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The lack of a decision so far by House Republican to hold a vote on overhauling postal operations means lawmakers are once again likely to pass a short-term stop-gap measure to shore up postal finances, but not address longer-term structural and financial concerns, congressional aides and industry observers said Thursday.

U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. is under intensive medical treatment for a “mood disorder,” his office announced in a brief statement Wednesday, more than a month after the Chicago Democrat quietly went on medical leave of absence.

The White House casts today's House Republican vote to repeal the health care law as a waste of time while Americans are hurting economically. "We do not need to refight the battles of two years ago, three years ago," said White House spokesman Jay Carney. "We need to help the American economy now." The GOP-run House is likely to support repeal of Obama's health law with a vote this afternoon. The repeal proposal would go nowhere in the Democratic-run Senate... Carney said that, by his count, this is the 33rd time that congressional Republicans have voted to repeal or defund health care. He says the GOP is engaged in "a quixotic effort to try and score political points.

Here they go again. Again. Again. Curious to know how many times the House has voted to strip away all or part of the health-care reform law? The magic number is 32 — and it will be 33 after today, as House Republicans plan to vote again to repeal the entire law... And even if today’s vote never gets signed into law by President Obama, Republicans vow to keep trying.

A week and half after saying most Americans "probably aren't going to fall in love with Mitt Romney," House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) on Tuesday revised his sentiments and predicted that people are going to be "enthusiastic" about the GOP presidential nominee come November. "Listen, I'm going to be enthusiastic about voting for Gov. Romney in November," Boehner told Capitol Hill reporters. "And I think the American people will be enthusiastic about voting for Gov. Romney in November."

House Democrats raise money off a Romney supporter's comment that "lower income" people don't get the impact of President Obama's policies.

With the House scheduled to vote Wednesday on whether to repeal the health care law, some Republicans worry that constantly rearguing the issue makes them seem out of touch.

“This is not about oversight, this is about overkill,” Rep. James E. Clyburn (D-S.C.) said. “There is something evil about using the processes of the House to further political aims.” Pelosi said that “what is happening on the floor of the House is a misuse of power” and a distraction from her preferred focus of “jobs, jobs, jobs, jobs.”

The House voted to hold Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. in contempt for failing to disclose internal Justice Department documents in response to a subpoena.

Leaders of the Republican-run House expect to vote this afternoon on a contempt of Congress citation for Attorney General Eric Holder... White House spokesman Jay Carney denounced the planned contempt vote as "political theater, an action taken by Congress that does not respond to the most urgent priorities of the American people."