Congress has decided to postpone the vote on the Internet anti-piracy bills, Stop Online Piracy Act and Protect IP Act, after widespread outrage from Internet companies and most anyone who uses the Internet. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nevada) Tweeted, "In light of recent events, I have decided to postpone Tuesday's vote on the PROTECT IP Act #PIPA." more ›

As expected, Majority Leader Harry Reid failed to keep his debt-ceiling bill alive in the Senate earlier today, but now the Times reports that Reid has approved an agreement signaled earlier today by Minority Leader Mitch McConnell that would cut the deficit by more than $2.5 trillion and raise the debt-ceiling limit through 2013, a provision that prevents this entire battle from being re-fought during the election season. If the Democrats approve, we should see a vote scheduled for the Senate this evening. more ›

After the failure by both parties to advance their catastrophe-sparing legislation to raise the debt ceiling beyond the House of Representatives, Senator Mitch McConnell told reporters this afternoon that a default on U.S. debt "is not going to happen," and that he's "confident and optimistic" of an "agreement within the very near future," based on his recent telephone conversations with President Obama and Vice President Biden. Speaker Boehner agreed, telling CNN, "In spite of our differences, we're dealing with reasonable, responsible people." HAHA he'll be here all weekend, people! more ›

In less than a week, the United States of America will default on its monetary obligations unless the debt ceiling is raised, ether through an act of Congress or President Obama using The Force the 14th Amendment to do so. But John Boehner is probably wondering if all that 2010 Tea Party pandering was worth it. In a closed-door meeting with his caucus this morning, Boehner ordered his far-right colleagues who have resisted any increase in the debt ceiling to "get your ass in line" behind his proposed bill, which the CBO embarrassingly noted would actually save $150 billion less than the Speaker promised. Boehner needs the support of his colleagues so badly that in a GOP meeting yesterday, a clip from 2010's The Town was shown to rally the troops. That's right: the fate of the global economy now rests on a Ben Affleck performance. more ›

Are you a veteran, receiving Social Security, a government contractor, or of one of the recipients of the 70 million checks the federal government mails out every month? Your payments may be drastically affected (along with the American economy) next month if the debt-ceiling limit isn't raised in 10 days. more ›

The Senate is where good things go to die, but the move by Democrats yesterday to table a vote on the DREAM Act and DADT may have eluded the legislative grim reaper. Faced with a GOP filibuster, majority leader Harry Reid called for a delay on the vote, according to the Times. This buys the Democrats time to win more Republican support to pass the DREAM Act, which would grant legal status to immigrants who complete two years of college or join the military. They also hope to garner more votes on the side of repealing DADT, which will come before the Senate again at a later date, presumably before the January red invasion. more ›

As the 9/11 Health and Compensation act comes closer to cloture in the Senate, the deadly Ground Zero environment at the heart of the debate has reared its ugly head again. Retired Detective Kevin Czartoryski passed away on Sunday. Lung cancer, which he developed after working at ground zero, is the presumed cause of death. The detective, who worked in the Narcotics Division and in the Hate Crimes Task Force before moving to the press office after 9/11, gained distinction as a liaison between the NYPD and the city's LGBT community. He was 46. more ›

Last night, Mayor Bloomberg held a fundraiser for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nevada) and it seems like Reid was very spirited, because he told the crowd, "We in the Senate refer to Sen. Gillibrand as the hottest member." Politico reports, "The comment prompted Gillibrand"—who has lost weight lately—"to turn red, according to the sources, and created a bit of stir among the small crowd there. 'It was pretty shocking when he said it,' said one source familiar with the remark and the reaction." Reid's spokesman said, "What can I say, she made The Hilll's 'Most Beautiful list. Of course he also went on to praise her skill and tenacity and described her as an effective member of the New York delegation as well." more ›

Update Below: In another sign that he's serious about challenging Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, former Tennessee Congressman Harold Ford Jr. went on the record in support of same-sex marriage. Though he twice voted to change the constitution to ban gay marriage as a congressman, the 39-year-old who moved to New York three years ago stated: "My support for fairness and equality existed long before I moved to New York." more ›

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is bailing water after remarks he made about then-Senator Barack Obama surfaced in the new book Game Change. Reid reportedly said that Obama's prospects as a presidential candidate were good, because America was ready for a black president who was "light-skinned" with no "Negro dialect, unless he wanted to have one." Today Governor Paterson chimed in, telling reporters, "I thought the comments not only were reprehensible, but it's amazing to think to print a whole book, that so many people saw, and nobody noticed that this ill-chosen remark was in the book? Didn't anybody read the book before they put it out? I find it kind of shocking." Yeah, how could publishers let that controversial, headline-grabbing quote slip through?! Paterson stopped short of calling for Reid's head, maintaining that "when people properly apologize for these types of mistakes that it doesn't merit destroying their careers." more ›

After sparking the ire of the Democratic Party when he said he was considering running against Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, former Tennessee Congressman Harold Ford Jr. says he won't be "bullied or intimidated" by "party bosses," the Times reports. But that didn't stop an influential group from trying to force him out of the race. more ›

Depending on how you read it, the public option in health care legislation could be dead or just sidelined. more ›

With Hillary Clinton poised join President-elect Obama's cabinet, the Daily News reports that Clinton "passed on becoming boss of the superpowerful Senate Appropriations Committee" for the Secretary of State gig. Which might sting to NYers, because "as chairwoman of the panel that controls the nation's purse strings, Clinton could have pumped billions in federal dollars into the Empire State." The News claims Clinton really wanted to join the health care task force, but Senator Kennedy didn't want her on board (after her presidential campaign tactics against Obama); also, she didn't have the seniority. A source says, "I don't think [Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid] wanted to take on that fight with Kennedy. So they were going to give her Appropriations." And remember when Clinton told Fox News in October, "I am not seeking any other position than to be the best senator from New York that I can be"? more ›