members of congress

As President Obama prepares to address the United Nations General Assembly this week, he's facing political pressure at home to do more to shield Israel from criticism.

Pro-Israel members of Congress are furious the administration hasn't managed to prevent the Palestinians from going to the U.N. to seek membership as a state on land Israel captured in the 1967 war.

Two members of Congress announced their departures Wednesday. Sen. Jim Webb (D-VA) says he will not run for a second term in 2012.

And Rep. Christopher Lee (R-NY) resigned. He's accused of sending a shirtless photo of himself to a woman he met on Craigslist.

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

The incoming class of freshmen lawmakers is trying to change business as usual in Washington. A chief target is earmarks -- those special projects lawmakers insert into spending bills.

Republicans in both the House and Senate have vowed to ban earmarking altogether next year. But there's another way members of Congress can get their pork-barrel projects funded.

Members of Congress disclosed their personal finances Wednesday, as they're required to do every year. In 2009, they continued to invest in companies they oversee as members of congressional committees.

Also, more than two dozen members held stock in companies involved in the Gulf oil disaster -- including BP and Transocean.

Members of Congress will be back from their August recess soon. They've been getting an earful back home about overhauling health care.

A political action committee from California has launched a cross-country bus tour dubbed the "Tea Party Express." Members are concrned about spending, higher taxes and bailouts.

Over the past week, members of Congress have been shouted down and booed at town hall meetings around the country, but President Obama got a far different reaction Tuesday when he came to talk health care in coastal New Hampshire.

The loud debate over the issue took place outside the president's forum.

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

The U.S. Postal Service announced Wednesday it lost more than $2 billion between April and June. It's on track to be $7 billion dollars in debt by the end of September.

Members of Congress are considering major cuts — including closing hundreds of post offices, and even scaling back delivery from six days a week to five.