House, Senate going separate ways

Election year creates divide among Republicans

House Speaker Paul Ryan of Wis. finishes a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Jan. 7, after talking about his 2016 agenda and GOP efforts to repeal Obamacare, formally known as The Affordable Care Act. The House passed legislation yesterday to gut President Barack Obama's signature health law, fulfilling a promise to Republican voters in a presidential election year but inviting a certain veto. - photo by Associated Press

W APTOPIX Congress Heal Ledb — House Speaker Paul Ryan of Wis. finishes a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Jan. 7, after talking about his 2016 agenda and GOP efforts to repeal Obamacare, formally known as The Affordable Care Act. The House passed legislation yesterday to gut President Barack Obama's signature health law, fulfilling a promise to Republican voters in a presidential election year but inviting a certain veto. - photo by Associated Press

BALTIMORE — The year ahead promises to be one of bold ideas in the House, if Speaker Paul Ryan gets his way, with lawmakers debating sweeping initiatives on taxes, health care and foreign policy. In the Senate, the focus will be on processing the 12 annual spending bills to fund government — a project Majority Leader Mitch McConnell acknowledged Thursday "is not going to titillate the public." As congressional Republicans met in Baltimore for their annual issues retreat, the divergence between the two congressional majorities in an unpredictable election year was on display.

Associated Press

Associated Press