Ex-Air Force contractor pleads guilty, will cooperate with investigation into kickback scheme

PENSACOLA, Fla. — A former government employee pleaded guilty Monday and agreed to cooperate in a criminal investigation of appropriations that members of Congress steer to defense contractors.

Panel gives huge boost to high-speed rail projects; increases maximum Pell Grant by $200

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama’s high-speed rail initiative would get an enormous boost under a spending bill that a House committee approved Friday.

Panel give huge boost to high-speed rail projects; increase maximum Pell Grant by $200

WASHINGTON — Funding for a signature high-speed initiative of President Barack Obama would get an enormous boost under a transportation spending bill approved Friday by a key House panel.

House spending bill allows DC abortion funding; requires auto companies to restore franchises

WASHINGTON — The District of Columbia government could fund abortions for the poor and take steps toward legalizing marijuana for medical purposes under a spending bill passed by the House on Thursday.

Jet showdown: Pentagon chief says veto threat is real in squabble with Congress over funding

WASHINGTON — The Pentagon and Congress all but dared each other Thursday to a showdown over funding for fighter jets in a multimillion-dollar squabble that each side said they were fighting in the interests of U.S. security.

Murtha says White House veto threat on F-22 fighter jet funding won’t derail spending bill

WASHINGTON — Despite adding money for two programs that the White House has said will result in a veto of the defense spending bill, a key House Democrat said Thursday he’s confident the legislation will avoid that fate.

Breaking tradition, House Dems deny GOP chance to force debate _ and politically painful votes

WASHINGTON — In their zeal to protect their members from politically hazardous votes on issues such as gay marriage and gun control, Democrats running the House of Representatives are taking extraordinary steps to muzzle Republicans in this summer’s debates on spending bills.

Much-criticized rural air travel subsidies gain big boost in House spending bill

WASHINGTON — A much-criticized subsidy for rural air travel would get a budget increase of more than 40 percent under a spending bill unveiled in the House on Monday.

House, Senate pass budget bills to boost food stamp program, allow Internet drug purchases

WASHINGTON — The Senate dealt a blow to the drug lobby Thursday by voting to permit people in the United States to order lower-cost drugs from Canada over the Internet.

House passes $48.8 billion foreign aid bill after rebuke of Obama on IMF funding

WASHINGTON — A $48.8 billion measure funding foreign aid and the State Department budget has passed the House after lawmakers voted overwhelmingly to force U.S. officials to oppose International Monetary Fund loans to countries that support terrorism.

Senate panel permanently reverses ban on aid to overseas groups that perform abortions

WASHINGTON — Democrats on a key Senate panel voted Thursday to permanently reverse a policy in effect under recent Republican administrations that banned giving U.S. taxpayer money to international groups that perform abortions or provide abortion information.

House passes bill to boost food stamp spending as record numbers need assistance

WASHINGTON — With rising unemployment forcing millions of additional people onto food stamps, the House on Tuesday passed a bill to boost the program’s budget by 14 percent.

House ponders more food stamp money while Senate approves increases for financial regulators

WASHINGTON — The House took up a bill on Wednesday that funds a 14 percent increase for food stamps as more people become eligible for the program because of rising unemployment.

Senate debates homeland security budget as Congress digs into spending bills

WASHINGTON — A House panel Tuesday night voted to require General Motors and Chrysler to restore franchise agreements with their dealers despite their dire financial condition.

Calif. senator sides with oyster farmer over Park Service, environmental activists

WASHINGTON — A powerful Senate Democrat is backing an oyster farmer over the National Park Service in a northern California controversy that has environmentalists seething.

House passes Homeland Security spending bill with money for border patrol agents, anti-piracy

WASHINGTON — The House passed a $44 billion spending bill Wednesday that awards the Homeland Security Department a 7 percent budget increase, with money for more border patrol agents and for anti-piracy efforts off the coast of Somalia.

Congress largely ignoring Obama budget cuts as spending bills advance

WASHINGTON — Democrats in Congress crafting spending bills are largely rejecting the roster of program eliminations and budget cuts wanted by President Barack Obama.

Undeterred by economy, House raises budget for member offices

WASHINGTON — The recession and rising joblessness has millions of Americans cutting their household budgets, but times are flush for lawmakers.

Republicans, angered by treatment, force marathon voting session in House

WASHINGTON — The House may have set a record getting people on the record.

Republicans, angered by treatment, force marathon voting session

WASHINGTON — The House may have set a record getting people on the record Thursday.

Editorial Roundup: Excerpts From Recent Editorials in Newspapers in the US and Abroad.

Excerpts from recent editorials in newspapers in the United States and abroad:

Guided through the House by Democrats, war-funding bill may face difficulty in Senate

WASHINGTON — Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said Wednesday that this is the last time Congress will go through the ordeal of passing an off-the-books, expensive bill to fund two wars. It may also be one of the more difficult.

Legislation to provide $106 billion for wars, other causes, passes House

WASHINGTON — War-funding legislation survived a fierce partisan battle in the House on Tuesday, a major step in providing commanders in Iraq and Afghanistan the money they would need for military operations in the coming months.

In narrow vote, House approves $106B to maintain war operations in Iraq and Afghanistan

WASHINGTON — The House has narrowly approved a $106 billion bill to ensure financing for war operations in Iraq and Afghanistan over the coming months.

Legislation to provide $106 billion for wars, other causes, heads for close House vote

WASHINGTON — Democratic leaders searched for votes Tuesday as the House took up a $106 billion bill to fund wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Analysis: Republicans closer to turning tables on Democrats over ethical conduct

WASHINGTON — The revelation that Democratic appropriations kingpins may face an ethics investigation of their campaign donations moves Republicans closer to gaining a corruption issue in 2010.

House members not immune from downturn, financial statements show

WASHINGTON — House members and their families suffered through investment losses like millions of Americans last year, a sampling of financial disclosure statements showed Wednesday. The economic downturn also sparked some cautionary moves.

House panel orders curbs to Pentagon budget; war funding bill stalled

WASHINGTON — A key House panel on Tuesday ordered a $3.5 billion cut from President Barack Obama’s defense budget Tuesday while setting the stage for big increases for domestic programs favored by Democrats.

Obama-proposed budget rules allow deficits to swell to pay for health care plan

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama on Tuesday proposed budget rules that would allow Congress to borrow tens of billions of dollars and put the nation deeper in debt to jump-start the administration’s emerging health care overhaul.

War funding bill gets sidetracked over IMF funding, detainee abuse photos

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama’s penchant for last-minute demands, and a rebellion by liberal allies over his efforts to block the release of detainee abuse photos, have combined to sidetrack his bill to pay for an expanded war in Afghanistan as well as continuing military operations in Iraq.