Top officials in Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal's administration used personal email accounts to craft a media strategy for cutting Medicaid -- a method of communication that can make it more difficult to track under public records laws.

House Speaker John Boehner says there's been no progress in negotiations on how to avoid the fiscal cliff of tax hikes and spending cuts and called on President Barack Obama to come up with a new offer.

San Diego County authorities say $100,000 worth of jewelry has been stolen in a burglary at the home of California U.S. Rep. Darrell Issa.

Records show incoming Kansas House Speaker Ray Merrick pocketed more than $14,000 from campaign contributions at the end of 2011 as a reimbursement for a decade of communications expenses.

Incoming Kansas Senate Majority Leader Terry Bruce's new chief of staff is a former legislative liaison for Gov. Sam Brownback.

Brownback administration waiting to hear from federal officials whether state will receive waiver from Department of Health & Human Services

Republican U.S. Sen. Jim DeMint, a favorite among tea party activists, is resigning to take the helm of a conservative think tank.

Incoming Kansas Senate President Susan Wagle says she's interested in redrawing legislative districts next year even though federal judges redrew boundaries earlier this year.

The co-chairman of President Barack Obama's deficit commission is assailing the politics of political brinksmanship surrounding the "fiscal cliff," saying Congress "put the chain on their own ankle."

First District Rep. Tim Huelskamp says he still has no answers for what he calls a vindictive and petty move by House leadership to remove him from key congressional committees.

President Barack Obama is warning Republicans not to create another fight over the nation's debt ceiling, telling business leaders it's "not a game that I will play."

The top Republican negotiator in talks with President Barack Obama on avoiding economy-jarring tax increases and spending cuts says it's time for the White House to respond to Monday's GOP offer.

Gov. Sam Brownback says Kansas lawmakers should take another look at his suggestions to pay for massive income tax cuts he signed into law earlier this year.

Top Republicans in the Kansas Senate plan to meet next week to discuss filling committee chairmanships.

The plan that was put forward by House Speaker John Boehner to avoid the "fiscal cliff" is coming under fire from within his own party.

President Barack Obama says there will be no deal to avert the "fiscal cliff" unless Republicans drop their opposition to raising tax rates on the wealthiest Americans.

Democratic leaders say they will introduce two measures in January in an effort to limit Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach's power and work outside the office on immigration and other issues.

Frail and in a wheelchair, former Sen. Bob Dole was a startling presence on the Senate floor as lawmakers voted on a treaty on disabilities.

A bipartisan group of governors says they sought assurances from President Barack Obama that any cuts in spending to address the looming "fiscal cliff" would not shift the financial burden onto states.

Representative Tim Huelskamp of Kansas' First District was removed from the House Budget and Agriculture Committees on Monday.

House Republicans negotiating with President Barack Obama on avoiding the so-called fiscal cliff are proposing to increase the eligibility age for Medicare and to lower cost-of-living hikes in Social Security benefits.

The Obama administration is harshly criticizing its top Mideast ally Israel over new settlement construction plans.

Kansas Republicans have elected Susan Wagle as the new president of the state Senate and Ray Merrick is the new speaker of the Kansas House.

Kansas Republican legislators are meeting in the Statehouse to choose the next Senate president and speaker of the House.

The large freshman class is likely to have a big influence over how lawmakers and conservative Republican Gov. Sam Brownback close a projected budget shortfall and tackle other issues.