WASHINGTON, Sept 18 (Reuters) – Two Republican U.S. Senate
candidates in close races disowned Mitt Romney’s “47 percent”
comments on Tuesday, signaling concern about the impact of his
words on Republican fortunes beyond the presidential race.

Democrats, sensing a new opportunity to influence
congressional contests, were busy trying to link Republicans
generally with Romney’s remarks. The Democratic Congressional
Campaign Committee showered dozens of districts with news
releases tying specific Republican candidates to Romney’s
“shocking comment.”

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Arnold Palmer became the sixth athlete to earn a Congressional Gold Medal at a ceremony on Wednesday where the golfing great and humanitarian made light of the divided U.S. lawmakers who gave him the award.

Congress bestowed Palmer, 83, with its highest civilian award in “recognition of his service to the country in promoting excellence and good sportsmanship”.

WASHINGTON, Sept 12 (Reuters) – Arnold Palmer became the
sixth athlete to earn a Congressional Gold Medal at a ceremony
on Wednesday where the golfing great and humanitarian made light
of the divided U.S. lawmakers who gave him the award.

Congress bestowed Palmer, 83, with its highest civilian
award in “recognition of his service to the country in promoting
excellence and good sportsmanship”.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The top Republican in the U.S. Congress said on Tuesday he had no confidence a divided Washington could avoid a “fiscal cliff” that threatens to push the nation into a recession, but the top Democrat voiced optimism there would be a deal.

“I’m not confident at all,” House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner said, accusing President Barack Obama of failing to provide needed leadership.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – One of the most unpopular and unproductive U.S. Congresses in modern history returns on Monday from a five-week recess, facing a crush of big tasks, few of which will likely get done.

Lawmakers are expected to be in Washington for only about two weeks between now and the November 6 election, making their return to the capital little more than a pit stop.

WASHINGTON, Sept 9 (Reuters) – Republican presidential
nominee Mitt Romney on Sunday denounced last year’s bipartisan
debt-ceiling deal that helped avert an unprecedented U.S.
government debt default even though one of its backers was his
running mate, Paul Ryan.

Without mentioning Ryan by name, Romney called the agreement
between the White House and top congressional Republicans “a big
mistake,” citing potential big defense spending cuts that could
come as part of the deal.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – One of the most unpopular and unproductive Congresses in modern history returns on Monday from a five-week recess, facing a crush of big tasks, few of which will likely get done.

Lawmakers are expected to be in Washington for only about two weeks between now and the November 6 election, making their return to the capital little more than a pit stop.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – One of the most unpopular and unproductive U.S. Congresses in modern history returns on Monday from a five-week recess, facing a crush of big tasks, few of which will likely get done.

Lawmakers are expected to be in Washington for only about two weeks between now and the November 6 election, making their return to the capital little more than a pit stop.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Congress is limping toward what some see as a not-so-deserved five-week vacation starting on Friday, dimming hopes it will complete work on many or any of the major issues confronting it, from taxes, agriculture, and trade with Russia to cyber security and postal service reform.

Campaigning, not legislating, appears to weigh most heavily on the minds of congressional Republicans and Democrats in the run-up to the November 6 elections to pick the next president, 435 members of the House of Representatives and one-third of the 100-member Senate.

By Thomas Ferraro

(Reuters) – The top Republican in the Congress on Thursday criticized Representative Michele Bachmann and four other fellow House Republicans for making “pretty dangerous” accusations when they questioned the security clearance of a Muslim aide to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

The comments of House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner came after Senator John McCain, the 2008 Republican presidential nominee, blasted the five lawmakers for seeking an investigation into whether Huma Abedin, Clinton’s deputy chief of staff, had connections to the Muslim Brotherhood, an Islamist political organization.