WASHINGTON - Sen. Joe Lieberman has decided to retire in 2012.

Democratic officials, who requested anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly, said Tuesday that the independent from Connecticut would not seek a fifth term in 2012.

The 68-year-old Lieberman won his fourth term in 2006 as an independent after losing the Democratic primary to businessman Ned Lamont, but he continues to side mostly with Senate Democrats...

Sen. Kent Conrad (D-N.D.) will announce his retirement today, Democratic sources tell The Fix. Conrad had made no secret that he was pondering his retirement next cycle. His departure will create a prime pickup opportunity for the GOP, since North Dakota traditionally leans Republican...

When it comes to plans to reform the way in which filibusters work in the Senate, one group that stands to lose the most is mounting some opposition to the idea.

Abortion advocates tell Politico they are concerned about efforts by Senate Democrats to take away or limit the rights of the minority party in the Senate to use the filibuster to stop legislation, amendments or nominees. Under the filibuster rules, senators wanting to vote on legislation or amendments must obtain 60 votes before they can move ahead with a vote, as opposed to the traditional majority.

Staffers with NARAL and other pro-abortion groups have raised the concerns with their pro-abortion friends in the Senate about the push by Senators Tom Harkin, Tom Udall, and Jeff Merkley. The lawmakers want to revise the filibuster rules to make it so lawmakers actually have to go to the Senate floor to filibuster — debate and talk — as opposed to threatening to do so without carrying through with the endless debate...

If one lawmaker has his way NHL stars Alexander Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom won't be the only folks in Washington doing their work surrounded by Plexiglas. Rep. Dan Burton, R-Ind., intends to introduce legislation similar to a measure he presented in 2007 to enclose the House Chamber in a "transparent and substantial material" to prevent people from tossing explosives or shooting onto the floor.

Such an occurrence wouldn't be unprecedented. On March 1, 1954, four Puerto Rican nationalists entered the House visitors' gallery and fired nineteen shots at members and staff during a vote. Five representatives were wounded in the attack.

Since that incident, and several others involving firearms and explosives, the Capitol has strengthened its security apparatus. It now screens all visitors at an underground security checkpoint located in the Capitol Visitor Center.

MIAMI, Fla -Florida's newest U.S. Senator has barely been in office for 5 days but in nearly every interview since being sworn in on January 5th, Republican Marco Rubio has been asked about his aspirations for 2012.

Rubio has repeatedly sought to shut down any speculation that he may run for president, but speaking Monday to a local radio station in Fort Myers, Fla., Rubio also rejected any talk of becoming a vice presidential pick on a potential GOP ticket.

"No, and I don't spend anytime thinking about it," Rubio said bluntly to FOX 92.5 radio host Trey Radel...

The head of an Ohio-based political action committee is relieved that one Republican will no longer represent his state as the 112th Congress convenes.

Among the new senators sworn in this week will be Ohio Republican Rob Portman, who could be one of the most conservative members of that chamber in the coming years. According to Phil Burress, chairman of the Citizens for Community Values (CCV), Portman is pro-life and pro-business.

"Senator Portman is not only a conservative, but he is also a friend of mine, and I've known him before he even ran for Congress in the first place. So we're going to have a tremendous pro-life, pro-family senator who will be representing us," he reports...

A California-based law group says the freshmen legislators who will soon enter Congress will not be able to repeal the healthcare bill in the next session.

As a new set of lawmakers prepares to take office, one lawyer says ObamaCare will most likely stay for now. Brad Dacus, president of the Pacific Justice Institute (PJI), explains that even though legislators wish to defeat ObamaCare, they will only be able stop the cash flow to portions of the bill that are federally funded.

"They can't repeal it until they have 60 votes in the Senate, which won't happen...[until] 2012, maybe not until 2014," he reports. "And there also needs to be a president elected in 2012 that is willing to sign a repeal and have other reform adopted"...

Honolulu (AP) - President Barack Obama bypassed the Senate Wednesday to make six recess appointments, including a deputy attorney general whose links to the insurance giant American International Group had stalled his confirmation.

Obama first nominated James Cole to the No. 2 Justice Department post in May. But Republican lawmakers blocked his confirmation in part because of questions about his role as an independent consultant for AIG before its near collapse and government bailout in 2008. Senate Republicans complained that confidentiality agreements prevented them from receiving answers about his work for the company.

Others, including Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions, the top Republican on the judiciary committee, raised questions about statements Cole made suggesting he supported trying terror suspects in U.S. courts rather than military tribunals...

The Senate on Wednesday passed a bill to pay for the health care of first responders to the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks after reaching a bipartisan agreement to slash the price tag.

The deal lowered the cost of the bill to $4.2 billion -- about $2 billion less than an earlier version. It will authorize a health benefits program for five years, while placing several restrictions on how the money is doled out.

The House is expected to vote on the package later on Wednesday. Despite the loss of several members who have left town, the House is expected to have enough lawmakers for a quorum...

The Senate voted Tuesday to limit debate on the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START), paving the way for final ratification of the arms-control pact as key Republicans defied their party leadership and announced support for the accord.

The move to invoke cloture passed by a 67-28 vote after several days of debate and unsuccessful Republican attempts to add amendments to the U.S.-Russia arms agreement.

The Senate could take a final vote to formally ratify the treaty as early as Wednesday...