Congress

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House members take their oath of office during the first session of the 112th Congress, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2011. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio delivers the oath of office to Republican members of the House of Representatives during the first session of the 112th Congress, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2011. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

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House Speaker-desigante John Boehner of Ohio greets House members during the first session of the 112th Congress, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2011. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

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House Speaker-desigante John Boehner of Ohio, left, poses for a photo with Rep. George Miller, California Democrat, and a flat Stacie doll, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2011, during the first session of the 112th Congress. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

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The House's first roll call of the 112th Congress is shown on the tally board on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2011. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

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A family member of a House member sits on the floor during the first session of the 112th Congress on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2011. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

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Incoming House Majority Leader Eric Cantor of Virginia, right, and incoming House Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy of California look across the House floor during the first session of the 112th Congress on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2011. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

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Incoming House Speaker John A. Boehner, Ohio Republican, receives the gavel from his predecessor, Rep. Nancy Pelosi, California Democrat, during the opening session of the 112th Congress on Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2011, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

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Rep. John A. Boehner, Ohio Republican, who is speaker-designate, greets fellow House members during the first session of the 112th Congress on Capitol Hill in Washington on Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2011. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

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House Speaker-designate John A. Boehner of Ohio walks out of his home on Capitol Hill in Washington Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2011, prior to the start of the 112th Congress. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

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Illustration: 112th Congress and tax cuts by Alexander Hunter for The Washington Times

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Mark Hamill stars as Luke Skywalker, here with the character Yoda, in "Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back," which is among the films selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in its National Film Registry. (AP Photo/Lucasfilm Ltd)

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John Travolta, here with Karen Lynn Gorney, stars in the 1977 disco musical "Saturday Night Fever," which the Library of Congress will preserve as part of its National Film Registry. (AP Photo/Paramount Pictures)

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This undated handout photo provided by the Library of Congress shows a scene from the movie "Airplane." The film is one 25 selections to the 2010 National Film Registry. (AP Photo/Library of Congress)

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Associated Press IRS Commissioner Douglas Shulman cautioned Congress against waiting till 2011 to settle the tax-cut extension fight.

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Illustration: Democratic Congress by Alexander Hunter for The Washington Times

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Former Major League Baseball pitcher Roger Clemens, center, accompanied by his lawyers, Michael Attanasio, left, and Rusty Hardin, arrives at court in Washington, Wednesday, Dec. 8, 2010, for an interim status conference on charges he lied to Congress when he denied taking steroids or other performance enhancing drugs. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

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Rep. Harold Rogers, Kentucky Republican, is set to wield the House Appropriations Committee gavel in the 112th Congress. (Associated Press)

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Sen. Max Baucus, Montana Democrat, plans to push for further renewable-energy subsidies before the lame-duck Congress expires. (Associated Press)

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Erskine Bowles (right) and Alan K. Simpson, co-chairmen of President Obama's independent commission, said they are not sure whether they will have the supermajority of votes needed Friday to approve an aggressive deficit-reduction plan to submit to Congress.