Congress adjourns 111th session

Updated Wednesday at 10:04pm (ET)

Yesterday in the Senate, members ratified the U.S.-Russia Nuclear Arms Treaty (START) by a vote of 71 to 26 with 13 republicans voting in favor of the  treaty. The Senate also approved by unanimous consent the 9/11 health and compensation bill for first responders, as well as the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2011. More »

• POLITICO44

  A white, sandy Christmas for Obama

  The president arrives in Hawaii as N. Korea warns of a “holy war” and Russia takes its turn on START.

• The Arena

  Obama the libertarian?

  POTUS moved away from “previous stimulus-spending-health-care-takeover-regulation program.”

• CLICK

  Bush narrates ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’

  The former POTUS records an oral description of the Christmas classic for the visually impaired.

• For Obama vacation, comfort is key

  By CAROL E. LEE | 12/23/10 5:11 AM

  

• Congress passes 9/11 bill

  By SIMMI AUJLA & MEREDITH SHINER | 12/23/10 10:26 AM

  After nail-biter negotiations, the bill sails through.

  • Senators celebrate 9/11 vote

• GOP will ditch intel oversight panel

  By RICHARD E. COHEN | 12/23/10 10:33 AM

  Republicans to abandon Pelosi-created body.

  • GOP unveils strict House rules

• Dems push to speed up slow Senate

  By RICHARD E. COHEN | 12/23/10 10:36 AM

  Filibuster reform may fall short but advocates push for other rules changes.

• Plan to close Gitmo ‘in shambles’

  By JOSH GERSTEIN | 12/23/10 7:56 AM

  Some see language in the defense authorization bill as a near-total capitulation by the president.

• Levin to look into Air Force mix-up

  By JEN DIMASCIO | 12/23/10 10:36 AM

  

• Defense bill clears Congress

  By JEN DIMASCIO | 12/23/10 7:49 AM

  Senate and House votes end what had become an unusually rocky road for the annual authorization.

• Halliburton will pay in Cheney case

  By JENNIFER EPSTEIN | 12/23/10 8:01 AM

  The oil services firm has agreed to pay $35 million to the Nigerian government.

• Guy Cecil to lead DSCC

  By DAVID CATANESE | 12/23/10 8:32 AM

  This will be the Democratic operative’s second stint at the committee.

• RNC candidates make social pledges

  By ANDY BARR | 12/23/10 8:40 AM

  Focus turns from fundraising to contenders’ beliefs.

  • Jim Bopp for Reince Priebus

• W.H.: Polar bears not ‘endangered’

  By ROBIN BRAVENDER | 12/23/10 5:40 AM

  

• Rep. Moran, Bennett separate

  By POLITICO STAFF | 12/23/10 10:17 AM

  One of the most prominent couples in the Washington area is parting ways.

• The end in Alaska?

  By DAVID CATANESE | 12/23/10 9:06 AM

  The state Supreme Court finds that write-in votes for Sen. Lisa Murkowski were correctly counted.

• Huck: Palin wrong, FLOTUS right

  By JENNIFER EPSTEIN | 12/22/10 10:55 AM

  The former Arkansas governor says Michelle Obama’s healthy eating campaign is ”on target.”

• Census results to spark map fights

  By ALEX ISENSTADT | 12/22/10 6:30 PM

  Get ready to witness politics in its rawest form.

  • Census results show shift westward
  • The initial take on redistricting targets

• Pelosi seeking help from Spielberg?

  By KARIN TANABE | 12/23/10 9:37 AM

  

• 2012 hopefuls to skip Hispanic forum

  By CARRIE BUDOFF BROWN | 12/23/10 10:04 AM

  A poor showing could raise doubts about the Republican commitment to courting the Latino vote.

Shellacked Obama Readies His Regulatory Runarounds

by Bryan Preston

Goals and tactics.

Read | 23 Comments

• McConnell’s iron grip slips

  By GLENN THRUSH & MANU RAJU | 12/23/10 10:01 AM

  

• Emanuel gets OK to run for mayor

  By ALEXANDER BURNS | 12/23/10 10:06 AM

  An official rules that the former White House staffer never intended to end his Chicago residency.

• Senate ratifies START deal

  By SCOTT WONG & SHIRA TOEPLITZ | 12/23/10 9:53 AM

  The White House scores another major lame-duck victory after Reid overcomes fierce opposition.

• Obama touts ‘season of progress’

  By JOSH GERSTEIN & ABBY PHILLIP | 12/23/10 7:25 AM

  It’s “the most productive” in decades, he says.

  • Obama’s lame-duck victory lap