Lawmakers Seek to Unclog Road to Confirmation

In a Life Filled With Firsts, One More

By LIZETTE ALVAREZ

Debbie Wasserman Schultz, a tireless politician, a mother of three and a cancer survivor, has a new job: Democratic party chairwoman.

McCain Raises Specter of Libyan Stalemate

By DAN BILEFSKY

Senator John McCain warned on Sunday that he feared the conflict in Libya threatened to create a vacuum that could result in Al Qaeda gaining control.

In a Place of Fragile Alliances, a Romance Endures

By ASHLEY PARKER

Two Democratic state senators have maintained a much-spoken-about personal relationship in a legislative chamber more familiar with fragile alliances.

Stimulus by Fed Is Disappointing, Economists Say

By BINYAMIN APPELBAUM

The Fed must decide whether to continue buying bonds in an effort to revive the economy, even though the recovery has flagged since the government began a $600 billion program in November.

Resistance to Gas Drilling Rises on Unlikely Soil

By KATE GALBRAITH

In several Texas cities, opposition to natural gas drilling and the accompanying process of hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, has emerged.

In Emanuel’s Team, a Mirror of the Man

By DAVID GREISING

With a C.E.O. mentality, Rahm Emanuel is making his early cabinet picks not just as a street-fighting former congressman, but also as a former investment banker.

Vermont Exercising Option to Balance the Budget

By ABBY GOODNOUGH

The only state without a budget-balancing requirement has turned out to be a fiscal goody two-shoes.

With ‘Coolest Job Ever’ Ending, Astronauts Seek Next Frontier

By KENNETH CHANG

As the space shuttle program comes to an end, it is a time of great uncertainty for those whose job involves spaceflight.

The Battle for Abilene on the Senate Map

By ROSS RAMSEY

Two Republican state senators in abutting districts need more people to reach the optimum size for redistricting. The transfer of Abilene is a possible solution, albeit a contested one.

Week in Review

Letting Others Lead in Libya

By DAVID E. SANGER

President Obama has sought an intervention policy that falls between the searing experiences of Rwanda and Iraq. But by letting allies pick up the burden, has America put its credibility on the line?

‘1861: The Civil War Awakening’

By ADAM GOODHEART
Reviewed by DEBBY APPLEGATE

In this exhilarating account of the Civil War’s first stage, Adam Goodheart turns his lens upon some fascinating figures who loomed large at the time but have now been mostly forgotten.