Barack Obama, Senate | featured news

President Barack Obama and his allies in the Senate promise to press ahead with separate votes on pieces of his failed $447 billion jobs measure despite unanimous opposition from Republicans. But there also are signs of slippage among Democrats and evidence the strategy isn't working with voters....

It's not just Republicans who are blocking President Obama's jobs bill. Two Senate Democrats -- Jon Tester of Montana and Ben Nelson of Nebraska -- also opposed Obama on a procedural vote this week, and other Democrats have also raised questions about the $447 billion American Jobs Act.

A large group of Senate Republicans unveiled a jobs bill Thursday, saying they were tired of hearing President Obama assert they had not put forward a plan to spur hiring and jump-start the economy.

Four years ago, Senator Claire McCaskill was one of Barack Obama's biggest boosters in his presidential campaign. But when he recently visited her state of Missouri, she did not have time to join him.

Senate Democrats are poised to bring Obama's jobs bill to the floor for a vote Tuesday, but with passage facing long odds, party leaders may break the legislation into parts, hoping for greater success in smaller increments.

Senate Democratic leaders are proposing a 5% surtax on those earning $1 million a year as a new way pay for President Obama's jobs plan, turning to an issue with populist appeal as they line up support for a vote, possibly next week.

The secretary's decision not to leave means President Obama can avoid a Senate confirmation fight to fill the post during a time of financial turmoil. Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner will not be stepping down, ending speculation that the key Obama administration advisor was preparing to resign.

The Senate gave final approval Tuesday to legislation to raise the nation's debt limit by $2.4 trillion while cutting federal deficits, sending President Obama a hard-fought bipartisan package he was expected to swiftly sign into law.

House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner broke off talks with President Barack Obama on Friday and said he will begin negotiations with Senate leaders aimed at meeting an August 2 deadline to avert an unprecedented U.S. debt default.

The Senate on Friday voted along party lines against the proposal to cut spending and raise the debt limit. President Obama pressed for compromise during a town hall meeting.