Manchin, Toomey Prepare to Unveil Gun Deal  —  A bipartisan group of Senate negotiators signaled Tuesday night that it has reached a deal in principle on expanding background checks to include more gun sales, in what was widely seen as the major sticking point on the biggest gun control legislation to reach the floor since 1994.

In Blow To NRA, Senators Reach Bipartisan Agreement Expanding Background Checks  —  A bipartisan duo of senators with A ratings from the National Rifle Associated have reached a deal to expand background checks to private gun purchases that occur in commercial settings.

The GOP's Gun Control Misfire  —  The filibuster threat is giving political cover to Senate Democrats.  —  'This is about these families and families all across the country who are saying, 'Let's make it a little harder for our kids to get gunned down,'" President Obama declared Monday …

On left and right, Obama's budget anticipated as a dud  —  WASHINGTON—President Obama will unveil his budget later today, offering a fiscal plan that even before it's officially released is eliciting groans from his conservative opponents as well as his backers on the left.

More Senate Republicans Oppose Filibuster on Gun Bill  —  WASHINGTON — Several Senate Republicans on Tuesday came out publicly against filibustering the first major gun control legislation since 1993 before it is even brought up for debate on the Senate floor, as advocates inched toward breaking a conservative blockade of the measure.

Obama Seeks Compromise in Mix of Cuts and Spending  —  WASHINGTON - In his fifth annual budget proposal to Congress on Wednesday, President Obama once again has put forward a fiscal mix of investments in infrastructure, education and research with further deficit reduction through tax increases …

President Obama's budget revives revenue fight  —  President Barack Obama is releasing a new budget Wednesday, but he's still looking for the same old fight for more revenues.  —  The budget itself represents some level of concession, White House aides say, arguing that Obama still would prefer …