House passes Homeland Security spending bill amid GOP protests over lack of amendments

October 9th, 2009 Pa. close to ending longest budget stalemate in USHARRISBURG, Pa. — The Pennsylvania Senate approved a $27.8 billion spending bill, moving the state closer to ending the nation's longest budget stalemate.

September 25th, 2009 House passes bill to prevent government shutdownWASHINGTON — The House passed legislation Friday to head off a government shutdown next week by temporarily extending spending on most federal programs at current levels, while boosting lawmakers' office budgets by more than 8 percent. The House passed the measure by a 217-190 vote.

September 23rd, 2009 Congress readies stopgap spending billWASHINGTON — With the beginning of the new fiscal year just a week away, Democrats controlling Congress are preparing to push through a stopgap spending bill to guarantee against a government shutdown. The routine measure is needed because Congress has failed to wrap up work on any of the 12 annual spending bills for agency budgets that it passes each year.

September 10th, 2009 FACT CHECK: Health coverage for illegal immigrantsWASHINGTON — Rep. Joe Wilson is wrong.

September 2nd, 2009 Brazil Senate passes speedy Internet divorce billBRASILIA, Brazil — The Brazilian Senate has approved a bill that would allow consensual divorces to be filed and resolved on the Internet. The Senate's official news agency says the bill would speed divorce proceedings, allowing couples to split without lawyers or having to wait in line in court.

July 29th, 2009 Food safety bill denied quick passage in HouseWASHINGTON — A sweeping food safety bill has failed to pass in the House after criticism that it was being pushed through too quickly. The legislation would require more government inspections and oversight of food manufacturers in the wake of a massive salmonella outbreak in peanuts.

July 28th, 2009 GANDHINAGAR - The Gujarat assembly Tuesday passed the Gujarat Control of Organised Crime (GUJCOC) bill, which had been returned three times by the central government. The GUJCOC bill was passed with only a minor amendment, of adding the word "terrorism" instead of "organised crime" throughout the bill as the Gujarat government does not have a single law exclusively to deal with terrorist activities.

July 16th, 2009 Republicans vow to fight health care tax increasesWASHINGTON — House Democrats shouldn't expect votes from Republicans in passing a bill that increases taxes on the rich to pay for health care reform. Republicans opened a committee meeting Thursday morning vowing to fight a Democratic plan to impose a surcharge on families making more than $350,000.

July 2nd, 2009 Texas Senate passes bill to keep agencies runningAUSTIN, Texas — In special session, the Texas Senate has passed a bill to keep key state agencies running — a matter shoved aside during partisan bickering in the regular session. The bill the Senate quickly passed after convening Wednesday morning extends the Department of Transportation, the Department of Insurance and three smaller agencies until Sept.

June 25th, 2009 House passes $44B Homeland Security spending billWASHINGTON — The House passed a $44 billion spending bill Wednesday that awards the Homeland Security Department a 7 percent budget increase, with money for more border patrol agents and for anti-piracy efforts off the coast of Somalia. As part of a GOP campaign against President Barack Obama's order to close the U.S.

June 25th, 2009 WASHINGTON - The US House of Representatives passed a $680-billion defence spending bill Thursday despite President Barack Obama's threat to veto the measure. The bill for the fiscal 2010 year, which begins Oct 1, contains $369 million to continue production of the F-22 fighter jet the Obama and Defence Secretary Robert Gates say is not needed.

June 19th, 2009 Republicans prompt marathon voting sessionWASHINGTON — The House may have set a record getting people on the record Thursday. Republicans angry over what they regarded as mistreatment by the majority Democrats retaliated by demanding roll call votes 52 times on one bill, a $64 billion spending bill for law enforcement and science programs next year.

June 19th, 2009 Republicans force lawmakers to vote, vote and voteWASHINGTON — The House may have set a record getting people on the record. Republicans angry over what they regarded as mistreatment by the majority Democrats retaliated Thursday by demanding roll call votes 53 times on one bill, a $64 billion spending bill for law enforcement and science programs next year.

June 17th, 2009 War-funding bill may face difficulty in the SenateWASHINGTON — Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said Wednesday that this is the last time Congress will go through the ordeal of passing an off-the-books, expensive bill to fund two wars. It may also be one of the more difficult.

May 15th, 2009 WASHINGTON - The US House of Representatives signed off Thursday on more than $95 billion for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The House voted 368-60 to approve the $97-billion spending bill, which includes money to help Pakistan fight militants.