Boehner says bipartisan group ‘basically’ has deal on immigration  —  Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) is voicing confidence in the prospects for immigration reform in the House, saying that a bipartisan group of lawmakers “basically [has] an agreement” after more than three years of secret talks.

Boehner full of regret over ‘fiscal-cliff’ moves  —  Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) is sharing his regrets about his “fiscal-cliff” strategy, less than a month after the House bitterly swallowed a last-minute deal hatched in the Senate.  —  In a private speech to the Ripon Society on Tuesday …

Paul Ryan: Obama 2nd term 'won't be pretty'  —  Holding out little hope of compromise, House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan predicted Saturday that the nation will face “tepid growth and deficits” under President Barack Obama and Republicans must prudently “buy time” and “keep the bond markets at bay — for the sake of our people.”

Rep. Ryan: Republicans can't play the ‘villain’ in Obama's ‘morality play’  —  Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) on Saturday warned that President Obama was working to delegitimize the Republican Party, and urged conservatives not to fall into the president's trap by playing the villain.

Harkin retirement: Jump ball in Iowa  —  Democratic Iowa Sen. Tom Harkin announced Saturday he will not seek re-election in 2014, giving Republicans a shot at picking up his seat but increasing the likelihood of a contentious GOP primary.  —  “It'll be wide-open as far as both parties,” Republican state chairman A.J. Spiker said.