A bill that would have provided up to $7.4 billion in aid to people sickened by World Trade Center dust fell short in the House on Thursday.

As oil continues to spill into the Gulf of Mexico, politicians in Washington discuss who is to blame.

In all-day Senate inquiries on Tuesday, Congress chastised the companies responsible for the Gulf of Mexico oil spill on their lack of risk preparation, blowout prevention measures and crisis management.

Says the American people deserve and expect a final vote after a year of debate on the issue.

Senator Evan Bayh, Democrat of Indiana, announced on Monday that he will not seek a third term in Congress this fall.

President Barack Obama's Democratic allies in the House Wednesday muscled through a year-end plan to create jobs, mixing about $50 billion for public works projects with another sum of nearly $50 billion for cash-strapped state and local governments.

Congress has a full schedule before taking a holiday break.