Jim Cooper

• House kicks off budget debate

  By Andrew Taylor, Associated Press  |  March 28, 2012

  The House took up a stringent GOP budget plan Wednesday that blends big cuts to safety-net programs for the poor with a plan to dramatically overhaul Medicare, kicking off a politically-charged, election-year debate over trillion-dollar deficits and what to do about them.

• Bipartisan group offers alternative to GOP budget

  By Andrew Taylor  |  March 28, 2012

  The measure leaves Social Security alone, but it contains a policy calling for raising the retirement age and reducing annual cost-of-living increases.

• Lawmakers debate pay cutoff for budget gridlock

  By Andrew Taylor  |  March 14, 2012

  It might be dismissed as an election year gimmick by the big shots who run Capitol Hill, but frustration over Congress' failure to pass a budget since 2009 has given surprising momentum to a bill that would cut off lawmakers' pay if they can't — or won't — pass a...