The Latest: House forced to revote on GOP tax bill Wednesday

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., accompanied at right by Secretary for the Majority Laura Dove, walks to the chamber as Republicans in the House and Senate plan to pass the sweeping $1.5 trillion GOP tax bi... . Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., accompanied at right by Secretary for the Majority Laura Dove, walks to the chamber as Republicans in the House and Senate plan to pass the sweeping $1.5 trillion GOP tax bi... .

The Latest: House GOP unveils $81B disaster aid measure

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., accompanied at right by Secretary for the Majority Laura Dove, walks to the chamber as Republicans in the House and Senate plan to pass the sweeping $1.5 trillion GOP tax bill on party-line votes, at the Capitol in Washington, Monday, Dec. 18, 2017. House Republicans have unveiled an $81 billion disaster aid measure that almost doubles last month's request by President Donald Trump.

House GOP unveils $81B disaster relief for hurricanes, fires

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., accompanied at right by Secretary for the Majority Laura Dove, walks to the chamber as Republicans in the House and Senate plan to pass the sweeping $1.5 trillion GOP tax bill on party-line votes, at the Capitol in Washington, Monday, Dec. 18, 2017. WASHINGTON - House Republicans on Monday unveiled an $81 billion disaster aid package to help hurricane-ravaged communities and states hit by wildfires, almost double the amount requested by President Donald Trump.

The Latest: GOP leader offers huge budget boost for military

A key House Republican has unveiled a measure to deliver a huge budget increase to the Pentagon and prevent a government shutdown at the end of next week. The measure by Appropriations Committee Chairman Rodney Frelinghuysen could face a House vote next week, though there is pressure from Republicans from hurricane-hit states such as Florida and Texas to add tens of billions of dollars of storm relief.

NJ Politics Digest: Christie, Murphy Bicker Over State Budget

The incoming and outgoing governors of New Jersey are squabbling over the state budget, with Governor-elect Phil Murphy warning of a massive budget hole and Gov. Chris Christie accusing Murphy of using faulty math. It all started when Murphy asked Christie to freeze discretionary spending to ensure the state's fiscal woes aren't made worse, according to Politico.

As Nate looms, cost of federal hurricane disaster relief grows

While President Donald Trump said this week that disaster aid efforts in Puerto Rico for Hurricane Maria were "throwing our budget a little of whack," the reality is that the relief numbers are quickly growing overall as the feds help deliver aid to those hit hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria, with Tropical Storm Nate now possibly ready to take aim at the Gulf Coast in coming days as well. The White House on Wednesday sent Congress a $29 billion request for extra disaster relief funds, which GOP leaders say will be voted on in the House next week, as the Trump Administration acknowledged the cost is not small change.

White House to seek US$29b disaster aid package

The Trump administration is finalizing a $29 billion disaster aid package that combines $16 billion to shore up the government-backed flood insurance program with almost $13 billion in new relief for hurricane victims, according to a senior administration official and top congressional aides. The huge request is expected to be officially sent to Congress on Wednesday, but its outlines were charac... The Trump administration is finalizing a $29 billion disaster aid package that combines $16 billion to shore up the government-backed flood insurance program with almost $13 billion in new relief for hurricane victims, according to a senior administration official and top congressional aides.

APNewsBreak: White House to seek $29B disaster aid package

The Trump administration is finalizing a $29 billion disaster aid package that combines $16 billion to shore up the government-backed flood insurance program with almost $13 billion in new relief for hurricane victims, according to a senior administration official and top congressional aides. The huge request is expected to be officially sent to Congress on Wednesday, but its outlines were characterized by officials who demanded anonymity because the $29 billion measure is not yet public.

Senate passes $700 billion defense bill leaving several controversial policies unresolved

House Speaker Paul Ryan , center, shakes hands with Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen , chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, during a news conference about funding bills, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Sept. 14, 2017.

GOP eyes popular tax breaks to finance overhaul

Republicans straining to find about $1 trillion to finance sweeping tax cuts are homing in on two popular deductions that are woven into the nation's fiscal fabric - the mortgage interest deduction that millions of homeowners prize and the deduction for state and local taxes popular in Democratic strongholds. About 30 million Americans, or about 20 percent of taxpayers, deduct mortgage interest from their income taxes, a deduction Realtors and homebuilders argue is a catalyst to home ownership in the United States.

Congress must stop soft ‘earmarking’ in Pentagon spending bill

Sometime on Sunday the House Appropriations Committee released its "Chairman's Mark" of the Fiscal Year 2018 spending bill for the Pentagon. And late Monday night the Defense subcommittee met in closed session to produce the opening salvo in the Pentagon spending battle.

Can your off-hours political activism get you in trouble at work?

In recent weeks, the story of a New Jersey lawyer whose off-hours political activism was brought to the attention of her employer went viral because of the unusual way it happened: A congressman's letter flagged her as a "ringleader" of a group in New Jersey aimed at making him more accountable and accessible to his constituents. In a fundraising letter sent to a board member of the bank for which Saily Avelenda worked, Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen, R-N.J., attached an article that quoted her, warning in a handwritten postscript that a member of one of the groups challenging him worked in his bank.

The Latest: Activist resigns after Rep.’s letter to employer

" The Latest on a New Jersey woman who says she quit her job after a congressman wrote a letter to her employer that referred to an opposition group to which she belonged : Republican U.S. Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen is downplaying a fundraising letter he sent to a board member of a bank referencing a group that has been opposing him. A woman who belongs to "NJ 11th For Change" worked as an attorney for the bank but says she resigned after Frelinghuysen's handwritten note at the bottom of the letter said the group's "ringleader" worked at the bank.

Activist resigns after GOP congressman writes letter to her employer

Saily Avelenda, left, who joined a group critical of U.S. Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen, R-N.J., says she quit her job after the congressman referred to her in a fundraising letter to her employer. Saily Avelenda, left, who joined a group critical of U.S. Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen, R-N.J., says she quit her job after the congressman referred to her in a fundraising letter to her employer.

Activist resigns from her job after congressman writes letter to employer

A New Jersey woman who joined a group critical of a Republican congressman and President Donald Trump's policies says she quit her job after the congressman referred to her in a fundraising letter to her employer. Saily Avelenda, who worked as an attorney for Lakeland Bank, said Monday that a handwritten note at the bottom of a March letter from Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen to a bank board member said a ''ringleader'' of the protest group worked there.

Winners and Losers: The Week of the Primary Debate Deluge

Among the four Democrats and two Republicans who qualified for three debates in one week - catch your breath there for a second - front-runners Phil Murphy and Kim Guadagno had the most to lose. They gave strong performances and came well-prepared for their brawls, but it will be interesting to see if all the attacks, especially the focused fire on Murphy at Thursday's Democratic debate, will take a chop at their poll leads ahead of the June 6 primaries.