Richard C Shelby

Sen. Richard C. Shelby (D-Ala.) underwent successful surgery Tuesday at Walter Reed Army Medical Center to have his prostate removed because of cancer. Shelby, 59, learned of the cancer during a routine physical examination last week, his office said.

Top government regulators sought to assure U.S. senators Thursday that they were moving quickly to implement the sweeping financial reform law and pledged to work cooperatively to meet deadlines to write hundreds of rules required by the bill. But lawmakers were worried about the huge amount of work required by the law, which was enacted in July. They also questioned the ability of the newly created Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to draft rules before it has a director confirmed by the Senate.

AL KNOWS HARDBALL: Vice President Al Gore is still steaming over a run-in with a former Senate colleague. On a visit to Gore's Capitol office, Sen. Richard C. Shelby (D-Ala.) insisted that the President's economic plan needed deeper spending cuts instead of increased taxes. Sources say Gore was infuriated, feeling the scene--shown widely on TV news shows--made him look bad. Retaliation was swift and certain. The White House had newly appointed Sen. Robert Krueger (D-Tex.

One of Washington's nastiest political dramas will break into the open Tuesday when hearings begin before the Senate Intelligence Committee on the nomination of former White House National Security Advisor Anthony Lake as director of the Central Intelligence Agency. Lake will face off against his chief tormentor, Sen. Richard C. Shelby (R-Ala.), who chairs the committee. The two have little in common.

When the Senate was voting last week on whether to halt the filibuster that has been delaying passage of President Clinton's economic stimulus package, Alabama Democrat Richard C. Shelby did more when his name was called than simply vote "no." Aware that everyone in the chamber was watching, the portly senator rose to his full 6-foot-4 height and gestured a sweeping thumbs down. It was the latest skirmish in an ongoing war between the White House and its least favorite Democrat.

Richard C. Shelby, a freshman senator from Alabama who joined 10 other Democrats on the Senate Armed Services Committee on Thursday night in voting against Defense Secretary-designate John Tower, has never had any trouble crossing party lines to vote his own conservative conscience.

Top government regulators sought to assure U.S. senators Thursday that they were moving quickly to implement the sweeping financial reform law and pledged to work cooperatively to meet deadlines to write hundreds of rules required by the bill. But lawmakers were worried about the huge amount of work required by the law, which was enacted in July. They also questioned the ability of the newly created Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to draft rules before it has a director confirmed by the Senate.

One of Washington's nastiest political dramas will break into the open Tuesday when hearings begin before the Senate Intelligence Committee on the nomination of former White House National Security Advisor Anthony Lake as director of the Central Intelligence Agency. Lake will face off against his chief tormentor, Sen. Richard C. Shelby (R-Ala.), who chairs the committee. The two have little in common.

Here are excerpts from the Senate debate Tuesday preceding the vote to confirm Clarence Thomas' nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court: Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.): The issue before us is the fate of the Supreme Court and the Constitution now and for decades to come. It is no secret that I oppose Judge Thomas' nomination.

Six Senate Democrats joined all 44 Republicans in voting against President Clinton's economic plan Friday night. The Democrats voting no were David L. Boren, Oklahoma; Richard H. Bryan, Nevada; J. Bennett Johnston, Louisiana; Frank R. Lautenberg, New Jersey; Sam Nunn, Georgia, and Richard C. Shelby, Alabama.

Sen. Richard C. Shelby (D-Ala.) underwent successful surgery Tuesday at Walter Reed Army Medical Center to have his prostate removed because of cancer. Shelby, 59, learned of the cancer during a routine physical examination last week, his office said.

BAD BOY, GOOD BOY: A White House morality play (aimed at congressional mavericks) spins on. After punishing Sen. Richard C. Shelby (D-Ala.) for strafing President Clinton's economic plan, the White House is rewarding the state's other Democratic senator, Howell Heflin, for backing it. Shelby saw 90 space station jobs rocket from Huntsville, Ala., to Houston after he blasted the plan's spending and taxes.

When the Senate was voting last week on whether to halt the filibuster that has been delaying passage of President Clinton's economic stimulus package, Alabama Democrat Richard C. Shelby did more when his name was called than simply vote "no." Aware that everyone in the chamber was watching, the portly senator rose to his full 6-foot-4 height and gestured a sweeping thumbs down. It was the latest skirmish in an ongoing war between the White House and its least favorite Democrat.

Here are excerpts from the Senate debate Tuesday preceding the vote to confirm Clarence Thomas' nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court: Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.): The issue before us is the fate of the Supreme Court and the Constitution now and for decades to come. It is no secret that I oppose Judge Thomas' nomination.

Richard C. Shelby, a freshman senator from Alabama who joined 10 other Democrats on the Senate Armed Services Committee on Thursday night in voting against Defense Secretary-designate John Tower, has never had any trouble crossing party lines to vote his own conservative conscience.

The Senate Intelligence Committee will proceed with confirmation hearings next week on CIA Director-designate Anthony Lake, the committee's chairman said. Sen. Richard C. Shelby (R-Ala.) said the hearings could go forward although he could not negotiate a compromise with the White House over access to Lake's confidential FBI personnel file. Some Senate Republicans are demanding access to the full file, which includes sensitive interviews and unconfirmed background material.