CONGRESS

The good news for Congressional Republicans is that President Barack Obama's approval rating is hovering at a term-low 40 percent. The bad news is that the GOP's approval rating is at 19 percent.

The idea is out there: Republicans on Capitol Hill considering a ceiling for defense cuts mandated by the deficit-reduction super committee. If it becomes a reality, however, it would not exceed $150 billion over 10 years.

The U.S. Postal Service may never be the same, with First Class delivery service expected to slow down amid proposed cuts. Saturday delivery could end.. The latest plan from the post office, gripped with slowing business and costs and nearing default, would likely alter the delivery time of First Class mail. By closing more than half of the agency's 487 mail-processing facilities in a plan announced Thursday.

On Wednesday, Facebook unveiled smart lists, an new, optional feature where lists are customizable, the same day the company's representatives met with D.C. lawmakers to address a privacy issue alarming a number of members of the U.S. Congress - children's online safety.

Republican Bob Turner's victory in the special election for Anthony Weiner's New York congressional seat is being interpreted across the political spectrum as a possible rebuke to Democrats, particularly President Barack Obama.

Republican Bob Turner will be sworn in soon to succeed Anthony Weiner in Congress, representing New York’s Ninth Congressional District. He’ll be the first Republican to represent it since Seymour Halpern in the late 1950s.

Republican Bob Turner and New York voters delivered a sharp blow to Democrats and President Barack Obama on Tuesday, as Turner won a special House election in New York in a district where Democrats outnumber Republicans three to one.

On the day President Barack Obama sent his $447 billion jobs bill to Congress in a bid to solve America's unemployment problem, the Bank of America delivered an economic blow -- announcing plans to slash as many as 30,000 jobs.

South African politician Julius Malema was found guilty of hate speech charges on Monday, but the crime will do little to stop the controversial leader's rise. Malema is one of South Africa's most polarizing figures, and he may well be the country's future.

Finally, U.S. President Barack Obama is wearing his job, acting and talking with a plan and swagger becoming of his office. After unveiling a massive jobs plan to get America out of its nine percent unemployment and flat growth doldrums late last week, Obama is pushing Congress to get it done or get out of the way so America can get moving again.

Republican Bob Turner and Democrat David Weprin are up for Weiner’s seat in Sept. 13 election.

Republican Senator David Vitter and other conservatives planning to boycott President Barack Obama's major jobs speech before Congress Thursday night are out of line.

Even before President Barack Obama announces the details of his jobs plan Thursday night, Republicans are lining up to denounce the proposal and in some cases skip the president's speech altogether. The White House has sought to put the onus for a sagging economy on Congress if lawmakers do not act on the plan.

Nancy Pelosi said that Republican leaders' decision not to deliver a televised rebuttal to President Obama's jobs plan would speak volumes about their lack of commitment to creating jobs.

Despite President Obama rescheduling his jobs speech to Congress at the request of Republicans, several Republicans have announced they won't be attending.

President Barack Obama's anticipated jobs speech is still more than a day away but already it's causing a controversial rift among Republican and Democratic leaders. Republicans have decided not to give a rebuttal to the Obama's speech Thursday before Congress, and House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi says the lack of response will be disrespectful to the President and to the American people.

According to the latest POLITICO-George Washington University Background Poll, the political environment is very poor for both President Obama and Congressional Democrats.

The U.S. Postal Service may lose $10 billion this fiscal year ending Sept. 30, and the agency is nearing default. It even has the potential to close, if Congress doesn't step in with help.

U.S. Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe will appeal to Congress Tuesday to help find ways to save the struggling agency, which is nearing default and possibly even facing closure by the end of this year, according to one lawmaker.

Here's a sad tale to tie into Americans: The United States Postal Service, which has been a national institution since Benjamin Franklin was installed in 1775 as the first postmaster general, is going, going, going and almost gone. In fact, one legislator says if Congress doesn't act and do something about the post office's problems, the agency could literally close later this year.

If Congress doesn't deal with problems facing the United States Postal Service when legislators return Sept. 6 from recess America's mail institution will likely default on a $5.5 billion payment due at the end of this month and likely have to shut down this winter, the postmaster general said.