The bill would expand health care coverage to more than 94 percent of Americans, and cut the federal deficit by $127 billion over the first 10 years and as much as $650 billion over the next 10 years.

The Senate paid tribute Wednesday to the longest serving lawmaker in U.S. congressional history, a milestone marked with tributes and a special resolution.

Sarah Lynne Cheney was born Wednesday morning at Sibley Hospital in Washington, weighing 6 pounds and 14 ounces.

Michigan Rep. Pete Hoekstra, the top Republican on the House Intelligence Committee, on Wednesday introduced a "discharge petition" that would force the House to consider a bill that would prevent President Obama from closing the Cuba facility and require detainees to be tried in a military tribunal.

The unemployment rate for blacks is a whopping 15.7 percent and 13.1 percent for Latinos compared to 9.5 percent for whites.

In a sworn affidavit filed in D.C. federal court, a veteran city detective claims he was standing a few feet away from former Police Chief Charles Ramsey when he heard him order mass arrests of protesters. Ramsey has long said he did not order those arrests. 

In a blog posted to the Obama administration's Web site late Tuesday, White House Deputy Communications Director Daniel Pfeiffer blasted critics of new guidelines that recommend against annual screening for breast cancer for women under 50, and took particular aim at an article posted on FoxNews.com.

Reviewing books and holding public figures accountable is at the core of good journalism, but the Associated Press' treatment of Palin's book seems an unprecedented move at the wire service

Attorney General Eric Holder stands by his decision to bring five terror detainees into federal court, saying he considered "every alternative" and determined that New York is the venue "most likely to obtain justice for the American people." 

Construction of new homes unexpectedly plunged last month, as builders waited to see whether lawmakers would extend a tax credit for homebuyers.

President Obama says deliberations over the U.S. strategy in Afghanistan are "life and death decisions" and that he would "absolutely" fire anyone found to be leaking confidential information on the matter.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arrived in the Afghan capital on the eve of President Hamid Karzai's inauguration, during which he will make a speech that many hope will outline concrete commitments to reform, helping the country move past a fraud-tainted election that undermined trust in the government.

Republican Rep. Donald Manzullo of Illinois said his comment that suspected terrorists imprisoned at Guantanamo Bay follow a "savage religion" has been misinterpreted.

President Obama on Wednesday called it "dangerous" that Israel plans to add 900 new apartments to an existing Jewish settlement in East Jerusalem -- an area Palestinians hope to claim as their capital absent a peace agreement with Israel.

Asked if his decision will end the war, Obama said: "This decision will put us on a path towards ending the war." Obama inherited the Afghanistan conflict and suggested he wants to be the one to end it.

Attorney General is set to testify over his decision last week to send Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and four alleged henchmen from a detention center at Guantanamo Bay to New York to face a civilian trial.

Before he headed to a formal dinner with China's President Hu Jintao, President Obama set aside time to see his half brother, Mark Ndesandjo, and Ndesandjo's wife.

White House aides were exultant after the president walked part of the Great Wall alone in a choreographed moment for photographers and "the shot" they had planned turned out perfectly.

During an interview, U.S. Rep. Donald Manzullo said alleged terrorists at Guantanamo Bay are "are really really mean people whose job it is to kill people driven by some savage religion."

Job-creating ideas include additional help for small business, more road and bridge spending, and extending business tax breaks slated to expire at the end of the year.