Senate

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Bills in the Senate is still as a statue in the Capitol Rotunda, but Republicans hope to get things moving if they win control of the chamber in the midterm elections. Polls suggest they have a solid chance. (Associated Press)

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Incumbent: Six-term Republican Sen. Thad Cochran was forced into a runoff election for his Senate seat after the recent Mississippi primary failed to result in a clear winner to become the GOP's nominee in November. (Associated Press)

Mark Begich

Sen. Mark Begich of Alaska, formerly the mayor of Anchorage, narrowly defeated scandal-plagued longtime Sen. Ted Stevens to win his Senate seat in 2008. Lt. Gov. Mead Treadwell, 2010 Senate candidate and tea party favorite Joe Miller and former Alaska Attorney General Daniel Sullivan are vying for the opportunity to challenge Begich for his seat in November. Alaska's primaries will be held on Aug. 19. (Associated Press)

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State Rep. Chris McDaniel has been vocal in his opposition to Common Core, which garnered him support over incumbent Sen. Thad Cochran in Mississippi's hotly contested Republican Senate primary (AP Photo/The Hattiesburg American, Kelly Price)

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Senate Veterans Affairs Committee chairman Sen. Bernie Sanders, Vermont independent, says he's hopeful the veterans health care bill the Senate passed Wednesday will be reconciled quickly with a similar measure passed unanimously by the House. (Associated press photographs)

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**FILE** Members of the Senate get together for "Seersucker Thursday" on Capitol Hill in Washington on June 23, 2011. The tradition was started by former Mississippi Sen. Trent Lott, who encouraged colleagues to don the lightweight, striped, summer-friendly fabric to combat the oppressive humidity in the nation's capital. From right are Sens. Lisa Murkowski, Alaska Republican, Kirsten Gillibrand, New York Democrat, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and Mike Lee, Utah Republican. (Associated Press)

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Deputy Attorney General James Cole told the Senate intelligence committee that the administration is looking to end bulk data collection while allowing for enough flexibility to get large volumes of records if they are necessary to investigations. (Associated Press)