Juana Summers

Republicans formally took full control of Congress for the first time during Barack Obama's presidency on Tuesday. Republicans took over the Senate and added to their majority in the House.

John Boehner is set to start his third two-year term as speaker. And while his election is nearly a foregone conclusion, a number of his GOP colleagues are likely voting against him on the floor.

The 114th Congress has yet to convene but already members of the new majority have personnel issues to confront.

One of the most unexpected Democratic losers on Election Day was Rep. Steven Horsford from Nevada. His defeat is about politics, but also about race.

When Congress returns to work in January, Sen. John McCain of Arizona is set to lead the committee, which deals with everything from the Pentagon budget to the U.S. war against the Islamic state.

Passing the spending package took intense lobbying from the president to get 60 Democrats on board, and persistence by soon-to-be-Speaker John Boehner to fend off the most Republican representatives.

Material tacked onto the authorization bill adds 250,000 acres of new wilderness, expands national parks, and moves toward a national women's history museum. 'Ethically, it stinks,' says Sen. Coburn.

New York City's mayor and police commissioner tried to rebuild public trust in the police department, while allies of the Garner family promised a major march on Washington for justice reforms.

The House passed a measure that declares President Obama's immigration actions null and void. It's largely symbolic, but could be a first step in further Republican efforts to try to roll back Obama's moves.

With domestic violence by sports figures in the news, members of the Senate Commerce Committee held a hearing on the issue. But not one commissioner — from the NFL, MLB, NBA or NHL — showed up.

New members tried out any number of rituals — from lucky dances to backflips — hoping the office odds were ever in their favor.

Much of the House Democratic leadership is getting along in years, with little prospects for change even after suffering big losses this past election.

All 45 Republicans were on board, but the bill fell short of just one Democrat. It's a project President Obama has not been a fan of.

While John Boehner has held the speaker's gavel, it often looked like members of his caucus were in control. With a gain of more than a dozen GOP seats, Boehner might have some more maneuvering room.

House Speaker John Boehner will be a key player if the White House and the new Congress are going to get anything meaningful done.

While Kansas is typically a deeply conservative red state, this year two of the party's leaders found themselves in fights for their political lives — and they won.

Kansas, a reliably red state, is not so reliable anymore. Veteran Sen. Pat Roberts is trying to fend off a serious challenge from an independent candidate, businessman Greg Orman.

Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers is one of the most powerful politicians in America. She's the top-ranking woman in the House GOP, and her political ambitions and trajectory have been debated everywhere from Capitol Hill to the pages of Glamour magazine. But when she walks into locally owned businesses like ...

If played just right, members of Congress can see a political payoff from simply doing their jobs and helping out voters who elected them. It's one reason incumbents fare well come Election Day.

With Election Day just over a week away, NPR politics editor Charlie Mahtesian and NPR congressional reporter Juana Summers join us for a look at the state of play in pivotal races across the country.