‘Suspicious packages’ received at sites around Washington area

The Defense Department said Monday evening that suspicious packages had been received at military installations in the Washington, D.C., region, and were under investigation. In addition, an NBC news report indicated that "similar" packages were located at mail processing facilities for both the CIA and the White House.

White House: No change ‘at this time’ to Shulkin’s VA job

With his job status in danger, embattled Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin sought to lower his public profile Monday as a White House spokesman insisted that President Donald Trump still had confidence in his leadership "at this point in time." Shulkin, the lone Obama administration official in Trump's Cabinet, abruptly backed out of a media availability Monday morning that had been scheduled at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Elsmere, Delaware, as part of an annual Veterans Summit hosted by Democratic Sen. Tom Carper.

Talks on trillion-dollar US budget bill reach crucial stage

The U.S. Capitol is seen Dec. 22, 2017, in the early morning in Washington. Top-level Capitol Hill talks on a massive $1.3 trillion catchall spending bill are reaching a critical stage as negotiators confront immigration issues, abortion-related controversies, and a battle over a massive rail project that pits President Donald Trump against his most powerful Democratic adversary.

Trump official accuses N.J. of ‘bullying’ on Gateway tunnel

WASHINGTON -- U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao ratcheted up the rhetoric over the Gateway Tunnel project , accusing proponents of waging a campaign to "bully the department" to approve funding. Chao made her comments at a Senate Commerce Committee hearing Wednesday in response to a question from U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., who asked if she would support Gateway, which he called a project of "the upmost urgency."

Mississippi’s Cochran to resign April 1 after four-decade congressional career

Longtime Republican Sen. Thad Cochran of Mississippi said Monday he will resign because of health problems - triggering what could be a chaotic special election to fill the seat he has held for a generation. Cochran, who turned 80 in December and has been in poor health, has been a sporadic presence on Capitol Hill in recent months.

Republicans not shrugging off Trump’s talk of metal tariffs

In this Jan. 25, 2018 photo, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., speaks to reporters as he arrives at the office of Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, who is moderating bipartisan negotiations on immigration, at the Capitol in Washington. Republicans in Congress have learned to ignore President Trump's policy whims, knowing whatever he says one day he'll change by the next.

Max Boot: Trump vs. Mueller is a battle for America’s soul

Reading The Washington Post's extraordinary article comparing the lives of Special Ccounsel Robert Mueller and President Donald Trump made me realize that the war between the two men is not just a struggle over the fate of this presidency. Mueller was born to wealth and attended elite institutions - St. Paul's School, Princeton University, the University of Virginia School of Law - but felt compelled to serve his country.

Murphy to discuss background checks at White House meeting on

From left, Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., meet with reporters following weekly policy luncheons where they discussed school safety measures in response to the Parkland, Fla., assault that left 17 dead, at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2018. less From left, Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., meet with reporters following weekly policy luncheons where they ... more Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer answers questions during a press conference at the U.S. Capitol February 27, 2018 in Washington, DC.

Will Black Workers Get in on the Expansion of Career and Technical Education?

Career and Technical Education is in the news. Years ago when I attended a National Urban League conference in Washington, D.C., a man in attendance gave me quite a bit of literature about CTE and how certain industries were looking for black students.

US Senate Weighs Competing Immigration Proposals

Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., listens as Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, speaks about immigration and the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, Feb. 7, 2018, on Capitol Hill in Washington. The U.S. Senate could vote on several immigration reform proposals Thursday, as lawmakers weigh competing plans that address issues such as protecting young undocumented immigrants, boosting border security and changing the rules for family-based immigration.

GOP steers deficit talk to focus on tax cut

The White House budget director went to Capitol Hill on Tuesday to sell President Donald Trump's budget, but the administration's allies in the Senate preferred to talk about last year's tax cut rather than the trillion-dollar deficits contained in the new spending plan. The president's budget for the first time acknowledges that the Republican tax overhaul would add billions to the deficit and not "pay for itself" with economic growth and higher revenue.

US intel sees signs of Russian meddling in midterms

Three of the nation's top intelligence officials confirmed Tuesday that they have seen evidence of Russian meddling in the upcoming midterm elections - part of what they say is Moscow's escalating cyber assault on American and European democracies. "We have seen Russian activity and intentions to have an impact on the next election cycle," CIA Director Mike Pompeo told the Senate intelligence committee.

Trump’s $4.4 trillion budget moves deficit sharply higher

President Donald Trump unveiled a $4.4 trillion budget for next year that heralds an era of $1 trillion-plus federal deficits and - unlike the plan he released last year - never comes close to promising a balanced ledger even after 10 years. The growing deficits reflect, in great part, the impact of last year's tax overhaul, which is projected to cause federal tax revenue to drop.