The Diane Rehm Show

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney accused President Barack Obama of dismantling federal welfare reform and creating a “culture of dependency.” The U.S. economy continued to send mixed signals. And victims of the Wisconsin Sikh temple shooting were remembered at vigils across the United States. Ron Elving of NPR, Nia Malika Henderson of The Washington Post and John King of CNN join Diane for analysis of the week's top national news stories.

Lawmakers have begun a five-week summer recess. A panel joins Diane to discuss what the 112th Congress has accomplished and what it left unfinished before going home to campaign for reelection.

The Federal Reserve said Wednesday that the economy was weaker but took no new steps to help. The House and Senate remained at loggerheads over whether to extend the Bush-era tax cuts. Presumptive Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney returned from a week-long overseas trip. And Chick-fil-A fans and critics took to the streets following anti-gay marriage comments by the company's president. Greg Ip of The Economist, Julie Hirshfeld Davis of Bloomberg News and Chris Cillizza of The Washington Post join Diane for analysis of the week's top national news stories.

The U.S. Postal Service is bracing for its first-ever default on billions of dollars. Options for resolving its financial troubles and the future of the nation's mail service.