The Senate has a new President Pro Tempore today after Vice president Joe Biden made a visit to swear in Senator Patrick Leahy, the Democratic Senator from Vermont after the death of Senator Daniel Inouye yesterday. Leahy is now third in line for the presidency after the Vice President and Speaker of the House.
U.S. leaders are edging closer to a compromise on contentious end-of-year mandates for sharp spending cuts in key government programs and tax increases for almost all American workers.
Lawmakers in the House of Representatives are leaving Washington to take a long weekend and won't return to the Capitol until Tuesday according to the Republican leaders of the House.
WHITE HOUSE — White House officials said the Obama administration is still negotiating with Republicans in Congress on a looming fiscal crisis. Both sides are far apart in their negotiations, less than a month before big tax increases and spending cuts are set to take effect.