Sanders bill expands Medicare for all, lacks details on cost

Americans would get health coverage simply by showing a new government-issued card and would no longer owe out-of-pocket expenses like deductibles, according to legislation Sen. Bernie Sanders released Wednesday. But the Vermont independent's description of the legislation omitted specifics about how much it would cost and final decisions about how he would pay for it.

The Latest: Mayor: 5 dead from nursing home that lost power

Broward County Mayor Barbara Sharief says five people have died from a Florida nursing home that had lost power after Hurricane Irma roared through the state. Police and fire crews began evacuating the Rehabilitation Center at Hollywood Hills on Wednesday morning.

Sanders introduces ‘Medicare for All’ bill in move toward single-payer system

On Wednesday, Sen. Bernie Sanders introduced a bill that would guarantee health care coverage for all Americans, a measure that already has the support of at least 15 other Democratic senators. Sanders' Medicare for All Act would allow all individuals to receive coverage by expanding the program.

Key Words: Manchin recalls Pence’s unfavorable comparison of tax code to Bible

Joe Manchin, one of the so-called red-state Democrats invited to a bipartisan White House dinner Tuesday billed as the kickoff of an effort to revamp the tax code, recalled Vice President Mike Pence's unfavorable comparison of the federal system of taxation with the Bible during a recent visit to West Virginia, Manchin's home state. Pence, Manchin recalled, observed that: Pence spoke about taxes in late August at a state chamber of commerce event at the Greenbrier Resort in White Sulphur Springs, W. Va.

Action to protect young immigrants already stumbles in Congress

A week after concerned Republicans promised quick work to shield young, unauthorized immigrants from President Donald Trump's decision to end their federal protections, lawmakers have tied themselves in knots trying to figure out how to proceed - with only six months to find a way forward. Rep. Mike Coffman, R-Colo., pulled back a petition he had initiated to force the House to take up legislation to protect so-called Dreamers.

Word on the Hill: Kaine and Alexander’s Bipartisan Jam

Music lovers can catch Sen. Tim Kaine , D-Va., on the harmonica and Sen. Lamar Alexander , R-Tenn., on the piano this Friday night. Their band The Amateurs are performing at the Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion , a music festival this weekend in Bristol, a community that straddles the Virginia-Tennessee state line.

Gov. candidate Kennedy unveils single-payer plan

DENVER Cary Kennedy, one of a handful of Democrats vying for the nomination for Colorado's governorship in 2018, on Tuesday unveiled a plan to bring single-payer health care to Colorado in the vein of what Sen. Bernie Sanders, D-Vt., has floated for years. Under her proposal, all Coloradans would pay into the state's Medicaid program, Health First Colorado, or the state employee health plan.

Trump courting Democrats on tax reform

A group of six senators is expected to dine Tuesday night with President Trump at the White House in what's being touted as a "bipartisan working dinner" to address tax reform, multiple Congressional aides have confirmed to ABC News. The Democrats expected to attend will be Sens. Joe Manchin , Joe Donnelly and Heidi Heitkamp and the Republicans are Sens. Orrin Hatch , Pat Toomey and John Thune .

Seattle’s mayor resigns after 5th sex abuse claim emerges

Seattle Mayor Ed Murray announced his resignation Tuesday after a fifth man - one of his cousins - came forward and accused him of sexual abuse decades ago. Murray, who had already announced that he would not seek a second term even as he denied wrongdoing, said he would step down effective 5 p.m. Wednesday.

Senate Republicans throw another health care Hail Mary

Republicans have been searching for eight months now to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. That effort effectively died on the floor of the Senate in July when the party couldn't get 51 votes do little more than punt the serious health care policy questions to a conference committee.

Rand Paul likely to get a war vote

After threatening to scuttle all amendments on a massive defense policy bill, Sen. Rand Paul is likely to secure a vote on ending the war authorizations the US military uses to fight terrorism across the globe. Paul's office announced he would get a vote Wednesday on the Kentucky Republican's amendment that would repeal the 2001 and 2002 war authorizations after six months, giving Congress time to pass a new Authorization for Use of Military Force for the wars against Al Qaeda, ISIS and the Taliban.

Top House Democrat distances himself from ‘single payer’ push

While a growing number of Senate Democrats with potential 2020 presidential ambitions are publicly embracing Senator Bernie Sanders's single-payer health care proposal, the number two House Democrat raised questions about the approach Tuesday, saying the "first objective" of House Democrats is fixing Obamacare. Rep. Steny Hoyer, a Maryland Democrat, told reporters that the single payer approach is one of several ideas that Democrats are discussing, saying the party is united on principle of giving "access for Americans to offer quality, affordable health care."

Pelosi, top White House official open on border security

By ERICA WERNER and KEN THOMAS Associated Press WASHINGTON - The top House Democrat and a senior White House official both indicated Tuesday they are open to compromise on border security to expedite legislation to help immigrants brought here illegally as children. White House legislative director Marc Short said at a Christian Science Monitor breakfast that despite President Donald Trump's advocacy for a southern border wall, "I don't want us to bind ourselves into a construct that makes reaching a conclusion on DACA impossible."

Trump says UN North Korea sanctions are ‘not a big deal’

President Donald Trump and congressional lawmakers signaled on Tuesday that more steps need to be taken to rein in North Korea's rapidly developing nuclear program despite the United Nations Security Council's unanimous vote to pass additional sanctions on the rogue nation. Trump noted the 15-0 United Nations vote during a meeting with Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, but said they are "just another very small step, not a big deal" and suggested that he doesn't know "if it has any impact."