Kent Conrad

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Tax increases and spending cuts will both be needed to spread the burden of bringing down U.S. budget deficits to a sustainable level, House of Representatives Democratic leader Steny Hoyer said Monday.

President Barack Obama will muster the votes in the House of Representatives to force his flagship reform of US healthcare through without Republican support, House speaker Nancy Pelosi said Sunday.

Guests for the Sunday TV news shows. Guest lineup for the Sunday TV news shows:

Obama announces picks for debt commission, includes Honeywell executive, union leader. President Barack Obama's four appointments to the bipartisan debt panel he established last week include the head of manufacturing giant Honeywell and a former top-ranking Federal Reserve official.

The White House invited 22 high-ranking lawmakers to Thursday's summit on health care and asked the top four congressional leaders to designate four more lawmakers each to attend.

Lawmakers invited to Obama's health care summit. The White House invited 22 high-ranking lawmakers to Thursday's summit on health care and asked the top four congressional leaders to designate four more lawmakers each to attend.

Conrad, Baucus and Durbin named to Obama's deficit panel. Three senior Senate Democrats have been named to a bipartisan panel established by President Barack Obama to find a plan to wrestle the budget deficit under control.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democratic senators Dick Durbin, Max Baucus and Kent Conrad will serve on a presidential commission to tackle the country's stubborn budget deficits, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said on Tuesday.

Conrad, Baucus and Durbin named to Obama's deficit panel. Three senior Senate Democrats have been named to a bipartisan panel established by President Barack Obama to find a plan to wrestle the budget deficit under control.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republicans rounded out their Senate team for a healthcare summit with President Barack Obama on Thursday, adding four leading critics of Democratic proposals.

President Barack Obama's new deficit commission might give Americans a slap in the face about the sacrifices needed to avoid bankrupting future generations ? maybe working until age 70, paying higher taxes and spending more of their own money for doctors' visits and prescriptions.

Deficit commission can go where politicians fear to tread: Reducing deficits will hurt people. President Barack Obama's new deficit commission might give Americans a slap in the face about the sacrifices needed to avoid bankrupting future generations ? maybe working until age 70, paying higher taxes and spending more of their own money for doctors' visits and prescriptions.

Obama forms bipartisan commission to address escalating national debt. On Thursday, President Barack Obama took a sensible first step to what we hope will eventually lead to a framework that will significantly reduce the growing national debt. The president, through executive order, created the bipartisan National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform. The commissionÕs job is straightforward enough: recommend to Congress and the White House ways to shrink our growing national debt.

Forwarded complaints languishing in Washington. State officials Wednesday praised the importance of a program that brings foreign doctors to Nevadas medically needy communities, saying the program could be even more successful if federal agencies kept up their side of the bargain.

Investigation into abuse of foreign-physician program nears second year, and state officials seek answers. By Marshall Allen

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama pitched job-creation plans to recession-weary Americans on Tuesday while his advisers urged Congress to take further measures to rein in the record budget deficit.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama pitched job-creation plans to recession-weary Americans on Tuesday while his advisers urged Congress to take further measures to rein in the record budget deficit.

Obama team hit with tough questioning as it promotes president's budget on Hill. President Barack Obama's $3.8 trillion budget outline drew bipartisan fire on Capitol Hill on Tuesday, with Republicans complaining it doesn't address deficits soon enough and raises taxes too much. Democrats balked at some of Obama's spending cuts.

EDITOR'S NOTE ? An occasional look at assertions by government officials and how well they adhere to the facts

Text of President Obama's first State of the Union address. Text of President Barack Obama's first State of the Union speech on Wednesday, as provided by the White House: