Financial scandals and a quarter century of deregulation will give way to new big-government regulation no matter who wins the White House.

Representative John Culberson, a Texas Republican, acted as a citizen journalist, albeit a partisan one, covering Republicans in the House, after the chamber had adjourned for its recess.

The House overwhelmingly approved legislation that would give the F.D.A. new power to regulate tobacco products.

The House overwhelmingly approved legislation that would give the F.D.A. new power to regulate tobacco products.

The House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved legislation that would give the F.D.A. new power to regulate tobacco products.

The House voted overwhelmingly to ban lead and some dangerous chemicals from toys and other items that could end up in children’s mouths.

Industry leaders are questioning whether the weak produce-tracking rules that many of them once championed are more a curse than a blessing, several food safety experts say.

The House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved legislation that would give the F.D.A. new power to regulate tobacco products.

Bush vetoed a bill protecting doctors from a Medicare pay cut, but both houses of Congress overrode the veto with large bipartisan majorities and made the bill a law.

Democratic leaders have begun fashioning a package of stimulus measures, but President Bush and the Fed chairman, Ben S. Bernanke, both pronounced such action premature on Tuesday.