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A divided Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday backed President Barack Obama's call to require criminal background checks for all gun buyers, yet it remained uncertain if it would become law.

The Senate on Thursday confirmed John Brennan as the Obama administration's next Central Intelligence Agency director, overcoming concerns expressed by Republicans and some Democrats about the administration's use of lethal drone strikes.

President Barack Obama will make a rare trip to Capitol Hill next week to meet with Senate Republicans as he grapples for new ways to break through Washington's partisan logjam.

Actress Ashley Judd is giving off lots of signals that she is going to make the race against Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell in 2014. She's chatting with Democratic legislative leaders in the state about the idea and huddling with the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee too.

Across-the-board spending cuts all but certain, Republicans and Democrats in the Senate are staging a politically charged showdown designed to avoid public blame for any resulting inconvenience or disruption in government services.

The Senate has confirmed Jack Lew, a former budget director and chief of staff to the president, as the next Secretary of the Treasury. The vote was 71 to 26.

A proposed ban on military-style assault weapons faces a key test vote as early as Thursday when the committee considering gun control legislation is scheduled to decide whether to refer the proposal to the full Senate.

Decorated Vietnam veteran Chuck Hagel was sworn in as U.S. defense secretary on Wednesday after a bruising Senate confirmation battle, and promised to renew old U.S. alliances and forge new ones without attempting to "dictate" to the world.

With a 71-to-27 vote, the Senate has cleared the way for Chuck Hagel’s confirmation as defense secretary, despite complaints from Republicans about his readiness for the job.

Twice burned, Republicans are treading carefully around tea party groups as they pursue a Senate majority that slipped through their fingers in 2010 and 2012....