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Map: Compare the Diverse 113th Congress With a Diversifying U.S. Population

Doris Nhan | March 15, 2013

Use this interactive tool to explore the difference between minority representation in the 113th Congress and minority populations across the U.S.

Why the "Most Diverse" 113th Congress Doesn't Really Include the Senate

Elahe Izadi | January 4, 2013

Amid all the celebration about diversity in Congress, there’s still this inconvenient truth: The Senate is an almost all-white body.

How Diverse Is the 113th Congress? A Roundup

Jody Brannon | January 4, 2013

More than 80 new politicians have joined Congress, creating a House that's 19 percent minority and a Senate with its most-ever female lawmakers. Take a look at the demographics and the individuals behind the numbers.

Senators Get (Mock) Sworn Into the 113th Congress

National Journal Staff | January 3, 2013

A Colorful 113th Congress

Next America Staff | November 28, 2012

Meet the members of Congress who bring a bit of diversity to Capitol Hill. Check back daily for newly added biographies of each new Congressman.

The 113th Congress Likely To Be Partisan, Divided, and Much the Same

Dan Friedman | November 7, 2012

If you didn’t like the 112th Congress, you will hate the 113th.

Faiths of Minorities in 113th Congress Reflect Diversity

Jody Brannon | December 3, 2012

The incoming Congress may be the nation’s most diverse ever, according to a Pew Research Center report that details religious affiliations of the members. Among the freshmen are the first Hindu member of the House and the Senate’s first Buddhist.

The New Faces of the 113th Congress

Peter Bell | November 5, 2012

The 2012 House and Senate elections brought over 80 new members to Washington. Use this interactive application to sort and filter the freshmen by age, experience, ethnicity, and more. To read a full narrative of each newcomer, written by the staff of The Almanac of American Politics, click the member's picture. Click here to see a text listing of new members of Congress.

Senate Leaders and Committee Chairmen in the 113th Congress

November 8, 2012

A look at the potential lineup of leaders and committee chairmen.

House Leaders and Committee Chairmen in the 113th Congress

November 8, 2012

A look at who will chair the House committees in the new Congress.

See the New Faces of the 113th Congress

Peter Bell | November 5, 2012

The 2012 House and Senate elections brought over 80 new members to Washington. Use this interactive application to sort and filter the freshmen by age, experience, ethnicity, and more. Hover over each picture for name, state, and district information. To read a full narrative of each newcomer, written by the staff of The Almanac of American Politics, click the member's picture. Click here to see a full listing of new members of Congress.

Map: Lauded Diversity in 113th Congress Isn't All It's Cracked Up to Be

Sara Johnson - The Atlantic Cities | January 11, 2013

The 113th Congress convened for the first time last week, and the freshman class has been billed as particularly diverse. But overall, the House of Representatives is still mostly white and mostly male.

Marco Rubio to Address House Conservatives on Immigration Reform

Tim Alberta | May 31, 2013

Closed-door summit will be early test for senator to win over immigration skeptics.

Schumer Thinks Senate Needs More Than 60 Votes for Immigration to Push House to Act

Shane Goldmacher | April 25, 2013

Just breaking up an expected GOP filibuster of immigration legislation may not be enough.

What Will Max Baucus Do With His New Political Freedom?

Nancy Cook and Stacy Kaper and Chris Frates and Rebecca Kaplan contributed | April 23, 2013

The Montana senator's retirement could affect legislation on guns, taxes, immigration, and the debt ceiling. If only he'll agree with his fellow Democrats.

5 Senate Staffers to Watch on Immigration

Rebecca Kaplan | April 7, 2013

Meet five key Senate staffers working on immigration legislation.

House GOP Pick All White Men for Committee Leadership Positions

Dashiell Bennett, The Atlantic Wire | November 28, 2012

Yesterday, the House of Representatives picked the leaders of 19 committees for the upcoming 113th Congress yesterday and every one of them is a white male.

Rising House Sophomore's Advice to New Members

Michael Catalini | November 13, 2012

Congress returns to Washington today, and with it some new members of the113th Congress' freshman class who'll be in town for orientation.

The Year In Forgettable Candidates

Kevin Brennan and Scott Bland | December 28, 2012

From around the country, here's a look at the Forgettable Candidates of 2012. Most of these were highly touted "gets" who fizzled or were simply unable to make their races competitive. -- Linda Lingle and Heather Wilson: Lingle, the former GOP governor of Hawaii, and Wilson, a moderate former GOP c...

Is the GOP's Debt-Ceiling Proposal Constitutional?

Matt Vasilogambros | January 23, 2013

A House Republican proposal to suspend the debt limit until mid-May will take worries of a potential default off the table for a while. But for lawmakers, there's a catch. If they fail to pass a budget this spring, they will not get paid.

At Retreat, House Republicans Hope to 'Turn Things Around'

Billy House | January 16, 2013

Will motivational speeches from the CEO of Dominos Pizza and the first blind person to reach the summit of Mount Everest help House Republicans in an effort to use adversity to their advantage and turn things around in Washington?

Racial Diversity? Not in the Senate

Elahe Izadi | January 4, 2013

Amid all the celebration about the diverse new 113th Congress, there’s still this inconvenient truth to contend with: The Senate is an almost all-white body.

Incessant Optimism Helps Lawmakers Cope

Fawn Johnson | December 24, 2012

Optimism from some unknown source seemed to provide House members the solace to keep going as they traipsed from their offices (or numbered cubicles!) to the House floor and back to vote on post office names or kudos to winning baseball teams. They never got the chance to vote on anything close to a fiscal cliff deal and while they might in the days ahead, some members are looking at 2013 and hoping the grass is a little greener.

FEMA Won’t Need Fresh Cash, for Now

Meghan McCarthy | October 30, 2012

Sandy might have been a storm of historic proportions, but Congress likely won't have to face the task this year of providing a fresh infusion of cash to the Federal Emergency Management Agency to cover the cost of the disaster relief. But funding for recovery efforts is an issue that will likely come up in the 113th Congress.

There May Be No Way to Silence Republican Outcast Tim Huelskamp

Ben Terris | January 23, 2013

John Boehner doesn't like him. But the Kansas representative and his cadre of rebel Republicans are increasingly able to derail the speaker's plans.

Pelosi Will Seek Leadership Post Again

Billy House and Shane Goldmacher | November 14, 2012

Rep. Nancy Pelosi told Democratic colleagues on Wednesday morning that she wants them to reelect her as House minority leader when they return from Thanksgiving break.

What We Learned: Time To Debate

Hotline Staff | December 15, 2012

What we at The Hotline learned this week: -- The wave of mass shootings this year, punctuated by the most horrific crime committed in the U.S. since Virginia Tech, is taking a toll on all of us. Witness the President of the United States, who deals with life and death every day, choking up at the p...

New York, 6th House District: Grace Meng (D)

November 6, 2012

The daughter of Taiwanese immigrants, Grace Meng will become the first Asian-American woman to represent New York City in Congress. The New York Times already has described her as a potential political star. But she downplays the accolades: “It’s nice to be a woman, and it’s nice to be an Asian,” she said in an interview. “But what’s more important is what I can bring back to my district.”

Calif., 41st House District: Mark Takano (D)

November 6, 2012

After winning an open seat in California’s newly drawn 41st Congressional District, Democrat Mark Takano is hoping to bring his experience as an inner-city schoolteacher to the marbled halls of Capitol Hill. He also is the first openly gay person of color to hold a seat in Congress. In an interview with National Journal before the election, Takano said he hoped his victory would be a breakthrough for LGBT rights.

Texas, 34th House District: Filemon Vela (D)

November 6, 2012

Democrat Filemon Vela won a seat in the newly created 34th District on the strength of his membership in Brownsville’s most illustrious political family. The city’s federal courthouse bears the name of his late father, a U.S. district judge for more than two decades, and his mother was Brownsville’s first elected woman mayor.

Calif., 21st House District: David Valadao (R)

November 6, 2012

With a population that is more than 70 percent Latino, California’s newly created 21st District would seem fertile territory for Democrats. But Republican state Assembly member David Valadao, a third-generation farmer and dairy farmer of Portuguese descent, won the seat over Democrat John Hernandez with a message that he better understands the agricultural area’s problems.

Texas, 23rd House District: Pete Gallego (D)

November 6, 2012

It’s rare these days for Democrats to pick up a seat in a red state like Texas from a tea party-backed incumbent, but Pete Gallego unseated GOP Rep. Francisco “Quico” Canseco in a race in which both parties and outside groups poured in millions of dollars. Gallego, a veteran state representative, depicted his rival as an “extremist” who would destroy the social safety net.

Texas, 20th House District: Joaquín Castro (D)

November 6, 2012

New Democratic Rep. Joaquín Castro and his twin brother, Julián, have been playing political leapfrog. Julián ran for a seat on San Antonio’s City Council in 2001. The next year, Joaquín—who is younger by about a minute—beat a sitting legislator in a primary and won a seat in the Texas House representing their boyhood neighborhood. Julián next vaulted forward by winning San Antonio’s mayoral race in 2009, and in 2012; Joaquín became the favorite to win his race in a heavily Democratic congressional district and take the family’s political act to Washington.

Meet the Large-Animal Vet Who's Gunning for the GOP Establishment

Ben Terris | January 3, 2013

Ted Yoho and his fellow GOP House freshmen promise to make John Boehner’s life even more hellish.

Opinion: Asian-Americans Are an Emerging Force in U.S. Politics

Morley Winograd and Michael D. Hais | November 29, 2012

In the countless commentaries focusing on the demographic factors shaping the outcome of the 2012 election, there has been virtually nothing said about the contribution of Asian-Americans to the electorate and to Barack Obama’s reelection. It will be hard to ignore this growing group of voters much longer.

N.Y., 8th House District: Hakeem Jeffries (D)

November 6, 2012

Democrat Hakeem Jeffries was easily elected in New York’s 8th District, which includes the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn. Jeffries will replace Rep. Edolphus Towns, D-N.Y., who is retiring after 30 years in Congress. Jeffries is already garnering plenty of hype as a rising star in the Democratic Party. During his five-plus years in the New York State Assembly, observers said he was as equally comfortable in front of a Brooklyn church congregation as he was with New York academics. He’s sometimes called “Brooklyn’s Barack.”

Nev., 4th House District: Steven Horsford (D)

November 6, 2012

Steven Horsford, the state’s Democratic Senate majority leader, won a close election in the new district that encompasses Las Vegas’s northern suburbs and some central Nevada counties. Although the district leans Democratic in registration, it turned into a tighter race than expected before Horsford beat Republican Danny Tarkanian to become the first African-American elected to Congress from Nevada.

Illinois, 8th House District: Tammy Duckworth (D)

November 6, 2012

Democrat Tammy Duckworth made it to Congress on her second try, defeating freshman Republican Rep. Joe Walsh six years after losing to now-6th District Rep. Peter Roskam, also a Republican. A double-amputee veteran of the Iraq war, Duckworth was given prominent speaking slots at the Democratic National Convention in 2008 and again in 2012 to tell her unusual life story.

New Mexico, 1st House District: Michelle Lujan Grisham (D)

November 6, 2012

With her election in New Mexico’s 1st District, Democrat Michelle Lujan Grisham continues her family’s political dynasty. Her grandfather, Eugene Lujan, was the New Mexico Supreme Court’s first Latino chief justice; her uncle, Manuel Lujan Jr., served as a GOP congressman for the district as well as Interior secretary under President George H.W. Bush; and her distant cousin, Rep. Ben Ray Luján, represents New Mexico’s 3rd District.

Calif., 36th House District: Raul Ruiz (D)

November 6, 2012

Emergency-room doctor Raul Ruiz, a Democrat, narrowly beat six-term incumbent Mary Bono Mack in a heated race for California’s redrawn 36th District. Ruiz effectively criticized the Republican’s stance on Medicare and overcame attacks about his arrest during a Thanksgiving protest while a student at Harvard Medical School.

Calif., 35th House District: Gloria Negrete McLeod (D)

November 6, 2012

Six years after beating the son of Democratic Rep. Joe Baca for a seat in the California Senate, Democrat Gloria Negrete McLeod edged Baca himself for a seat in the U.S. House. Baca had a history of turmoil with his female House colleagues, who accused him of making sexist remarks, and it was perhaps no surprise he was ultimately unseated by a woman.

Florida, 26th House District: Joe Garcia (D)

November 6, 2012

Democrat Joe Garcia first faced off against David Rivera when the ran for Congress in 2010, but he lost to the Republican by 9 percentage points. However, ethics questions surrounding Rivera proved insurmountable for Republicans in 2012, leaving the door open for Garcia, a former Obama administration official with a passion for energy issues.

Hawaii, 2nd House District: Tulsi Gabbard (D)

November 6, 2012

Eight years after her father waged a losing bid for the 2nd District seat, Democrat Tulsi Gabbard captured the seat herself, following incumbent Mazie Hirono’s decision to run for the Senate. The former Honolulu City Council member survived a hard-fought primary to notch an easy general-election victory in this overwhelmingly Democratic state, becoming the first Hindu in the House.

Potential Ascension of Texans, Michiganders Ruffles Some Feathers

Billy House | November 2, 2012

Hold up there, pardner! There’s some insurgent grumbling out there among rank-and-file House Republicans over why so many Texans look like shoo-ins for committee chairmanships in the next Congress. And there are even louder complaints about Michiganders.

Meet the Victors: Mapped Minority Members of Congress

Jody Brannon and Doris Nhan | November 5, 2012

The nation's most diverse group of lawmakers is set to take the oath to serve in the House of Representatives or the U.S. Senate during the 113th Congress.

Congress Has Passed 13 Laws This Year—None of Them Have to Do With Jobs

Niraj Chokshi | June 7, 2013

At the current rate, it would take 9.5 years to reach prerecession employment levels.

Sandra Fluke Redux? Senate Stacks the Deck Against Reformers in Sexual Assaults Crisis

Stacy Kaper | June 3, 2013

House Republicans set off a firestorm last year when they held a hearing on contraception without inviting any women. Get ready for round two.

Parties Prepare to Reverse Rhetoric on 'Nuclear Option' for Judicial Nominees

Norm Ornstein | May 29, 2013

Watching Sen. Chuck Grassley rail against President Obama for "court packing" made me laugh out loud. I laughed for several reasons. One was wondering whether a senior senator and longtime member of the Judiciary Committee really had no idea what court packing is, or was he reaching for new heights of disingenuousness: How could a move by a president simply to fill long-standing existing vacancies on federal courts be termed court packing?

Firsts in Congress, Among Members of Color -- PICTURES

January 3, 2013

A Visual Look at Today's Congress Compared to 50 Years Ago

Doris Nhan | January 4, 2013

The 113th Congress, which was sworn in Thursday, is being hailed as one of the most diverse in all aspects, from race and ethnicity to gender to sexual orientation.

For House Republicans, It’s Fiscal First

Tim Alberta | April 23, 2013

If the fiscal fights that defined the opening act of the 113th Congress were supposed to suddenly take a backseat to other issues, someone forgot to tell House Republicans.

5 Staffers to Watch Among House Freshmen

Amy Harder | May 12, 2013

Running an office of a freshman member of Congress is never easy, but certain lawmakers and their top aides have especially unique challenges. Meet the chiefs of staffs of five House members whose election to Congress is somehow notable or newsworthy.

Matheson, Amash Split From Parties Most Often

Scott Bland | March 28, 2013

The Democrat and Republican have voted against their parties more often than any other House members in the 113th Congress.

Renewable-Fuels Standard Gets Bipartisan Attention

Amy Harder | April 17, 2013

For the first time since President Obama won the White House in 2008, House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton, R-Mich., and ranking member Henry Waxman, D-Calif., are working together on a controversial energy policy: the renewable-fuels standard.

Facing Another Inactive Congress, Chris Christie Dangles John Boehner From Building — VIDEO

Cory Bennett | January 4, 2013

The late-night shows welcomed the 113th Congress to a new round of jokes last night. Jimmy Fallon praised the swearing in of a record 20 female senators. They, he said, "look forward to proving they can accomplish just as little as male senators." Both David Letterman and Jay Leno poked fun at New...

6 Diverse Stories From The Next America

Jody Brannon | January 8, 2013

Obama's picks for Cabinet posts so far have all been white men, four Hispanic lawmakers are missing from the 113th Congress, and a decline in Arizona deportations are among the stories for Jan. 8.

Insiders Optimistic About Immigration Reform

Michael Catalini and Naureen Khan and Peter Bell | February 2, 2013

Cautious optimism: That's the best way to describe how both Democratic and Republican Political Insiders feel about the chances of comprehensive immigration reform, including a pathway to citizenship, passing Congress this year. A majority of Democrats and Republicans think it's either very or somewhat likely that such legislation passes in the 113th Congress, while only 3 percent of Democratic Insiders and 2 percent of the Republican Insiders say it's very unlikely. What is the likelihood of comprehensive immigration reform, including a pathway to citizenship, passing Congress this year? Democrats (107 votes) Republicans (94 votes) Very likely 39% 25% Somewhat likely 50% 53% Somewhat unlikely 8% 20% Very unlikely 3% 2%

Debt-Ceiling Fight May Flare This Week

Billy House and George E. Condon Jr. and Nancy Cook and Amy Harder and Fawn Johnson and Margot Sanger-Katz and and Sara Sorcher contributed | May 5, 2013

House Republicans will push action on a bill signaling no retreat from their demand for spending cuts as a condition to any ceiling hike.

The Cabal That Quietly Took Over the House

Tim Alberta | May 23, 2013

For 40 years, the Republican Study Committee has prized ideological purity over partisan loyalty. That mindset now dominates the GOP.

Just Don’t Call Him Marco Rubio

Tim Alberta | April 18, 2013

Raul Labrador will be even more important to immigration reform than the Latino Republican in the Senate.

What Happened to Michele Bachmann?

Tim Alberta | March 18, 2013

In the first two months of the 113th Congress Michele Bachmann has been practically invisible. What happened?

Women Continue to Make Strides in Congressional Representation

Kenneth Chamberlain | November 9, 2012

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How Long Can Boehner Contain the Rebellion?

Tim Alberta | March 3, 2013

Conservatives will give him a chance for now, but their patience is almost out.

Sanford to Attempt Special Election Comeback

Sarah Mimms | January 11, 2013

Sources close to former South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford say he will run for the seat vacated by Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., in 2014, the Weekly Standard reports. He is expected to officially announce his candidacy early next week. Sanford joins a crowded group of Republican contenders for the seat, th...

The Politically Incorrect Caucus: 6 Controversy-Prone House Members

Michael Catalini | April 1, 2013

Rep. Don Young's ethnically charged reference to Hispanic ranch workers as "wetbacks" on an Alaska radio program reminded us of other controversial members of the 113th Congress.

Five Staffers to Watch in the DCCC and NRCC

Alex Roarty | April 14, 2013

The battle for the House majority will rage across the country next year. And few groups will wield more influence on those races than the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and the National Republican Congressional Committee. Here are five staffers from each who will play a critical role in those campaigns.

Will Tax Reform See a Vote Anytime Soon?

Billy House | April 1, 2013

Despite pledges by the key chairmen in the House and Senate to move on tax reform, action is unlikely this year—and may not come at all in the 113th Congress.

Five Small Business Committee Staffers to Know

Amy Harder and Stacy Kaper | March 24, 2013

Here are the people you need to know on the Small Business Committee staffs on both sides of the Capitol.

It's Been Almost 3 Years Since the Senate Passed a Major New Law

Molly Ball - The Atlantic | February 20, 2013

If you're wondering whether President Obama's ambitious second-term agenda has a chance to make it through Congress, that might be worth keeping in mind.

Boehner Agrees to Votes on Sandy Disaster Relief

Billy House | January 2, 2013

Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, reacting to criticism over his decision to adjourn the House without passing a $60 billion Superstorm Sandy aid bill, has agreed to take action on an aid package after all, lawmakers say.

2013 in Foreign Policy: Invading Syria, Containing Iran, Drone Strikes in Yemen

Cory Bennett | January 5, 2013

On this week's Political Landscape, some of the most important foreign-policy issues facing a second Obama administration and the 113th Congress in 2013: chemical weapons in Syria, nuclear weapons in Iran, a Qaida stronghold in Yemen, and drone strikes across the Middle East.

A Polarized Committee Reflects a Gridlocked Congress

Amy Harder | April 17, 2013

Shortly after Rep. Fred Upton, R-Mich., won the chairmanship of the House Energy and Commerce Committee in December 2010, he invited all the former committee chairmen and their wives to dinner at Carmine’s in downtown Washington.

What History Tells Us About the Future of Obama’s Agenda

Jill Lawrence | February 13, 2013

President Obama had little choice but to lay out his priorities in his State of the Union address and hope they wouldn’t be sidelined by an unreceptive Republican-controlled House. What are his odds?

5 Staffers to Watch on the House and Senate Budget Committees

Stacy Kaper and Amy Harder | March 17, 2013

The House and Senate will be wrangling with their respective budgets this week. There’s little expectation that the two chambers’ products will be combined into a joint budget resolution, but they serve as the starting points for broader budget debates between Republicans and Democrats. Here’s a look at the two Budget committees’ top staffers who are critical to this process.

The Real Budget Battle

Tim Alberta and Stacy Kaper | March 7, 2013

In Washington, all financial skirmishes lead to the same place.

Parties and Cliques: The First Day of Congress Is Like the First Day of College

Ben Terris | January 3, 2013

Family members roam the hallways, everybody is lost, and nobody is really sick of being here yet.

Who To Watch on Capitol Hill During the Sequestration Fight

Stacy Kaper and Amy Harder | February 24, 2013

Here are 5 leadership staffers critical to developing the policy proposals and political strategy of the sequestration battle.

Five Staff Positions to Watch: Chiefs of Staff for Freshman Senators

Amy Harder and Stacy Kaper | March 3, 2013

Meet the chiefs of staff for five of the Senate's newest members.

New Yorker Lowey Picked as Top Approps Dem

Billy House | December 4, 2012

Rep. Nita Lowey of New York on Tuesday was picked as the new top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, selected over more senior Marcy Kaptur of Ohio by the House Democratic Caucus steering and policy committee controlled by Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi.

Why Hurricane Sandy Threatens House GOP More Than Fiscal Cliff

Josh Kraushaar | January 3, 2013

House Republicans have taken a political hit over their positioning on the fiscal cliff. But for campaign committee officials looking to hold the House, the controversy over funding for Hurricane Sandy, could do more to threaten the GOP's House majority.

Could There Be a Coup Against Boehner?

Billy House | December 21, 2012

After his "Plan B" disaster, the speaker might want to look over his shoulder.

How John Boehner Finally Got the Fiscal Cliff Deal to Obama

Michael Catalini | January 1, 2013

A last-ditch deal to spare Americans from big tax increases in the new year that seemed in danger of falling apart earlier today has a renewed chance to make it to the president's desk.

We'll Give You That Visa if We Can Keep Our Assault Weapons

Tim Alberta | February 14, 2013

House conservatives craft a message that allows them to get behind an immigration overhaul but block White House efforts to further regulate guns.

Filibuster Deal Leaves It Fundamentally Intact

Shane Goldmacher | January 24, 2013

Senate leaders have reached a deal that will impose new limits on the filibuster to ease the path for majority Democrats to begin floor debate on legislation while maintaining the minority Republicans’ ultimate veto power over final passage.

Five Energy/Environment Hill Staffers to Watch

Amy Harder | February 3, 2013

Congress is unlikely to tackle any major energy and environment legislation through regular order. So if any sliver of policy does get through either or both chambers, it will be thanks to the small cadre of energy and environment aides in congressional leadership offices. Here’s who you need to know.

What to Expect on the Budget in Obama's Second Term

Catherine Hollander | November 8, 2012

The budget policy outlook for 2013

Five Sleeper Issues Washington Could Face in 2013

Amy Harder and Stacy Kaper and Fawn Johnson and Coral Davenport and Catherine Hollander | December 31, 2012

The incoming Congress has big challenges ahead. But don’t be distracted by the bright shiny objects that are tax reform, entitlement reform, and maybe even gun control. There are some important issues for the U.S. economy and U.S. industries that could pop to the top of the agenda in 2013 and have widespread implications for Washington and the country.

4 Ways Obama Could Boost Economy in His 2nd Term

Catherine Hollander | January 21, 2013

President Obama begins his second term with unemployment at 7.8 percent and forecasts for economic growth over the coming years only modest as the country continues to dig out of the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression.

How the Hill’s Biggest Gun-Control Advocates Have Been Scarred by Tragedy

Shane Goldmacher | January 10, 2013

Dianne Feinstein and Carolyn McCarthy are among the loudest voices in Congress for new measures to restrict bullets and firearms.

Congress Set to Continue Rise in Diversity

Jody Brannon | November 5, 2012

The 113th Congress is likely to become the most racially and ethnically diverse in the nation’s history, but the House of Representatives still is hardly reflective of the nation’s population mix.

How Mini-Cliffs Could Ruin Obama's Second Term

Jim O'Sullivan | January 17, 2013

The GOP strategy to keep the focus on budget issues might thwart action on energy, immigration, and guns.

Poll Finds That Obama’s Base Overlaps With Gun-Control Coalition

Shane Goldmacher | January 14, 2013

As President Obama readies a new push for gun-control legislation, he will rely on the support of the same political coalition that thrust him into a second term last November: young people, minorities, and college-educated women.

160 Minority Candidates Seek Congressional Office

Jody Brannon and Doris Nhan | November 5, 2012

Thirty-four states have candidates of color or children of immigrants on Tuesday's ballot. A total of 155 minority candidates will either retain or gain a position in the House and five others are vying for four Senate seats.

Emotional Boehner Retains Speaker’s Gavel

Billy House | January 3, 2013

The process wasn't easy, but John Boehner is again speaker of the House. Here's what happened.

Veterans No Longer Dominate American Politics

George E. Condon Jr. | December 19, 2012

When members of the House and Senate file past the casket of Daniel Inouye as he lies in state in the Capitol Rotunda on Thursday, they will be mourning more than the death of a dear friend and historic colleague. They also will be grieving the passing of an era in which veterans of World War II dominated American politics.

Can This Congress Be Saved?

Alex Roarty | February 21, 2013

National Journal’s annual vote ratings show a Congress as paralyzed and polarized as ever. But better days may lie ahead.

Trouble for Boehner's Speakership?

Billy House and Elahe Izadi and Shane Goldmacher contributed. | December 20, 2012

John Boehner’s speakership is suddenly “on the ropes,” declared at least one outside conservative group after Thursday night’s head-spinning developments.

Calif., 51st House District: Juan Vargas (D)

November 6, 2012

In his fourth race for Congress, Juan Vargas won an open Southern California district that borders Mexico and includes the southern portion of San Diego. He bested Republican Michael Crimmins to replace veteran Democratic Rep. Bob Filner, who retired to run for San Diego mayor.

K Street Readies for the Lame Duck

Chris Frates | November 8, 2012

Unlike the last two elections, this one hasn’t sparked a hiring binge on K Street by lobbying firms looking to put more Democrats or Republicans in their stables.

Ohio, 3rd House District: Joyce Beatty (D)

November 6, 2012

Joyce Beatty was inspired to get into politics by the civil-rights movement, and the Democrat’s election to the House marks the first time that Ohio will have two African-American members of Congress serving together. The other is Cleveland Democrat Marcia Fudge.

New Jersey, 10th House District: Donald Payne Jr. (D)

November 6, 2012

Donald Payne Jr. is set to replace his father in the House next year. After the death of Donald Payne Sr. from colon cancer in March 2012, Payne Jr. became the heir apparent in this heavily African-American and Democratic district. Once he secured a victory in the Democratic primary, Payne Jr. coasted to victory in the fall.

Calif., 29th House District: Tony Cárdenas (D)

November 6, 2012

Democrat Tony Cárdenas will be the first Latino congressman to represent Southern California’s San Fernando Valley. The Los Angeles City Council member will represent a new, heavily Latino 29th District.

Texas, 33rd House District: Marc Veasey (D)

November 6, 2012

Marc Veasey, the Democrat from the newly drawn 33rd District, has enjoyed a relatively smooth political ascent. Since his first campaign in 2004, he has won elections for state office with at least 90 percent of the vote and, despite a hard-fought primary in 2012, pulled away with an easy victory in the fall. Thanks to the district’s heavy Democratic leanings, the win made him a lock in the general election.

John Boehner on Track to be Reelected, Despite Rumors of a Tea Party Coup

Billy House | January 2, 2013

Successful rebellions require leaders. That’s why the recent talk about some House conservatives conniving to wrest the speaker’s gavel from John Boehner now appears headed nowhere—and why even Boehner’s detractors say that he will be reelected when the new Congress convenes on Thursday.

A Contentious Week in Congress

February 4, 2013

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Races to Watch in 2013

Reid Wilson | January 3, 2013

In the era of constant campaigning, politics never stops. While the White House moves on President Obama's second-term agenda and Washington debates the next fiscal cliff, immigration reform and potentially even gun control measures, the strategists and party officials who plot to elect them are already hard at work developing their approach to elections this year -- and laying the foundations for 2014.

Boehner Has Momentum on Debt Plan

January 23, 2013

CongressWhite HouseNational SecurityPoliticsEnergyEconomy & BudgetHealth Care TOP FIVE BOEHNER HAS MOMENTUM ON DEBT PLAN. House Speaker John Boehner is gaining momentum ahead of Wednesday’s critical vote to raise the debt limit temporarily, National Journal’s Shane Goldmacher reports. No...

GOP Ponders Immigration Reform, and So Does Public

John Aloysius Farrell | November 13, 2012

Americans appear to be moving toward consensus on the difficult issue of immigration reform, with 76 percent of those surveyed in the United Technologies/National Journal Congressional Connection Poll saying that the nation should allow some or all of the nation’s 11 million illegal immigrants to remain in the United States if they meet certain conditions of residency and good behavior.

Republicans Hold House Majority

Scott Bland and Billy House | November 7, 2012

Republicans will have at least 231 House members, despite large changes in Congress

Boehner Expects 'Bridge' On Fiscal Cliff

Reid Wilson | November 4, 2012

House Speaker John Boehner doesn't expect a grand bargain avoiding the fiscal cliff to materialize in a lame duck session of Congress, but that doesn't mean the country is headed over the edge. Instead, Boehner said Sunday, he thinks Congress and the White House will find a way to punt the looming deadlines on the debt ceiling, the Bush tax cuts and the budget sequester into 2013.

Pelosi Continues to Make Rain for House Democrats

Billy House | October 19, 2012

There’s a big reason why Nancy Pelosi could stick around as House minority leader if she wants, even if Democrats are not likely to reach her stated goal of seizing back the majority on Election Day, or possibly even gaining a significant number of seats.

Why 2012 Will Be a Watershed House Election

David Wasserman | November 5, 2012

David Wasserman, the House editor of the Cook Political Report, offers five reasons why the 2012 election will bring permanent change to Congress even if party control doesn't change.

Hawaii Senate: Mazie Hirono (D)

November 6, 2012

Democratic Rep. Mazie Hirono turned back a strong challenge from Republican Linda Lingle, to whom she lost the Hawaii governor’s race a decade earlier, to keep the Senate seat in her party’s hands. Hirono overcame criticism from Lingle that she was an ineffective legislator, an argument that worked for challengers in other states but not one where favorite son Barack Obama was on the ballot.

California, 7th House District: Ami Bera (D)

November 6, 2012

Two years after narrowly losing one of the nation’s most closely watched House races to Republican Dan Lungren, Democrat Ami Bera prevailed in a rematch with the help of favorable redistricting and the presence of President Obama on the ballot.

Oklahoma, 2nd House District: Markwayne Mullin (R)

November 6, 2012

Little Dixie, the swath of southeastern Oklahoma that makes up the bulk of the 2nd District, has long been Democratic in heritage, but Republican plumber Markwayne Mullin claimed an easy win here, capitalizing on discontent with the national Democratic Party. He beat former Assistant U.S. Attorney Rob Wallace to succeed retiring Rep. Dan Boren, one of the House’s few remaining conservative Southern Democrats.

Graham Threatens Brennan, Hagel Confirmations

February 11, 2013

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Kerry's Confirmation Kicks Off

January 24, 2013

CongressWhite HouseNational SecurityPoliticsEnergyEconomy & BudgetHealth Care TOP FIVE KERRY’S CONFIRMATION KICKS OFF. Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., will appear before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee today, the committee that he chairs, for a hearing on his own confirmation as secretary...

The Plan for GOP Recovery

January 25, 2013

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Up Next: John Boehner's High-Stakes Moment

Billy House and Reid Wilson and Michael Catalini contributed | November 8, 2012

The speaker's success may depend as much on his finding common ground with his rowdiest members as it does in his reaching compromise with Obama and congressional Democrats.

It's Not Just Partisanship That Divides Congress

Ronald Brownstein and Scott Bland | January 10, 2013

The same demographic trends that helped Republicans keep the House will hurt their shot at the presidency. And the trends that propelled Obama to reelection will impede Democrats from retaking the House.

The GOP's Failed 'Plan O': Inside the Fiscal-Cliff Saga

John Aloysius Farrell and Chris Frates and Nancy Cook and Billy House | January 2, 2013

This is the story of Plan O – the congressional Republicans’ failed attempt to meet the challenge of Obama’s victory. It begins in September and ends in the fiasco of the Christmas season, when Speaker John Boehner was repudiated by his own troops and had to pull his last, desperate solution from the House floor, leaving Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell to cut the best deal he could with dramatically diminished leverage.

Bill Would Ban Federal Workers from Conducting Union Activities at Work

Amanda Palleschi and Government Executive | August 17, 2012

Government unions can expect to see the revival of legislation aimed at their rights to conduct union business.

Though More Optimistic, Americans Are Still Sharply Divided

Ronald Brownstein and Stephanie Czekalinski contributed | December 7, 2012

The latest Heartland Monitor Poll highlights Washington’s challenge in winning support for legislation from more than a narrow and fleeting majority of the public.

Senate Race Rankings: Toss-Ups!

Hotline Staff | July 31, 2012

Three months out, even ground in fight for the Senate.

Senate Race Rankings: Tales of Two Committees

Hotline Staff | August 24, 2012

With two months to go, races are starting to break.

Governors Rankings: The Battle for the Statehouse

Hotline Staff | May 16, 2012

Democrats are playing defense in 2012, but they've got their own opportunities.

The Hotline's Senate Race Rankings: Christmas Edition

Reid Wilson and Quinn McCord and Hotline Staff | December 22, 2011

It's the political equivalent of The Night Before Christmas: The Senate field is largely set, with top recruits snug in their seats, and all through the DSCC and the NRSC, the only sounds that matter are the fundraisers dialing for dollars and the researchers paging through their binders.

Storm Clouds Ahead

Susan Davis and Major Garrett | August 4, 2011

Don’t expect the debt-ceiling deal to result in more cooperation in Congress. All signs point to the opposite.

NJ Topics 113th Congress

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