U.S. Congress

Jul 30, 2015

Congress passes 3-month highway, transit aid patch

Lawmakers said they hope the 3-month patch — the 34th short-term transportation extension since 2009 — will be Congress' last.

Jul 10, 2015

Nolan: One ‘12- to 15-hour’ day at a time

Rick Nolan eyes re-election bid to continue serving and to head off handing the 8th District to Republicans.

May 22, 2015

How did our legislatures become so divided by party?

The dramatically contrasting 2015 priorities distinguishing Minnesota House GOPers from State Senate Democrats are ample evidence of polarization.

Mar 6, 2015

Politicians always disappoint purists

Congressman Tom Emmer has chosen to become a legislator, not an activist.

Jan 7, 2015

New roles but mostly same cast in Congress

Although the November election had a big impact — giving Republicans control of both houses — nearly 9 out of 10 faces in the House and Senate are the same as last year.

Nov 26, 2014

Iowa Democrats regroup after midterm losses

After a bruising midterm election where they lost a competitive U.S. Senate race and emerged with just one of four congressional seats, Iowa Democrats are trying to look forward.

Nov 14, 2014

Go home, Congress, your work is done for now

Committed partisans view a lame-duck session not as a constitutionally extraordinary event, but as an entitled opportunity for the defeated to enact as much of the agenda as possible before leaving the nation’s capital.

Oct 10, 2014

Democratic Party anxious yet triumphant

Democrats may be on their way to losing the majority in both houses of Congress, but don’t feel sorry for them; this is a moment of triumph for the party.

Sep 17, 2014

It’s not the wave, it’s the change that matters

It is quite possible to have a very important “change” election without a traditional electoral “wave in terms of political party control.

Sep 12, 2014

Down to the wire in Mills-Nolan race

State and national Republican groups are targeting the incumbent Democrat congressman in a ‘very purple district’.

Sep 10, 2014

Republican women face uphill fight this fall

Redistricting has given GOP incumbents a stronger grip on the vast majority of their seats, and Republican leaders aren’t willing to encourage promising female candidates to challenge incumbents.

Aug 1, 2014

Congress employs gimmicks to provide highway funds

Congress is providing $11 billion to prevent a 28 percent reduction in federal highway and mass transit spending at the peak of the summer construction season.