Barbara Sprunt
Barbara Sprunt is a producer on NPR's Washington desk, where she reports and produces breaking news and feature political content. She formerly produced the NPR Politics Podcast and got her start in radio at as an intern on NPR's Weekend All Things Considered and Tell Me More with Michel Martin. She is an alumnus of the Paul Miller Reporting Fellowship at the National Press Foundation. She is a graduate of American University in Washington, D.C., and a Pennsylvania native.
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Lawmakers on Capitol Hill haven't had a pay increase since 2009, representing a 31% decline in their salary when adjusted for inflation. -
Among other accusations, the committee found Gaetz engaged in sexual activity with a 17-year-old girl and used or possessed illegal drugs on multiple occasions. Gaetz fiercely denied the allegations. -
The federal government remains open for business. That's because Congress managed to avoid a government shutdown on Friday that would have hit families right before the holidays.
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Congress has approved a short-term spending bill to fund the government until March 14. President Biden signed the legislation on Saturday. -
President-elect Donald Trump and his newest top-lieutenant, Elon Musk, have sent Washington scrambling to avoid a government shutdown, even before Trump takes office. -
Republicans have chosen Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., as the next party leader, launching a new era for the GOP after nearly two decades with Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., leading the party in the Senate. -
President Biden and President-elect Trump met for almost two hours and discussed a funding bill that Congress needs to pass by Dec. 21, as well as ongoing support for Ukraine, the White House said. -
Congress comes back for a lame-duck session with a packed agenda, including voting on a new Senate majority leader.
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Congress returns this week. Republicans are hopeful they will maintain their House majority in the next Congress. In the Senate, Republicans will choose the next majority leader.
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The winner of the presidential election will need Congress to advance their agenda. Strategists in both parties say the race for control of the House is extremely tight.
