• Win McNamee / Getty Images

    Protesters disrupt the start of a confirmation hearing for John Brennan before the Senate Intelligence Committee on Feb. 7, 2013, in Washington, D.C.

    Protesters disrupt Brennan's CIA confirmation hearing

    Published at 6:05 p.m. ET

    By Tom Curry, National Affairs Writer, NBC News: At his confirmation hearing Thursday before the Senate Intelligence Committee John Brennan, President Barack Obama’s nominee to head the Central Intelligence Agency, defended Obama’s policy of targeted killings of terrorists, saying that some Americans had a misimpression that “we take strikes to punish terrorists for past transgressions. Nothing could be further from the truth. We only take such action as a last resort to save lives when there’s no other alternative” to avert a threat to the nation.

    Alluding to some raucous protesters who had interrupted and delayed the hearing earlier, Brennan said, “They really have a misunderstanding of what we do as a government, and the care that we take, and the agony that we go through” to ensure that innocent bystanders or civilians aren’t hit in targeted killings. “People are reacting to a lot of falsehoods that are out there.” Read the full story.


  • Gabby Giffords’ voice rings loud in Senate, urging 'bold' action on gun control

    Slideshow: Former Ariz. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords

    J. Scott Applewhite / AP

    A look at the Arizona lawmaker's rise to prominence — from high school to Capitol Hill.

    Launch slideshow

    By Kasie Hunt, NBC News

    Former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords' words during a brief opening statement at a Senate hearing on gun violence were careful, slow and deliberate.

    But they were firm: "Too many children are dying," she said Wednesday, breaking up the syllables during her testimony to open a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on gun laws.

    "It will be hard, but the time is NOW," said Giffords, who has embarked on an arduous recovery after being critically wounded at Tucson Safeway while meeting with constituents in early 2011. "You. Must. Act. Be bold. Be cour-ag-eous. Amer-i-cans are count-ing on you." Continue reading the full story.

    Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images

    Senate Judiciary Committee members, from left, Sen. John Jeff Sessions (R-AL), Sen. John Orrin Hatch (R-UT), ranking member Sen. John Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Sen. John Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Sen. John Charles Schumer (D-NY) and Sen. John Richard Durbin (D-IL) listen to testimony during a hearing about gun control on Capitol Hill on Jan. 30 in Washington, D.C.

  • Steps of recovery: Senator who relearned how to walk climbs Senate stairs

    Michael Reynolds / EPA

    Members of Congress applaud as Republican Sen. Mark Kirk of Illinois walks up the east steps of the Senate on Jan. 3 with assistance from Democratic Senator Joe Manchin from West Virginia, left, and Vice President Joe Biden.

    Michael Reynolds / EPA

    Republican Sen. Mark Kirk of Illinois, left, waves with Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia as Kirk returns to the Senate. Vice President Joe Biden and Democratic Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois, right, look on.

     By Tracy Connor, NBC News: In the year since he had a major stroke, Sen. Mark Kirk has taken his recovery one step at a time. On Thursday, the Illinois Republican took 45 more – climbing the stairs to the Senate’s front door while colleagues cheered him on. “Yeah, Mark!” the crowd shouted as Kirk, 53, mounted the steps, slowly and stiffly, with Vice President Biden grasping his right arm. Full Story

    Jewel Samad / AFP - Getty Images

    Vice President Joe Biden, right, and Sen. Joe Manchin help Sen. Mark Kirk to climb up the stairs upon his return to the Senate. A stroke devastated the left side of Kirk's body and left him so close to death he saw angels – with New York accents – at his hospital bed.

    Video: Sen. Kirk welcomed back to Capitol with cheers

    Previously on PhotoBlog:

  • Fiscal talks hit major setback as GOP appeals to Biden

    Drew Angerer / Getty Images

    Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) leaves the Senate chamber and heads to a meeting with Senate Democrats on Capitol Hill, Dec. 30, in Washington, D.C. The House and Senate are both in session today to deal with the looming 'fiscal cliff'.

    Democrats said that Republicans, led by Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Ky., are insisting that a deal to resolve the fiscal cliff include what is known as "chained CPI" -- a change in how Social Security benefits are calculated to increase over time. 

    Just before a self-imposed deadline at which Senate leaders were set to brief their respective caucuses about a prospective deal, negotiations toward a scaled-back agreement to avoid the onset of automatic tax hikes and spending cuts on Jan. 1 appeared on the verge of breakdown.

    -- Reported by Michael O'Brien, NBC News

    Read the full story

    Related content:

    In an exclusive interview with Meet the Press, President Barack Obama tells David Gregory he's optimistic the fiscal cliff can be averted, lays out the goals for his second term, and also discusses the Benghazi attack and how it was handled by the administration and those on Capitol Hill.

  • Obama announces debt agreement

    Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images

    President Barack Obama approaches the podium before speaking on the debt limit impasse from the briefing room of the White House on July 31, in Washington, D.C. Obama indicated that he and Republican members of Congress have reached a compromise to solve the debt limit impasse prior to the August 2 deadline.

    Obama said the agreement will cut about $1 trillion over 10 years.

    The bipartisan plan will be presented to Congress on Monday, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said.

    Read more here.

  • Mickey Rooney gives passionate testimony before Congress

    By Carissa Ray

    Mickey Rooney became visibly shaken during his testimony before the Senate Aging Committee today as a victim of and advocate against elder abuse.

    Rooney has alleged in court documents that he was being bullied by his stepson and feared being kidnapped.

    Read last month's story detailing Rooney's order against his stepson here and view his testimony from today in the NBC Nightly News video below.

    Alex Brandon / AP

    Entertainer Mickey Rooney testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington on March 2, about elder abuse, before the Senate Aging Committee.

    Jim Young / Reuters

    Actor Mickey Rooney speaks at a Senate hearing on elder abuse, neglect and financial exploitation on Capitol Hill in Washington on March 2.

    Nightly News

    Mickey Rooney spoke out against elder abuse before a Senate Committee on aging. The 90-year-old actor said he has been the victim of abuse at the hands of family members.

  • Freshmen of the 112th Congress

    Mark Wilson / Getty Images

    Newly elected freshman members of the upcoming 112th Congress pose for a class photo on the steps of the U.S. Capitol on November 19, 2010 in Washington, DC. . This week the new members have been undergoing orientation before taking office in January.

    Alex Brandon / AP

    Staff members photograph the freshmen class of House members of the upcoming 112th Congress during a group photo on the steps that lead to the House of Representatives, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Friday, Nov. 19, 2010.

    Alex Brandon / AP

    Rep.-elect Cory Gardner, at left and Rep.-elect Scott Tipton, both from Colorado, get their picture taken by a staff member on the steps of the Capitol building in Washington, on Friday, Nov. 19, 2010.

    By Phaedra Singelis, NBC News

    Today the freshman class finally got to have their picture made on the steps of the Capitol even though they arrived in Washington 4 days earlier. Weather prevented the photo from being taken then, but today was sunny and cool – a perfect day for a class photo. This year’s group is the largest of House freshman in more than 60 years, numbering 93.  Of those, 34 have never been an elected official before, and only 9 are Democrats.  The Senate side has 16 new members, just 3 of those being Democrats.