President Obama said he remains hopeful Congress will reach a deal to avert the "fiscal cliff," but he reiterated his call for a vote on his plan to extend middle-class tax rates if Congress fails.
As key House Republican leaders lined up Tuesday behind President Obama's call for military action in Syria, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee prepared for the first of two hearings to learn more about the military and policy issues involved.
Military intervention in Syria continued to face skepticism on Capitol Hill even after the public release of an intelligence assessment linking the regime to chemical attacks.