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House Speaker John Boehner (center), Ohio Republican, flanked by Rep. Jeb Hensarling (left), Texas Republican, and House Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy, California Republican, briefs reporters Dec. 16, 2011, on Capitol Hill after lawmakers from both political parties came together on an 11th-hour deal to keep the government from shutting down. (Associated Press)

MILLER: Inside the 1,200-page omnibus

By Emily Miller - The Washington Times

House Speaker John A. Boehner, Ohio Republican, speaks during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington on Thursday, Dec. 15, 2011. (AP Photo)

Deal reached to avert shutdown of government

By Sean Lengell and Susan Crabtree - The Washington Times

** FILE ** President Barack Obama pauses during a news conference, Thursday, Dec. 8, 2011, in the White House briefing room in Washington. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

MILLER: Obama wants to steal Christmas

By Emily Miller - The Washington Times

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nev., center, accompanied by, from left, Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., Senate Majority Whip Richard Durbin of Ill., and Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., speaks to reporters about extending the payroll tax cut, Thursday, Dec. 1, 2011, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

Bargainers reach deal to head off government shutdown

By Alan Fram and David Espo - Associated Press

The Capitol building in Washington, D.C. (Associated Press)

House GOP tries flanking move to avoid looming shutdown

By Stephen Dinan - The Washington Times

FBI contacted phone monitoring firm about software

By RICHARD LARDNER - Associated Press

Sen. Orrin G. Hatch, Utah Republican

Amendments to balance budget rejected by Senate

By Sean Lengell - The Washington Times

Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan, the top Republican budget writer in the House, has a new plan for Medicare - devised with Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon - that would set up a regulated competition with private insurance. (Associated Press)

Inside Politics

By THE WASHINGTON TIMES

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Nevada Democrat, wants to add almost $7 billion in disaster aid to a temporary funding bill crafted to avert a government shutdown when the new fiscal year begins Oct. 1. (Associated Press)

MILLER: Harry’s blockage

By Emily Miller - The Washington Times

FBI Director Robert S. Mueller III testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington on Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2011. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

FBI director challenges Congress on detainees

By Donna Cassata - Associated Press

Senate panel acts against lawmaker insider trading

By Larry Margasak - Associated Press

**FILE** Sen. John McCain (center), Arizona Republican and ranking Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, flanked by Senate Minority Whip Jon Kyl (left), Arizona Republican, and fellow committee member Sen. Kelly Ayotte, New Hampshire Republican, speaks Dec. 14, 2011, during a news conference on Capitol Hill to announce an effort to replace the defense sequester mandated as a result of the supercommittee's failure. (Associated Press)

White House says no veto of defense bill

By Donna Cassata - Associated Press

FBI Director Robert S. Mueller III tells the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday he is concerned about the defense spending bill's effect on the bureau's ability to investigate terrorism, saying that while the bill had been modified for the better, it "lacks clarity as to what happens at the time of arrest." The bill has been passed by the House and awaits Senate action Thursday. (Associated Press)

Obama will not veto defense bill

By Chuck Neubauer - The Washington Times

House Speaker John A. Boehner called Wednesday for Democrats to release a year-end spending bill from their blockade. Democrats said they won't allow the bill to go through until lawmakers also pass an extension of this year's payroll-tax cut. (Associated Press)

Congressional stalemate sets up Christmastime government shutdown

By Sean Lengell and Stephen Dinan - The Washington Times

Sen. Harry Reid, Nevada Democrat, is the Senate majority leader.

Leaders block quick Senate vote on payroll tax

By Alan Fram - Associated Press

House Speaker John Boehner (center), Ohio Republican, and fellow Republican leaders meet Dec. 13, 2011, with reporters on Capitol Hill before a crucial vote on a GOP effort to renew an extension of the payroll-tax cut. From second from left are Rep. Renee Ellmers of North Carolina, House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Rep. Dave Camp of Michigan, Boehner, Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers of Washington, House Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy of California, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor of Virginia, and Rep. Jeb Hensarling of Texas. (Associated Press)

Republicans plan House OK of payroll tax cut bill

By Alan Fram - Associated Press

Blount, a Romney backer, wins a key post

Associated Press

Embassy Row

By James Morrison - The Washington Times

Illustration by Donna Grethen

CARDENAS: Balanced budget amendment vote a turning point

By Al Cardenas - The Washington Times

CHALLENGE: "The Senate can take up our bill and amend it, or it can pass its own bill. But the Democrats who run the Senate can't continue to shirk their responsibility to govern," says House Speaker John A. Boehner. (Associated Press)

GOP ties payroll tax to oil pipeline

By Stephen Dinan - The Washington Times