WASHINGTON, Sept 23 (Reuters) – With aid to disaster
victims running out, the U.S. Senate Democratic leader on
Friday vowed to hold a quick vote to defeat a House-passed
spending bill, clearing the way for negotiations to avoid a
government shutdown.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said he planned a morning
discussion with Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell to
discuss how to craft a bill that could be more palatable to
Democrats.

WASHINGTON, Sept 22 (Reuters) – Republican leaders were
scrambling on Thursday to find the votes to keep the U.S.
government funded after the embarrassing defeat of a spending
bill threw into question Congress’ ability to pass basic laws.

The House of Representatives and Senate must pass
legislation to keep the government fully functioning beyond
Oct. 1 while lawmakers continue to debate a full budget.
Democrats and Tea Party-aligned Republicans united to defeat
the spending bill on Wednesday, albeit for opposite reasons.

WASHINGTON, Sept 22 (Reuters) – Republican leaders were
scrambling on Thursday to find the votes to keep the U.S.
government funded after the embarrassing defeat of a spending
bill threw into question Congress’ ability to pass basic laws.

The House of Representatives and Senate must pass
legislation to keep the government fully functioning beyond
Oct. 1 while lawmakers continue to debate a full budget.
Democrats and Tea Party-aligned Republicans united to defeat
the spending bill on Wednesday, albeit for opposite reasons.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The House of Representatives unexpectedly defeated a bill that would fund the federal government past September 30 on Wednesday as dozens of Republicans broke with their party to push for deeper spending cuts.

The measure failed by a vote of 195 to 230, with 48 of the chamber’s most conservative Republicans joining Democrats in opposition.

WASHINGTON, Sept 20 (Reuters) – The U.S. Congress on
Tuesday drifted toward another confrontation that could disrupt
wide swaths of the government as Democrats sought to double the
amount of disaster aid in a must-pass spending bill.

Republicans said they were confident the dispute would not
threaten funds that are needed to keep the government operating
past Sept. 30, but the Senate’s top Democrat said he didn’t
know if that was the case.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The top Republican in Congress on Thursday dismissed President Barack Obama’s jobs-creation package as a “poor substitute” for policies that would boost the economy and ruled out tax increases as a way to close the country’s budget gap.

In a high-profile speech, House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner called on a special congressional committee to consider tax reforms that would close loopholes but not raise rates — or tax revenues — as part of its bid to cut the U.S. deficit.

WASHINGTON, Sept 15 (Reuters) – The top Republican in
Congress on Thursday dismissed President Barack Obama’s
jobs-creation package as a “poor substitute” for policies that
would boost the economy and ruled out tax increases as a way to
close the country’s budget gap.

In a high-profile speech, House of Representatives Speaker
John Boehner called on a special congressional committee to
consider tax reforms that would close loopholes but not raise
rates — or tax revenues — as part of its bid to cut the U.S.
deficit.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Republicans in Congress may have dialed back their rhetoric, but that does not mean they are any more likely to yield to an unpopular Democratic president.

Coming off a bruising debt-ceiling debate that spooked investors, unnerved Americans and took the country to the edge of default, Republican leaders have promised to lower the temperature on Capitol Hill and try to work with President Barack Obama wherever possible.

WASHINGTON, Sept 13 (Reuters) – The U.S. Congress headed
toward a showdown on disaster aid on Tuesday as the
Democratic-controlled Senate advanced a measure that is
unlikely to pass the Republican-controlled House.

Lawmakers from both parties say they want to ensure victims
of tornadoes, hurricanes and other natural disasters get the
help they need but the money could get tripped up in the
spending debate that has dominated Washington this year.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Senate will try to pass legislation in coming weeks aimed at forcing China to stop holding its currency below market value, Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid said on Tuesday.

Many U.S. lawmakers and economists say China deliberately undervalues its currency, the yuan, against the dollar to give its companies an unfair price advantage in international trade. China rejects this criticism.