WASHINGTON -- Fiscal restraint has long been part of the Republican Party's brand, but GOP lawmakers have made little progress on reducing the amount of money the federal government spends. And frankly, they're sick of it.

That's the impetus for what has become a serious push by rank-and-file House Republicans to use the budget reconciliation ...Read more

WASHINGTON -- Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen's candidacy for another term is encountering resistance from some Trump administration advisers who want a new leader at the U.S. central bank, according to two administration officials, even as the Treasury secretary indicated she may still be in the running.

While White House officials are ...Read more

SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. -- Despite initial relief among Georgia's 6th District residents that the barrage of campaign ads has come to an end, the reprieve might not last too long.

"Now we know what New Hampshire looks like," said Chip Lake, a GOP consultant based in Georgia.

The question is, with 2018 just around the corner, will this year's ...Read more

LOS ANGELES -- A judge on Wednesday threw out key parts of a defamation and wrongful termination lawsuit brought against the Los Angeles Times by freelance cartoonist Ted Rall.

The nationally syndicated cartoonist, whose work once appeared regularly in the Times, filed suit last year alleging that the newspaper defamed him by calling into ...Read more

A record-breaking heat wave that has been roasting California for days has claimed the lives of two seniors in San Jose, public health officials said Wednesday.

A 72-year-old man and an 87-year-old woman died from heat-related illnesses Monday, according to the Santa Clara County Public Health Department. Days of punishing heat probably ...Read more

NEW YORK -- At this time of year, demand for gasoline in the U.S. is normally rising as people head out for summer vacations in a country that has millions more vehicles than any other. But that's not happening in 2017, and one contributing factor could be that undocumented immigrants are driving less.

Part of the blame for the slowdown may be ...Read more

WASHINGTON -- Between the large crowds, record-breaking fundraising, a heroic first pitch, bipartisanship throughout the stadium and the game itself, it was hard to pinpoint just one takeaway at Wednesday's Congressional Women's Softball Game.

The press team, known as the Bad News Babes, won the ninth annual game, 2-1, against the members of ...Read more

WASHINGTON -- President Donald Trump said he'll propose legislation that would ban U.S. immigrants from receiving any welfare benefits for five years.

"I believe the time has come for new immigration rules which say that those seeking admission into our country must be able to support themselves financially and should not use welfare for a ...Read more

WASHINGTON -- An Australian biotech company whose largest shareholder is a U.S. congressman has the greenlight to begin human trials in the U.S. for a drug to treat advanced multiple sclerosis.

The Food and Drug Administration's decision is the first step in a long approval process demonstrating a new drug's safety and effectiveness before ...Read more

Back on the road in Iowa on Wednesday night, President Donald Trump at a campaign-style rally signaled he is unconcerned with garnering Democratic support on legislation and warned foes they are "lucky" his supporters are not the protesting kind.

The president returned to the combative and provocative style he used during the 2016 GOP primary ...Read more

WASHINGTON -- The Pentagon may have wasted as much as $28 million buying pricy forest-camouflage uniforms for Afghan troops that don't make sense in the largely desert country, according to a new government watchdog report.

The Defense Department bought more expensive, proprietary "woodland patterns" for the Afghan National Army uniforms ...Read more

Russia cancels talks with US over latest round of sanctions

WASHINGTON -- Russia canceled talks with a top U.S. official to protest the latest sanctions punishing Russian companies and individuals over the conflict in Ukraine, in a fresh setback for President Donald Trump's bid to improve ties with President Vladimir Putin's government.

Under ...Read more

WASHINGTON -- Former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn may have aided a Russian company the U.S. government opposed during a 2015 visit to Saudi Arabia in which he pushed to be part of an ambitious nuclear-power project, raising new questions about his previously undisclosed trip.

Flynn reportedly made the trip -- which was not reported ...Read more

SAN FRANCISCO -- Travis Kalanick never ran away from a fight. When cities challenged the legality of his ride-hailing service, he ordered drivers to continue picking up passengers. When competitors complained about his tactics, he lowered prices and tried to poach their drivers. He even got into a spat -- caught on video -- with one of his own ...Read more

MIAMI--Tensions among gang members at a state prison in Florida's Panhandle exploded Wednesday morning, as the inmates took over several dorms, injuring seven correctional officers, officials said.

The uprising happened about 8 a.m. and spread across several dorms before it was brought under control about a half-hour later, according to ...Read more

TEL AVIV, Israel -- Presidential adviser Jared Kushner waded into the nitty-gritty of Middle East peace mediation for the first time Wednesday, as the Trump administration seemed to lower expectations for a swift breakthrough by emphasizing that "peace will take time."

The son-in-law of President Donald Trump, who has been tasked with ...Read more