Sen. Mark Pryor, whose home state of Arkansas is headquarters of Wal-Mart Stores Inc., says he will oppose raising the minimum wage.

House Republican leaders will propose changes to U.S. immigration policy that include providing legal status to undocumented workers.

Bipartisan passage of a $1.1 trillion bill to finance the U.S. government through Sept. 30 clears the way for lawmakers to focus on the next potential fiscal showdown: Raising the federal debt ceiling.

Senators retreated to their partisan corners after the chamber failed to advance a Democratic plan to restore emergency jobless benefits that expired Dec. 28 for 1.3 million Americans.

The U.S. Senate failed to move forward a Democratic plan to restore emergency jobless benefits that expired Dec. 28 for 1.3 million Americans.

Congressional negotiations on reviving U.S. unemployment benefits for the long-term jobless were dealt a setback.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid offered a Democratic plan to revive expanded jobless benefits through mid-November.

John Boehner, Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid and Mitch McConnell this week began their eighth year as the leaders running Congress.