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WASHINGTON (AFP) - President Barack Obama got into the Christmas spirit Monday, stopping by a children's club to read a story and deliver some cookies, with the US capital cloaked in a deep snow. Full Story »

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A new government insurance program that would help the elderly and disabled stay in their homes is headed for passage in the Senate's sweeping healthcare revamp despite doubts about its viability and cost. Full Story »

WASHINGTON - Want to keep IRS auditors away? Keep your earnings under $200,000 and they won't bother you 99 percent of the time. Full Story »

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. - A U.S. House Democrat who opposes the health care overhaul announced Tuesday he is defecting to the GOP, another blow to Democrats ahead of the midterm elections. Full Story »

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama says the only Christmas presents he needs from his daughters are hugs. Full Story »

WASHINGTON - Exultant Senate Democrats prepared to deliver a Christmas Eve win to President Barack Obama with passage of landmark health care legislation that would extend coverage to 30 million Americans. Full Story »

Dec. 22 (Bloomberg) -- More than $600 million has been spent so far this year trying to influence U.S. lawmakers working to overhaul the health-care system, reports show. Full Story »

Dec. 23 (Bloomberg) -- The FBI helped local authorities in several investigations of allegations that the late singer Michael Jackson molested young boys, newly released documents show. Full Story »

WASHINGTON (AFP) - US President Barack Obama will head to Hawaii with his family on Christmas Eve, the White House said Tuesday, after lawmakers moved up a key vote on health care reform legislation. Full Story »

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama is getting "sports stuff" for Christmas. Full Story »

Tennessee Rep. Lincoln Davis, a Democrat with a center-right image, has won his three House re-election contests by comfortable margins despite his 4th District's overall conservative leanings. But 2010 is looming as a tougher year for Democrats than 2006 or 2008 both nationally and in Tennessee, where two senior House Democrats, John Tanner and Bart Gordon, already have announced their retirements. Full Story »

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Michael Castle is a member of an endangered species in the U.S. Congress: He's a moderate Republican. He's also a key figure in next year's election. Full Story »

WASHINGTON — With Senate passage of health-care legislation now virtually certain, Washington lawmakers and interest groups are scrambling to influence one of Congress' most mysterious but most powerful institutions — the conference committee. Full Story »

The outlook for the 2010 elections just grew dimmer for Democrats, with the abrupt announcement Tuesday that Rep. Parker Griffith, an Alabama freshman, was jumping to the Republican Party. Full Story »

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Senate on Tuesday set a Christmas Eve vote on final congressional approval of a bill to provide a two-month increase in the federal debt limit. Full Story »

Parker Griffith survived a brutal open-seat campaign in 2008 and appeared to have at least a slight edge to keep Alabama's 5th District in the Democratic column in the 2010 election. On Tuesday, the conservative Democrat announced his decision to switch to the Republican Party. Full Story »

WASHINGTON - Twice now, abortion was almost a dealbreaker. This time, it was a dealmaker. But of hundreds of deals cut so health care legislation can stay alive, the hardest to keep may be the Senate's abortion compromise — achieved after 13 hours of negotiation. The volatile issue remains the biggest threat to getting a history-making bill to President Barack Obama. Full Story »

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama won't leave Washington for his Hawaii vacation until the Senate finishes work on the health care overhaul, even if that means staying in town for Christmas Eve. Full Story »