The outcome of the health care vote could hinge on a pivotal bloc of Democrats who fear that the bill would open the door to the federal funding of abortion.

Victory within reach, President Barack Obama exhorted House Democrats on Saturday to stay true to their party's legacy and make history by bringing health insurance to millions of struggling families now left out.

House Democrats heard it all Saturday as they neared a decision on health overhaul — including raucous protest chants laced with racial epithets aimed at black members of Congress.

Although Democrats believe that they’re close to their own net-cutting ceremony – namely, the signing of a sweeping overhaul of the nation’s health insurance system — the precise moment of victory will be a lot less clear than the final moments of a tournament game.

President Barack Obama and Democratic leaders lobbied intensively for historic health care legislation Friday, striving to resolve a last-minute dispute over Medicare while gaining precious "yeses" less than 48 hours ahead of a climactic vote.

In their attempt to pass a sweeping health care overhaul this weekend, House Democrats are pushing a package of legislative fixes to lure undecided or opposed members of their party to the "yes" category.

In a fresh appeal to the Iranian people, President Obama says in an online video that the U.S. wants more cultural exchanges for their students and better access to the Internet to give them a more hopeful future.

Attorney General Eric Holder is defending lawyers who represent unpopular clients like terror suspects. Holder says such attorneys are patriots who deserve respect.

The estimated total cost of Lockheed Martin Corp's F-35 fighter jets being bought by the Pentagon may be nearly twice as high as originally forecast, the Defense Department said Friday.

President Barack Obama promised to make overhauling the immigration system a top priority in his first year as president. He is now in Year Two, and the odds that he will get to sign a bill before the November elections appear long.

Democrats unveiling revisions to their health care overhaul bill decide to kill the extra $100 million in Medicaid funds for Nebraska that has become a symbol of backdoor deal making.

A federal grand jury has issued subpoenas to a Republican campaign committee and companies in Nevada in a probe of Sen. John Ensign.

Maryland's official song may include a line about "Northern scum" left over from the Civil War era, but the state isn't feeling so Southern anymore.

A U.S. immigration agency wants to charge at least $111,930 to say what's inside one of its databases about citizenship applications.

The rare cancellation of a presidential trip abroad underscored how Obama's political challenges at home have begun complicating his life overseas.

President Barack Obama, facing criticism from advocates of immigration reform, pledges  "to do everything in my power" to get immigration legislation moving in Congress this year.

Congressional Democrats trim their original student loan plans, reduce spending for community colleges, and eliminate early childhood money from a broad rewrite of a college aid bill.

New York Gov. David Paterson says he was the first to reveal to the media a conversation he had with the woman at the center of a domestic violence scandal involving a top aide.

A tiny Arizona school district is suing four women over repeated records requests -- part of a nationwide tug-of-war over open records laws.