 15, 2013

Bill eases Guantanamo transfers

The House voted Thursday to ease restrictions on transferring detainees at Guantanamo Bay to foreign countries as part of a yearly defense policy bill that will be considered by the Senate next week.

December 12, 2013

All-out war breaks out in GOP over budget pact

Tea party groups and fiscal conservatives wasted no time Wednesday in savaging a bipartisan budget agreement negotiated between House Republicans and Senate Democrats, drawing an unusually angry response from House Speaker John A. Boehner, Ohio Republican.

December 11, 2013

Budget deal to get quick vote in the House

The bipartisan budget proposal will be brought to the House floor on Thursday, a House leadership aide confirmed.

December 11, 2013

New budget accord saves $23 billion — after $65 billion spending spree

Key lawmakers from both parties announced Tuesday a bipartisan budget proposal that would avoid another government shutdown and restore some defense spending that would have been lost to upcoming sequester cuts.

December 10, 2013

Farm bill negotiators disagree on one-month extension

Though negotiators say they are getting close on a farm bill deal, the two parties still have their differences on how to handle a short-term extension.

December 10, 2013