The Latest: Ryan confirms that debate prep helps

House Speaker Paul Ryan appeared Wednesday before the Economic Club of Washington to discuss economic policy and, inevitably, politics. Two days earlier, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump debated Hillary Clinton and was panned for a poor performance and inadequate preparation.

Senate passes spending bill after separate Flint aid deal

The Senate on Wednesday passed a GOP-sponsored spending bill that Democrats had previously blocked because it didn't contain aid for Flint to recover from its water crisis. Lawmakers passed the bill 72-26 to keep the government funded through Dec. 9. The House is also aiming to pass the legislation Wednesday so that they can leave Washington for a six-week recess focused on campaigning ahead of the election.

Bipartisan Group Of 51 U.S. House Members Urges DEA To Delay “Hasty” Ban…

More than 50 members of the U.S. House of Representatives have signed a letter to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency urging the federal agency to halt an emergency push to ban the coffee-related herb kratom by as early as Friday ). A related letter by the 51 U.S. House Members also has been sent to the Office of Management and Budget .

Pipeline fight threatens Obama’s tribal legacy

Tribes and their allies say President Obama can cement his legacy on American Indian issues by rejecting a controversial pipeline project near tribal land in North Dakota. Obama has looked to bring tribes into the fold as president, hosting an annual gathering of American Indian leaders that culminated with a summit this week.

Senate blocks stopgap bill to prevent shutdown this weekend

A must-do bill to prevent the government from shutting down this weekend and to fund the fight against the Zika virus is stalled in the Senate, held up by bipartisan opposition as the clock ticks toward a Friday deadline. Democrats, demanding money so Flint, Michigan, can address its lead-contaminated water crisis, overwhelmingly opposed the measure is a Senate test vote Tuesday.

Incoming ATA chair emphasizes importance of good infrastructure

In a roundtable discussion hosted by Rep. Sam Graves, R-Mo., chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee's Subcommittee on Highways and Transit, Kevin Burch, president of Jet Express Inc. of Dayton, Ohio, and incoming chairman of the American Trucking Associations, emphasized the important role of well-maintained infrastructure to the trucking industry. "Having good, uncongested highways is important to my company and to trucking companies across the country," Burch said, pointing out that dedicated funding for freight projects in last year's FAST Act was an important win for trucking.

Hillary Clinton uses TV debate to attack Donald Trump’s ‘racist behaviour’

Hillary Clinton accused Donald Trump of racism as the US presidential candidates clashed in their first head-to-head debate in the race to the White House. The Democrat and Republican rivals squared off in a 90-minute debate at Hofstra University in New York, which was screened to tens of millions of television viewers in America and live-streamed across the world.

Holness seeks US congressional support

BILATERAL trade opportunities and Jamaica's efforts to diversify its energy sources were among the main issues discussed by Prime Minister Andrew Holness at a meeting with senior United States congresswoman Carolyn B Maloney during his visit to New York last week. Maloney is a key member of the House Financial Services Committee, which has oversight of the US Treasury and significant influence with the International Monetary Fund.

Stephanie Grace: Party and problems aside, most Louisiana voters still like Gov. John Bel Edwards

Governor John Bel Edwards meets with Cynthia Trahan, outside of her flood damaged home, during his tour of Derby Heights subdivision on Thursday, September 1, 2016, in Lafayette. Governor John Bel Edwards meets with Cynthia Trahan, outside of her flood damaged home, during his tour of Derby Heights subdivision on Thursday, September 1, 2016, in Lafayette.

Senate Progressives Look To Flex Muscles in 2017

Democrats and activists who pushed Hillary Clinton to the Left during the campaign are preparing their next acts: Keeping her there, and joining forces to push progressive policies on Capitol Hill next year. If a couple of big "ifs" come to pass-Clinton winning and Democrats reclaiming the Senate-the chamber's left flank is poised to have more political and policy influence.

The District Where Democrats Want a Gun-Control Debate

The Democrat in one New York swing district is pushing a debate that for years was one of the party's biggest election-year liabilities: gun control. In her challenge to Republican Rep. Lee Zeldin in the 1st District, Anna Throne-Holst is placing the issue at the core of her campaign, airing two television ads focused solely on the issue.

Elevator trouble closes Washington Monument indefinitely

The Washington Monument will be closed indefinitely because of ongoing problems with its elevator, the latest in a series of woes for one of the city's most enduring tourist attractions. The National Park Service announced Monday that the monument, which draws 600,000 visitors a year, will remain closed until its elevator control system can be modernized, a process expected to take up to nine months once work begins.

Polls: GOP Closing Fast on Senate Seats

The GOP's chances of holding the Senate just got a big push: Sens. Mark Kirk of Illinois and Ron Johnson of Wisconsin moved into striking distance of the long-favored Democratic nominees, according to recent polls. A poll from Emerson College showed the race in Illinois was close - with Democratic Rep. Tammy Duckworth leads Kirk by only 41 percent to 39 percent among likely voters.

Gennifer Flowers not formally invited to presidential debate, Trump campaign says

UPDATE: Gennifer Flowers, who had a relationship with former President Bill Clinton, may not be invited to the presidential debate after all. "We have not invited her formally, and we do not expect her to be there as a guest of the Trump campaign," Conway said on CNN's "State of the Union."

What’s the point of having a majority if GOP doesn’t use it?

Earlier this month, during an aside in his speech at the Values Voters Summit, Rep. Louie Gohmert shared an insight into the timid appeasers comprising GOP congressional leadership. When he first entered the House in 2006 the talk was of the big things the Republican majority was going to accomplish.