2chambers - Breaking news and analysis from Capitol Hill.

Posted at 04:41 PM ET, 12/31/2012

Wife of Rep. John Lewis dies

By Ed O'Keefe

Lillian Miles Lewis, the "devoted wife" of the congressman, died in Atlanta, according to a statement issued by his office.

By Ed O'Keefe | 04:41 PM ET, 12/31/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 04:13 PM ET, 12/20/2012

Bob Dole pays respects to Daniel Inouye in Capitol Rotunda

By Ed O'Keefe

The former Senate majority leader came to pay respects to his lifelong friend.

By Ed O'Keefe | 04:13 PM ET, 12/20/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Bob Dole, Daniel Inouye, Elizabeth Dole, Harry Reid, Mitch McConnell, Senate

Posted at 09:33 AM ET, 12/20/2012

Inouye receives full honors from colleagues in memorial service

By Ed O'Keefe

Vice President Biden and members of the House and Senate plan to attend and speak at a memorial service in the Rotunda beginning at 10 a.m.

By Ed O'Keefe | 09:33 AM ET, 12/20/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 06:35 PM ET, 12/19/2012

As 'Plan B' vote nears, John Boehner seen whipping votes on House floor

By Ed O'Keefe

2CHAMBERS | The House speaker was seen glad-handing colleagues on the House floor.

By Ed O'Keefe | 06:35 PM ET, 12/19/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: fiscal cliff, House Republicans, John Boehner

Posted at 04:35 PM ET, 12/19/2012

John McCain's holiday must-reads

By Ed O'Keefe

The Arizona lawmaker takes to Twitter to share some last-minute holiday gift ideas.

By Ed O'Keefe | 04:35 PM ET, 12/19/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: John McCain, Senate

Posted at 01:32 PM ET, 12/19/2012

Democrats unveil proposals to address Newtown shooting

By Ed O'Keefe

Several Democratic proposals in the House and Senate could be adopted as part of the White House review.

By Ed O'Keefe | 01:32 PM ET, 12/19/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: All About Congress, Barbara Boxer, Daniel Inouye, Diane Feinstein, FCC, FTC, gun control, House, House Democrats, Jay Rockfeller, Patrick Leahy, Senate, Senate Democrats

Posted at 01:22 PM ET, 12/19/2012

Inaugural committee takes steps to avoid ‘Purple Tunnel of Doom' ticket fiasco

By Ed O'Keefe

How inauguration planners are hoping to avoid keeping people trapped on their way to the big day.

By Ed O'Keefe | 01:22 PM ET, 12/19/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Chuck Schumer, Inauguration, Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies, Senate

Posted at 09:28 PM ET, 12/18/2012

Daniel Inouye to lie in state at U.S. Capitol

By Ed O'Keefe and Paul Kane

Sen. Daniel K. Inouye (D-Hawaii) will lie in state in the Capitol Rotunda on Thursday, House and Senate leaders announced Tuesday.

By Ed O'Keefe and Paul Kane | 09:28 PM ET, 12/18/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 11:56 AM ET, 12/18/2012

Patrick Leahy sworn in as Senate President Pro Tempore

By Ed O'Keefe

Vermont's senior senator is now third in line to the presidency.

By Ed O'Keefe | 11:56 AM ET, 12/18/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Daniel Inouye, Harry Reid, Jon Kyl, Orrin Hatch, Patrick Leahy, Senate, Senate Democrats

Posted at 11:39 AM ET, 12/18/2012

Dave Camp says he's cancer-free

By Ed O'Keefe

Development means chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee free to focus on tax reform.

By Ed O'Keefe | 11:39 AM ET, 12/18/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Dave Camp, House, House Ways and Means Committee

Posted at 07:46 PM ET, 12/17/2012

Daniel Inouye dies: What it means for the Senate

By Ed O'Keefe

2CHAMBERS | What the death of the chamber's most senior member means for leadership of the chamber and plum committees.

By Ed O'Keefe | 07:46 PM ET, 12/17/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Barbara Mikulski, Daniel Akaka, Daniel Inouye, Patrick Leahy, Rob Portman, Senate Pro Tempore

Posted at 07:05 PM ET, 12/17/2012

When senators learned that Daniel Inouye died

By Ed O'Keefe

2CHAMBERS | The Senate stood in stunned silence as Harry Reid announced the news.

By Ed O'Keefe | 07:05 PM ET, 12/17/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Amy Klobuchar, Chuck Schumer, Daniel Inouye, Dick Durbin, Harry Reid, John Thune, Mary Landrieu, Mitch McConnell, Patrick Leahy, Patty Murray, Senate, Senate Pro Tempore, Tom Harkin

Posted at 02:45 PM ET, 12/17/2012

Harry Reid: 'Every idea should be on the table' as Congress responds to Connecticut shootings

By Ed O'Keefe

2CHAMBERS | The Senate's leaders observe a moment of silence, respond to the attacks, suggest a debate is forthcoming.

By Ed O'Keefe | 02:45 PM ET, 12/17/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: gun rights, Harry Reid, mental illness, Mitch McConnell, Newtown shooting, Senate

Posted at 10:00 AM ET, 12/17/2012

What Kay Bailey Hutchison won't miss about serving in the Senate

By Ed O'Keefe

The senior senator from Texas is leaving the Senate -- and won't miss certain strains of the job.

By Ed O'Keefe | 10:00 AM ET, 12/17/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Heading for the Exits

Posted at 06:00 AM ET, 12/17/2012

What is 'chained CPI?'

By Ed O'Keefe

2CHAMBERS | And is this the proposal that could help policymakers strike a deal?

By Ed O'Keefe | 06:00 AM ET, 12/17/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 04:56 PM ET, 12/14/2012

Cathy McMorris Rodgers: 'We have to be careful' about new gun laws

By Ed O'Keefe

Most senior Republican woman in Congress noncommittal on review of nation's gun laws.

By Ed O'Keefe | 04:56 PM ET, 12/14/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: C-SPAN, Cathy McMorris Rodgers, gun control, House, John Boehner, Mitch McConnell

Posted at 06:00 AM ET, 12/13/2012

Bob Menendez: Office didn't know anything about unpaid intern's past

By Ed O'Keefe

The New Jersey senator said his office had no idea that an unpaid intern was in the country illegally.

By Ed O'Keefe | 06:00 AM ET, 12/13/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 03:47 PM ET, 12/12/2012

Senate retirement speeches, in 3 minutes (Video)

By Ed O'Keefe

VIDEO | Six retiring senators say their final goodbyes to the chamber, bemoan the lack of bipartisanship.

By Ed O'Keefe | 03:47 PM ET, 12/12/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Ben Nelson, Daniel Akaka, Joe Lieberman, Kay Bailey Hutchison, Kent Conrad, Richard Lugar, Senate

Posted at 03:27 PM ET, 12/12/2012

Awaiting a 'fiscal cliff' deal, lawmakers pass other legislation

By Ed O'Keefe

Lawmakers are biding their time by passing modest bills long languishing on the House and Senate dockets.

By Ed O'Keefe | 03:27 PM ET, 12/12/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: All About Congress, Amy Klobuchar, Eric Cantor, House, Jay Rockefeller, John Boehner, Patrick Leahy, Senate, TSA, Vice President Biden

Posted at 07:00 AM ET, 12/12/2012

Watchdogs warn House ethics process is at risk

By Ed O'Keefe

Government watchdogs are warning that the independent office responsible for overseeing ethics investigations of House lawmakers could become a toothless entity.

By Ed O'Keefe | 07:00 AM ET, 12/12/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: ethics, House, House Ethics Committee, John Boehner, Judicial Watch, League of Women Voters, Nancy Pelosi, Office of Congressional Ethics, Public Citizen

Posted at 06:00 AM ET, 12/12/2012

What are the biggest tax deductions and exemptions? And whom do they benefit?

By Ed O'Keefe

2CHAMBERS | A look at the nation's most popular tax breaks and whom they benefit.

By Ed O'Keefe | 06:00 AM ET, 12/12/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 09:58 AM ET, 12/11/2012

Olympia Snowe leaving Congress, not the national debate

By Ed O'Keefe

2CHAMBERS | The moderate Republican is bittersweet about leaving, but vows to remain involved.

By Ed O'Keefe | 09:58 AM ET, 12/11/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Heading for the Exits, Olympia Snowe, Senate, Senate Republicans

Posted at 07:01 AM ET, 12/10/2012

Senate filibuster faces federal court challenge

By Ed O'Keefe

2CHAMBERS | Group challenging the rules say they are "an accident of history."

By Ed O'Keefe | 07:01 AM ET, 12/10/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 06:00 AM ET, 12/10/2012

Why are we talking about the debt ceiling again? And what is the debt ceiling anyway?

By Ed O'Keefe

It's been raised about 100 times through U.S. history -- so why are we talking about it again?

By Ed O'Keefe | 06:00 AM ET, 12/10/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: debt ceiling, Edsplainer, George W. Bush, Mitch McConnell, president obama

Posted at 10:00 AM ET, 12/07/2012

Joe Manchin objects to MTV's 'Buckwild' reality show

By Ed O'Keefe

Lawmaker sends letter of protest to network president after seeing previews of “Buckwild.”

By Ed O'Keefe | 10:00 AM ET, 12/07/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Joe Manchin, MTV, Senate

Posted at 06:01 AM ET, 12/07/2012

What's the difference between raising tax rates and raising tax revenue? (And why does this matter politically?)

By Ed O'Keefe

2CHAMBERS | It’s why Obama and lawmakers haven’t yet avoided jumping over the "fiscal cliff.”

By Ed O'Keefe | 06:01 AM ET, 12/07/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 04:14 PM ET, 12/06/2012

Mark Kirk to return to Senate following stroke recovery

By Ed O'Keefe

Kirk, a freshman senator elected in 2010, has been recovering in Chicago since suffering the stroke in January.

By Ed O'Keefe | 04:14 PM ET, 12/06/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 06:00 AM ET, 12/06/2012

Congress votes to strike 'lunatic' from federal laws

By Ed O'Keefe

2CHAMBERS | One Republican lawmaker voted against final passage of the measure. Who was he?

By Ed O'Keefe | 06:00 AM ET, 12/06/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 09:58 PM ET, 12/05/2012

Senate to attend special screening of 'Lincoln'

By Ed O'Keefe

The screening will occur right before Christmas -- and after several other political screenings of the hit movie.

By Ed O'Keefe | 09:58 PM ET, 12/05/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Abraham Lincoln, Senate

Posted at 02:35 PM ET, 12/05/2012

House Democrats tout diversity in the ranks

By Ed O'Keefe

Unlike the GOP, Democrats note that members who are White, Black, old, young, urban and rural earned top spots on House committees.

By Ed O'Keefe | 02:35 PM ET, 12/05/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Candice Miller, Henry Waxman, House, House Administration Committee, House Democrats, House Republicans, John Boehner, Louise Slaughter, Maxine Waters, Nancy Pelosi, Nita Lowey, Sander Levin

Posted at 12:30 PM ET, 12/05/2012

Cantor: House won't adjourn until fiscal cliff' deal reached

By Ed O'Keefe

The move means the holidays could be short -- or canceled -- for lawmakers.

By Ed O'Keefe | 12:30 PM ET, 12/05/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Eric Cantor, fiscal cliff, House, John Boehner

Posted at 11:28 AM ET, 12/05/2012

Joe Lieberman has few regrets

By Ed O'Keefe

Connecticut's senior senator reflects on his 24-year Senate career, his role in the 2000 and 2008 presidential campaigns and how he kept the Jewish sabbath.

By Ed O'Keefe | 11:28 AM ET, 12/05/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Heading for the Exits, Joe Lieberman, Senate

Posted at 06:01 AM ET, 12/05/2012

If tax cuts expire, how much will you owe?

By Ed O'Keefe

2CHAMBERS | If Congress doesn't act, most are likely pay more next year in federal income taxes.

By Ed O'Keefe | 06:01 AM ET, 12/05/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 10:00 AM ET, 12/03/2012

When Barney Frank announced he was coming out of the room' (er the closet)

By Ed O'Keefe

VIDEO | Retiring lawmaker recalls the colleagues he told privately before he told the nation.

By Ed O'Keefe | 10:00 AM ET, 12/03/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 06:00 AM ET, 12/03/2012

Will Hurricane Sandy relief fall off the fiscal cliff?'

By Ed O'Keefe

2CHAMBERS | Federal aid to storm-ravaged states could get tied up by ongoing fiscal talks.

By Ed O'Keefe | 06:00 AM ET, 12/03/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 06:00 AM ET, 10/05/2012

What is the fiscal cliff? (Video)

By Ed O'Keefe

The latest in our "Edsplainer" series tackles the issue set to consume Washington later this year.

By Ed O'Keefe | 06:00 AM ET, 10/05/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Edsplainer, federal budget, fiscal cliff, House, Senate, sequestration, taxes, taxmageddon

2chambers: December, 2012