Becerra vies for Ways and Means post as Levin steps aside

Becerra vies for Ways and Means post as Levin steps aside-politico: The battle is on to be the next top Democrat on the powerful House Ways and Means Committee.

House eyes budget stopgap through April

House eyes budget stopgap through April-politico: House Republicans may extend a budget stopgap further into next year in order to accommodate the Senate’s busy nomination schedule in early 2017, Republican sources say.

Former Utah Governor Huntsman Considers U.S. Senate Run in 2018

Former Utah Governor Huntsman Considers U.S. Senate Run in 2018-bloomberg: Former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman said he’s weighing a run for the U.S. Senate in 2018, depending in part on whether fellow Republican Orrin Hatch decides to seek an eighth term.

Dems face choice of unseating Pelosi

Dems face choice of unseating Pelosi-thehill: Insurgent House Democrats hoping to shake up the party will get their chance on Wednesday when the caucus will cast secret ballots to decide if Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) should keep her top spot in the next Congress.

House Dems brace for Wednesday’s secret ballot

House Dems brace for Wednesday’s secret ballot-thehill: House Democrats return to Washington on Tuesday grappling over the best course for the party’s future.

$6.3 Billion Measure Aims to Cure Ailing Health Care Policies

$6.3 Billion Measure Aims to Cure Ailing Health Care Policies-nytimes: In one of the most sweeping and rare bipartisan acts of this Congress, lawmakers will move this week on a $6.3 billion bill to increase funding for research into cancer and other diseases, address problems in the nation’s mental health systems and enact potentially far-reaching regulatory changes for drugs and medical devices.

Grassley Threatens to Hold Up Cures if Disclosure Requirements Are Weakened

Grassley Threatens to Hold Up Cures if Disclosure Requirements Are Weakened-morningconsult: Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) says he will object to the Senate passing a major health care bill by unanimous consent because it would weaken disclosure requirements between industry players and health care providers.

Republicans reach deal to pass Cures Act by end of year, but Democrats pushing for changes

Republicans reach deal to pass Cures Act by end of year, but Democrats pushing for changes-stat: House and Senate leaders announced late Friday night that they had finally hammered out a deal on landmark legislation designed to speed federal approval of new drugs and devices and boost funding of medical research.

Can Congressional Republicans and Trump Stay Friends?

Can Congressional Republicans and Trump Stay Friends?-rollcall: House Republicans about to unanimously nominate Speaker Paul D. Ryan for another term as their standard-bearer recently got a not-so-subtle signal of who’d really united their party: Red “Make America Great Again” hats were waiting on every seat.

Vulnerable Dems ready to work with Trump

Vulnerable Dems ready to work with Trump-thehill: Vulnerable Senate Democrats up for reelection in 2018 are already identifying areas where they’re willing to work with President-elect Donald Trump and Republican colleagues.

Long-stalled FDA reform sits on Senate’s lame-duck calendar

Long-stalled FDA reform sits on Senate’s lame-duck calendar-washingtonpost: Republicans in Congress are pushing to pass long-stalled legislation by December that gives the Food and Drug Administration new powers to more rapidly approve drugs and medical devices.

Democrats’ Leadership Fight Pits West Wing Against Left Wing

Democrats’ Leadership Fight Pits West Wing Against Left Wing-nytimes: Struggling to respond to Donald J. Trump’s victory, a group of shellshocked Democrats moved swiftly to endorse Representative Keith Ellison of Minnesota for chairman of the Democratic National Committee, hoping that he would be a fresh face for a party with a depleted bench.

Trump eyes House members for Cabinet jobs

Trump eyes House members for Cabinet jobs-thehill: Donald Trump has already tapped one House lawmaker for a key post in his fledgling administration: Conservative Rep. Mike Pompeo (R-Kansas) is likely to be the next CIA director.

GOP debates going big on tax reform

GOP debates going big on tax reform-thehill: Republican lawmakers are divided over one of their biggest priorities, overhauling the tax code.

Could the FDA be dismantled under Trump?

Could the FDA be dismantled under Trump?-stat: Has President-elect Donald Trump put a bull’s-eye on the Food and Drug Administration?

House asks court to pause Obamacare lawsuit

House asks court to pause Obamacare lawsuit-politico: The House of Representatives on Monday asked the Federal Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit to temporarily pause the House lawsuit challenging an Obamacare subsidy program, a move that could allow the incoming Trump administration to swiftly unwind the Affordable Care Act's exchanges.

Mitch McConnell Wants To Put Off A Real Budget Even Longer

Mitch McConnell Wants To Put Off A Real Budget Even Longer-huffingtonpost: Republican leaders are considering lengthening a short-term spending deal until May to accommodate an already-jammed congressional schedule, sources with knowledge of the negotiations told The Huffington Post.

NIH chief: Short-term spending bill 'painful' for medical research

NIH chief: Short-term spending bill 'painful' for medical research-thehill: The head of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is warning that plans to pass a short-term government spending bill could deal a blow to health research.

House GOP maps out ambitious start to Trump presidency

House GOP maps out ambitious start to Trump presidency-politico: House Republican leaders, looking to jump-start Donald Trump’s presidency, have already begun to map out an ambitious agenda for early next year. On the early to do-list, according to leadership insiders: repealing a host of late-issued Obama administration regulations, muscling through tax reform and dismantling Obamacare.

The real action in the Senate may be the relationship between Trump, McConnell and Schumer

The real action in the Senate may be the relationship between Trump, McConnell and Schumer-washingtonpost: It’s one of the most exclusive clubs in Washington, packed with mostly older, wealthier members and governed by a web of byzantine rules and backroom dealmaking. It’s the kind of place that business executive Donald Trump might enjoy — and that President-elect Donald Trump says he abhors.

House and Senate Preview: New Faces and a Lame Duck

House and Senate Preview: New Faces and a Lame Duck-rollcall: The House returned Monday and the Senate returns Tuesday to begin the lame-duck session. In the House, Republican caucus leadership elections dominate the start of the week.

Hospitals push readmissions fix in lame-duck Congress

Hospitals push readmissions fix in lame-duck Congress-modernhealthcare: Industry lobbyists are putting the pressure on Congress to use the lame-duck session to pass a law that would take into consideration the challenges faced by hospitals that predominantly treat low-income patients.

Pharma's Not Off the Hook for High Drug Prices

Pharma's Not Off the Hook for High Drug Prices-bloomberg: Even with a presumably business-friendly president-elect in Donald Trump, drugmakers that have been battered by criticism over high prices in the past year are bracing for Republican and Democratic lawmakers to take aim at the industry.

House Republicans to Obama Administration: No New Regulations

House Republicans to Obama Administration: No New Regulations-rollcall: House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy  and Republican committee chairmen sent a letter Monday to all government agencies requesting that no new regulations move forward in the remaining months of the Obama administration.

Paul Ryan is set to remain as House speaker, and so are GOP tensions

Paul Ryan is set to remain as House speaker, and so are GOP tensions-washingtonpost: Paul D. Ryan is poised to win the nomination of his House Republican colleagues Tuesday to continue as speaker and serve as the chief legislative partner to President-elect Donald Trump.

Pelosi confronts discontent in the ranks

Pelosi confronts discontent in the ranks-politico: House Democrats returned to Washington Monday searching for answers after their Election Day drubbing — and their longtime leader, Nancy Pelosi, confronted the first real stirring of discontent within the ranks since the last Democratic wipeout six years ago.

Dems delay vote on picking leaders

Dems delay vote on picking leaders-thehill: House Democrats have delayed a vote on electing new leaders after Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) at a closed-door conference meeting on Tuesday expressed a willingness to do so.

Schumer under pressure to add Sanders to leadership team

Schumer under pressure to add Sanders to leadership team-thehill: Pressure is growing on Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) to back Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) as chairman of the Democratic Policy and Communications Center, a powerful position with influence over the party’s messaging and floor strategy.

Conservative Groups Warn Against Including Bill Targeting Generics in Cures Act

Conservative Groups Warn Against Including Bill Targeting Generics in Cures Act-morningconsult: Ten conservative organizations are warning lawmakers against adding a measure they say could cause unnecessary health risks to a medical innovation bill top lawmakers hope to advance before the year ends.

Congress Won’t Shut Down Obamacare All at Once, McCarthy Says

Congress Won’t Shut Down Obamacare All at Once, McCarthy Says-morningconsult: Not all of Obamacare would be “shut right down” once the unified Republican government takes power next year, House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy said Monday.

Tim Ryan Mulling Challenge to Nancy Pelosi

Tim Ryan Mulling Challenge to Nancy Pelosi-morningconsult: Rep. Tim Ryan of Ohio, dismayed about the Democratic Party’s poor performance on Election Day, is mulling a challenge to House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi.

Will Pence Be Trump's Key to Capitol Hill?

Will Pence Be Trump's Key to Capitol Hill?-rollcall: Day Two of Donald Trump’s presidential transition brought the president-elect and his running mate Mike Pence to Capitol Hill. It’s almost certain to be a frequent haunt for the former six-term congressman and current governor of Indiana.

The Trans-Pacific Partnership is dead, Schumer tells labor leaders

The Trans-Pacific Partnership is dead, Schumer tells labor leaders-washingtonpost: The Senate’s soon-to-be top Democrat told labor leaders Thursday that the Trans-Pacific Partnership, the trade deal at the center of President Obama’s “pivot” to strengthen ties with key Asian allies, will not be ratified by Congress.

Chuck Schumer Prepares for His Next Challenge: Leading Senate Democrats

Chuck Schumer Prepares for His Next Challenge: Leading Senate Democrats-nytimes: In 2012, Senator Chuck Schumer, Democrat of New York, made an arresting offer to Senator Scott Brown, the Massachusetts Republican whose 2010 special-election victory had upended President Obama’s agenda. Help Democrats pass legislation to blunt the force of money in politics, he said, and they would not mount a serious challenge to Mr. Brown’s re-election.

Hard Choice for Mitch McConnell: End the Filibuster or Preserve Tradition

Hard Choice for Mitch McConnell: End the Filibuster or Preserve Tradition-nytimes: Before the election, it was clear that Democrats were looking at the very real prospect of scrapping the filibuster to keep Republicans from blocking the Supreme Court nominees of a President Hillary Clinton.

Freedom Caucus poised to back Ryan as speaker

Freedom Caucus poised to back Ryan as speaker-politico: The Freedom Caucus is prepared to live with Paul Ryan, at least for now. In an abrupt reversal after weeks of veiled threats that they might try to take him out, the group of 40 staunch conservatives now appears almost certain to get behind the speaker for another term.

Here Is What Donald Trump Wants To Do In His First 100 Days

Here Is What Donald Trump Wants To Do In His First 100 Days-npr: At the end of October, Donald Trump spoke in Gettysburg, Pa., and released a plan for his first 100 days in office.

Conservatives Push for Short-Term CR To Avoid Lame Duck Deal - See more at: http://www.rollcall.com/news/politics/government-funding-conservatives-cr-lame-duck#sthash.OQLZ1K3S.dpuf

Conservatives Push for Short-Term CR To Avoid Lame Duck Deal-rollcall: Coming off a Republican election sweep, conservatives are pushing for a continuing resolution to extend government funding into the next year so that congressional Republicans can negotiate a spending package with GOP President-elect Donald Trump rather than Democratic President Obama.

Republicans in Congress Plan Swift Action on Agenda With Donald Trump

Republicans in Congress Plan Swift Action on Agenda With Donald Trump-nytimes: Congressional Republicans, stunned by their own good, if complicated, fortune, said on Wednesday that they would move quickly next year on an agenda that merges with President-elect Donald J. Trump’s, repealing the Affordable Care Act, cutting taxes, confirming conservative judges, shrinking government programs and rolling back regulations.

Big Pharma’s big question: Is Trump friend or foe?

Big Pharma’s big question: Is Trump friend or foe?-stat: Should President Donald Trump make drug makers relieved? Or anxious?

Meet Trump's Cabinet-in-waiting

Meet Trump's Cabinet-in-waiting-politico: President-elect Donald Trump does not have the traditional cadre of Washington insiders and donors to build out his Cabinet, but his transition team has spent the past several months quietly building a short list of industry titans and conservative activists who could comprise one of the more eclectic and controversial presidential cabinets in modern history.

President-Elect Trump Faced With Turning Promises Into Policy

President-Elect Trump Faced With Turning Promises Into Policy-bloombergnews: Donald Trump’s surprise election Tuesday as U.S. president means the repudiation of Barack Obama’s legacy and a strong likelihood Republicans will undo many of his accomplishments, including Obamacare and trade deals, and seek tax cuts for the rich.

Election night winners and losers

Election night winners and losers-thehill: It was the biggest political shock in living memory: Republican nominee Donald Trump won the presidency on Tuesday, defeating Hillary Clinton despite her comfortable lead in the polls as Election Day dawned.

California’s Drug Price Initiative: Will Voters ‘Send A Signal To Washington’?

California’s Drug Price Initiative: Will Voters ‘Send A Signal To Washington’?-kaiserhealthnews: The measure faces strong opposition from the pharmaceutical industry, which has poured at least $109 million into defeating it. In addition, some state policy experts and consumer advocates say the measure may not save taxpayers or patients any money, and could even do more harm than good.

Where Clinton and Trump stand on healthcare policy

Where Clinton and Trump stand on healthcare policy-modernhealthcare: As many as 140 million Americans will have already voted for president, members of the U.S. House and Senate, governors, and state legislators by the end of Monday in an election that will have a major impact on the future direction of U.S. healthcare.

This Election Has One Sure Thing: A More Dysfunctional Congress

This Election Has One Sure Thing: A More Dysfunctional Congress-bloomberg: As voters head to the polls Tuesday, one outcome is already a near-certainty: A dysfunctional U.S. Congress is going to get even more unworkable, particularly if Hillary Clinton wins the White House.

Ryan dismisses talk his speakership is in danger

Ryan dismisses talk his speakership is in danger-politico: A confident Paul Ryan said he is “not worried” about any potential threat to his speakership, and dismissed chatter about his political position as inside-the-Beltway babble. He voted to continue to serve atop the chamber out of a "sense of duty.”

Five Things to Watch Down the Ballot on Election Night

Five Things to Watch Down the Ballot on Election Night-morningconsult: Voters will head to the polls Tuesday with the Republican Party on the defense in key Senate races and with its House leaders poised to lose some of their allies who have fallen victim to the political fallout of Donald Trump’s ascendence to the top of the ticket.

Inside Paul Ryan’s bid to woo the House Freedom Caucus

Inside Paul Ryan’s bid to woo the House Freedom Caucus-washingtonpost: House Speaker Paul D. Ryan spent Wednesday afternoon touring a homeless shelter with embattled Rep. Rod Blum in Waterloo, Iowa. The pair explained how the House GOP agenda could help alleviate poverty in Blum’s district.

Schumer Sees Path to Senate Tax Deal With Clinton in White House

Schumer Sees Path to Senate Tax Deal With Clinton in White House-thehill: Known to many as a partisan attack dog, Senate Democratic leader-in-waiting Chuck Schumer is plotting to reach across the aisle next year with a pragmatic agenda he insists can get through a bitterly divided Congress.

Why the nastiness won’t end on Election Day

Why the nastiness won’t end on Election Day-thehill: The 2016 presidential election has been one of the ugliest races in the nation’s political history, and its after-effects could be even worse.

NIH to Require Researchers Receiving Grants to Share Data

NIH to Require Researchers Receiving Grants to Share Data-rollcall: The National Institutes of Health will require applicants for federal research funding to submit a plan outlining how data gleaned from a potential project will be shared with the public.

4 days to go: What to watch for

4 days to go: What to watch for-thehill: The presidential campaigns are sprinting for the finish amid tightening polls that show new opportunities for Donald Trump as he seeks a late comeback against Hillary Clinton.

Chatter grows that Ryan could step down

Chatter grows that Ryan could step down-thehill: Chatter is growing louder on Capitol Hill that Paul Ryan’s days as Speaker are numbered.

That Supreme Court Stonewall May Not Crumble Anytime Soon

That Supreme Court Stonewall May Not Crumble Anytime Soon-nytimes: Senator Jeff Flake was startled a few months ago when a constituent pressed him on whether he was willing to hold up any Supreme Court nominee chosen by Hillary Clinton if she was elected president.

Even as Donald Trump rises, GOP’s hopes of keeping the Senate looking dimmer

Even as Donald Trump rises, GOP’s hopes of keeping the Senate looking dimmer-washingtonpost: A funny thing happened in recent days: Even as Donald Trump appears to have some momentum in the presidential race, the GOP's odds of holding the Senate appeared to diminish — at least somewhat.

A Narrower Majority for Republicans Could Widen the House Divide

A Narrower Majority for Republicans Could Widen the House Divide-nytimes: The contest for control of the House of Representatives will probably yield an even more polarized chamber, leaving a smaller, more conservative Republican majority that may challenge the re-election of Paul D. Ryan as speaker and greet Hillary Clinton with a fresh round of investigations — whether she wins the White House or not.

Clinton faces tough decision with court pick

Clinton faces tough decision with court pick-thehill: Hillary Clinton will face a tough decision on the Supreme Court if she wins the presidency on Tuesday.

How the Hill's Endangered Have Been Voting

How the Hill's Endangered Have Been Voting-rollcall: The year’s desultory legislative track record offers this insight into the closing days of the campaign for Congress: The already compacted political middle is threatened with additional shrinkage.

The backlash over high drug prices is hitting pharma where it hurts

The backlash over high drug prices is hitting pharma where it hurts-stat: The simmering public outrage over drug prices finally seems to be catching up to the pharmaceutical industry.

Why the House majority doesn’t flip in presidential election years

Why the House majority doesn’t flip in presidential election years-washingtonpost: One of the longest-running streaks on Capitol Hill seems poised to keep going strong when all the ballots are counted after Tuesday’s elections.

Freedom Caucus eyes spot in Ryan's leadership circle

Freedom Caucus eyes spot in Ryan's leadership circle-politico: The House Freedom Caucus discussed in a private meeting Wednesday making a play for a slot in GOP leadership in return for backing Paul Ryan for another term as speaker, according to sources familiar with the plan.

Liberals wary of Schumer tax plan

Liberals wary of Schumer tax plan-thehill: Sen. Charles Schumer’s (D-N.Y.) ideas for overhauling the tax system are encountering skepticism on the left, potentially making it harder to negotiate a deal with congressional Republicans.

Freedom Caucus plans secret meeting in D.C. today

Freedom Caucus plans secret meeting in D.C. today-politico: Top members of the House Freedom Caucus will hold a rare, pre-election strategy session in Washington on Wednesday to chart the group's moves in November and beyond, sources familiar with the gathering told POLITICO.

GOP Aides Predict They'll Control Both House and Senate

GOP Aides Predict They'll Control Both House and Senate-rollcall: Republican Capitol Hill aides believe they will retain their congressional majorities in next week’s elections, even as they expect their party’s presidential candidate, Donald Trump, to lose, according to CQ Roll Call’s latest Capitol Insiders Survey.

House Dems push back against GOP ObamaCare lawsuit

House Dems push back against GOP ObamaCare lawsuit-thehill: House Democrats on Monday accused Republicans of an “end-run around the law” as they pushed back on a GOP lawsuit against ObamaCare.

Obamacare: There's at least some agreement on what's best, worst

Obamacare: There's at least some agreement on what's best, worst-usatoday: As its fourth open enrollment starts Tuesday, here are five of the things most would agree are best and worst about the ACA. USA TODAY, Collin Brennan

Comfort turns to suspense for Clinton

Comfort turns to suspense for Clinton-thehill: Hillary Clinton is making the closing argument of her presidential campaign and last-minute decisions on which states to send surrogates and resources — all while launching a public relations counter-attack on FBI Director James Comey.