A spokesperson for the family of former Vice President Dick Cheney says he is "doing great", and is up and walking less than a week after receiving a heart transplant. Kara Ahern says Mr. Cheney has been making a lot of phone calls to family and friends.

Mr. Cheney also received a great deal of mail from people all over the country during his time at Inova Fairfax Hospital.

Ahern tells Fox News, the former Vice President has been calling people he doesn't know personally, "perfect strangers", who have sent in cards and notes wishing him well. Ahern says, "most of them are shocked when he [Cheney] tells them who is calling."

According to Ahern, Mr. Cheney and his family are very appreciative of all of the well wishes and prayers.

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Dr. Jonathan Reiner, who has treated former Vice President Dick Cheney for many years, says his long-time patient is doing amazingly well following heart transplant surgery on Saturday.

In a phone conversation, Dr. Reiner said he was amazed by what he saw this morning when visiting Mr. Cheney in the hospital.

Less than 48 hours after receiving a heart transplant at Inova Fairfax Hospital in Northern Virginia, the 71 year-old former Vice President was out of bed and sitting up in a chair. A family spokesperson told Fox Mr. Cheney was spending time with his wife Lynne and his daughters, talking, and was even able to stand up a day after surgery.

Dr. Reiner says it is "absolutely" possible a healthy heart could give him another 10 years, and adds "that was the goal."

In terms of risks, Dr. Reiner says organ rejection, infection, and blood clots which can cause strokes are some of the issues his medical team will be monitoring.

Dr. Reiner praised the former Vice President for not allowing a battery-powered medical pump that helped his heart since July 2010 to keep him from living an active life. The cardiologist says after he recovers Mr. Cheney will find "there is nothing he cannot do" with his transplanted heart. (read more)

One of the key components of the payroll tax compromise legislation is extending long-term unemployment insurance.

Republicans sought to shrink the maximum length of benefits from almost two years to 73 weeks.

"This legislation will also guarantee that millions of hard-working Americans looking for a job in this tough economy will not have the safety net ripped out from under them," Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid told reporters.

This would be the 10th extension or expansion of unemployment since 2008.

Yet with some 7.5 million Americans collecting benefits, and what appears to be an improving economy, how long is too long?

"It's really a philosophical question of how strong is your safety net and how long and where is the point at which you influence lack of search versus for a search for a job," said Senator Tom Coburn of, R.OK 

There is research suggesting that extending the duration of benefits increases the length of time workers remain unemployed -- reducing the need to make tough choices such as moving or changing industries.

"It's interesting in the last couple of weeks as I've talked to people, every one of them has told me somebody that's on unemployment that's not about to go, cause they're doing just fine on unemployment, and if they didn't have it they'd be out, have a job," Coburn told reporters. (read more)

With President Obama's 2013 budget now in the hands of members of Congress, typically, the House and Senate would pass budget resolutions, which would tell the Appropriations committees how much they can allocate. Then the appropriators figure out how much money discretionary programs would receive.

This year is different because Majority Leader Harry Reid has said the Senate will not vote on a budget.

"They haven't had a budget now pass the Senate for over 1,000 days. And the Democrat leader and the Democratic-controlled Senate said we're not even going to vote on the president's budget," Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., told Fox News.

Democrats argue the binding budget caps from the debt ceiling agreement last summer was enough, so the Senate will not take up a budget this year. House Budget Chairman Paul Ryan says he will present a budget citing a “moral obligation” to try and fix this country’s major problems.

Even if Congress does not pass a budget through this process, you can expect to hear Obama and House Republicans selling key points from each proposal to the American people in this election year.

"I suppose there are many ways to make the process better, but the principal one is for elected officials of goodwill to decide they're going to check the ideological baggage at the door when they go to negotiate," White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said. (read more)

With the temporary extension of the payroll tax holiday, long-term unemployment benefits, and the so-called Medicare "Doc Fix" all due to run out at the end of the month, congressional negotiators admit their time is running short.

"I think the next step forward is the unemployment insurance proposal," said Rep. Sander Levin, D-Mich., who is one of the negotiators.

But Republican leaders say Democrats have made the calculation that it is more important to score political points than reach a solution -- as Democrats reject GOP offers of how to pay for an extension that would run through the end of the year. Many Democrats favor a millionaire surtax, while Republicans have called that a nonstarter.

"What's pretty clear is that Senate Democrats have never come to the table with a plan to offset this new spending that they're all for," said a clearly frustrated House Speaker John Boehner.

"Every bipartisan discussion we get in with our friends on the other side seems to be designed not to get an outcome," Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell told reporters. (read more)

House Speaker John Boehner told a group of journalists Tuesday morning that he and President Obama have a good, cordial relationship, although admitted the two haven't spoken since December 23.

"We just come from two different planets," Boehner said. "We speak a different language."

As for the State of the Union address, in which Boehner will be sitting behind President Obama, the Speaker set the bar low. "The White House made clear by Labor Day that it was in full campaign mode. The President wants this to be a year one address... he's taking on the role of Rip Van Winkle... like he slept through the two years where Democrats controlled both chambers."

The Speaker is hoping the President will address the automatic defense cuts due to kick in as a result of the Congressional Super Committee's failure.

Boehner called the defense cuts "entirely unacceptable", and said they would "weaken our defense significantly... putting America in a very precarious situation."

Boehner used the debt talks last summer to describe the difficulty of their working relationship. "It was like negotiating with someone who has never negotiated with anyone before," said Boehner. (read more)

On the eve of the World Series, four Democratic Senators Dick Durbin (IL), Frank Lautenberg (NJ), Tom Harkin (IA) and Richard Blumenthal (CT) have sent a letter to the Major League Baseball Players Association calling on it to ban the use of all tobacco products on the field, in the dugout, and in the clubhouse at MLB ballparks.

Their argument is an expected 15 million viewers - including many children - will be watching the 2011 World Series. "Unfortunately, as these young fans root for their favorite teams and players, they also will watch their on-field heroes use smokeless tobacco products," wrote the Senators.

Recent statistics suggest use of smokeless tobacco is a growing problem with America's youth. (read more)

With President Obama touring the Midwest, and Congress out on recess, allies Canada and Colombia have entered a free trade agreement putting American businesses at a competitive disadvantage.

The U.S. has negotiated free trade pacts with Colombia, Panama, and South Korea, but they have yet to be ratified.

Rep. Kevin Brady, R-Texas, who is the Chairman of the House Trade Subcommittee, told Fox News, "With our economy struggling, we need new consumers - for our businesses, for our workers, for our farmers. But America has been off the trade field, and our competitors like Canada, like Europe, like China have moved very aggressively to take these new markets."

The practical impact is Canadian farmers can now sell their wheat to Colombia duty-free, while American farmers must pay a 13 percent tariff. (read more)

Just when it looked like the GOP Presidential field was finally taking shape, there is speculation that another big name may be joining the fray.

Stephen Hayes reports in the WEEKLY STANDARD that Congressman Paul Ryan, R-Wis., is "strongly considering a run for president," and has been quietly meeting with political strategists over the past three months to discuss a possible White House bid. Hayes also writes that Ryan is presently on vacation in Colorado where he is discussing the subject with his family.

The House Budget Committee Chairman's Press Secretary Kevin Seifert tells Fox News: "While grateful for the continued support and encouragement, Congressman Ryan has not changed his mind."  (read more)