WASHINGTON (AP) — The tradition-laden Senate voted Thursday to modestly curb filibusters, using a bipartisan consensus rare in today’s hyperpartisan climate to make it a bit harder but not impossible for outnumbered senators to sink bills and nominations. The rules changes would reduce yet not eliminate the number of times opponents — usually minorityparty Republicans […]

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — Legislation that would make Rhode Island the 10th state to allow gays and lesbians to marry still faces an uncertain future despite being overwhelmingly approved by the state House on Thursday night. It could be weeks or even months before the Senate takes up the bill that would make the Ocean […]

COLONIE, N.Y. (AP) — Authorities say a New York man who left his 1-year-old son in his car for eight hours in frigid weather hasn’t been charged. Police in the Albany suburb of Colonie tell local media outlets that the man forgot to drop off his son and left the child strapped in the back […]

This time last year the Air Force unveiled a plan to cut Air National Guard strength by 5,100 members along with more than 200 Guard aircraft, touting this as a reasonable efficiency, in part because Guard squadrons cost more to operate than active duty squadrons. That argument was dead wrong, says Maj. Gen. Arnold L. […]

The Department of Defense announced today the deaths three soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. Sgt. Aaron X. Wittman, 28, of Chester, Va., died Jan. 10, in Khogyani District, Nangarhar Province, Afghanistan, from injuries sustained when his unit was attacked by small arms fire while on mounted patrol. He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, […]