The Hill Articles: March 16, 2010

Two large companies repaying TARP funds Lobbying World Kaptur: Abortion just one of several factors in healthcare decision Working with an unpredictable Congress Obama economic team under fire for grim employment forecast ‘Sunshine Week’ highlights transparency Gen. Petraeus open to changing ‘Don’t ask, don’t tell’ policy on gays in military Analysis on jobs bill released by JCT Top 10 lobbying fights over financial reform overhaul legislation Morris: Negative ads to hit Dems who vote ‘yes’ Hodes wants fellow Dems to follow GOP earmark ban N.H. primary shows battle for Tea Party endorsement Census looks like a bust Up in arms over Iran Funny little hypocrites Gregg: Bipartisan deal on derivatives overhaul unlikely this week The man with two tough jobs Senate expected to clear jobs bill Wednesday Congress can’t be allowed to emulate ‘Animal House’ Specter defends reconciliation: ‘Fight fire with fire’ Weyant’s World: March 17, 2010 Congress must push forward on regulatory system reform Putting Americans back to work Time for an honest debate on the deficit U.S. firms doing business abroad pay fair tax share DAY’S END ROUND UP Top Senate appropriators decry earmark ban Irish P.M.: Ireland good for U.S. business N. Ireland votes for peace, economic prosperity House Republicans hit SEC on climate disclosure Neal to look at expiring tax breaks and the budget Pelosi: Complaints should be about insurer tactics Lincoln: House move to avoid vote ‘won’t fly’ GOP to offer several amendments to Levin small business bill Gates picks vice admiral to run troubled F-35 Joint Strike Fighter jet program Stop the spending (Rep. Michele Bachmann) Obama praises FCC plan to expand broadband Congress still waiting on CBO numbers Rep. Honda miffed at Graham’s ‘kamikaze’ statement Napolitano to consider request for drones on U.S.-Mexico border Tues. tech roundup: Broadband plan drops, Google readies next China move Boustany highlights major flaw in health reform Federal agents pose as Facebook friends to nab criminals Reid wary of earmark restrictions; defends Congress’s constitutional authority Rove was only WH staffer on 9/11 with BlackBerry Saying no to people of good faith Fixing Washington: The Public Online Information Act It’s not a GOP rally, it’s the circus! Caucuses looming, Bennet launches first ad Pelosi: No decisions have been made on healthcare process Reid calls procedure on climate and energy bill in flux Obama fills out NCAA bracket Gibbs dismisses Slaughter critics as playing ‘legislative process game’ Senate Republicans will meet to discuss earmarks Levin outlines committee agenda HC reform: Reconciliation and repackaging GOP releases own memo bashing ‘deem and pass’ health plan Fed holds rates at record lows Bill Clinton to Senate Democrats on energy and climate bill: ‘Get it done’ Gibbs: White House confident its talks with Sestak were ‘not problematic’ Why we need ESEA reauthorization this year Governors: clean energy incentives should move without climate piece Hildebrand threatens Herseth Sandlin with primary TOP TWEETS Romney picks Haley in S.C. governor primary Glickman takes final bow as head of MPAA Palin slams W.H. for ‘manufactured controversy’ with Israel GAO: Federal government’s online spending portal hampered by inconsistencies DLCC launches $20M redistricting effort Dems fire back at GOP’s ethics attack with ad of their own Quote of the day Wasserman Schultz warms up for softball game Sec. Geithner: ‘Not a chance’ U.S. will lose AAA bond rating Locke hypes Census as funding tool for cash-strapped cities Paton added to Young Guns Report: Fed agencies obtain Web cookie waivers Economic stimulus policies Hoyer defends tactic to ‘deem’ approval of Senate health bill without voting on it Hoyer shoots down Larson’s vote count, Clyburn’s timeline Obama’s threat not to campaign for Dems voting no on ObamaCare Chamber to spend another $3M in battle over financial reform Dems say Tea Party rally shows dissipating opposition to health reform Coming Soon: Legislation granting foreign investment in real estate A new kind of March Madness Clyburn: Dems still don’t have health votes Lincoln lashes out at labor in new ad Indy Mass. governor candidate says healthcare bill will bankrupt country Levin strikes pension relief from small business tax bill FCC’s Clyburn: Relocating broadcast airwaves could hurt local news The Big Question: Should Dems ‘deem and pass’ healthcare? Dems rebuke Obama administration for Israel criticism HR 4789 and the public option: the way forward (Rep. Alan Grayson) MIDDAY ROUNDUP House GOP looks to force vote on Senate health bill GOP to try to stop ‘Slaughter solution’ Cue to Ehrlich-for-Senate talk Key Dem: Using ‘deem and pass’ health plan is ‘wrong’ FCC’s McDowell challenges broadband plan recommendations Clinton, Podesta to talk climate change at Senate Democrats’ Tuesday lunch Senate Dems launch protest of GOP filibusters of Obama nominees McDowell: March Madness a major driver of broadband adoption Dems lowering expectations for Bennet FAA modernization returns to Senate floor Bill Nelson to lobby Obama on NASA cuts Bill Nelson to lobby Obama on NASA cuts Senate GOP targets wavering House Dems on healthcare Pelosi touts FCC broadband plan for its job-creation potential DSCC candidate gaining in North Carolina Petraeus offers first public support for change to ‘Don’t ask’ Maffei remains a ‘yes’ Court rules Tea Party can attempt to recall Menendez The corrupt bargain Karl Rove owns a ‘mini ranch’ House GOP rallies Tea Partiers on Hill Restoring voting rights to millions Council on Foreign Relations powers up online nuclear guide Dems keep Maffei as yes vote on health bill Google license to operate in China to expire at month’s end Colorado caucus primer McCain, Lieberman meet with Petraeus ABC News features series on economy, middle class Washington, where nobody is bi Lawmaker gets warmed up for Congressional Women’s Softball Game Fiorina, in 2008, lauded cap-and-trade ESEA blueprint a step forward for public education (Sen. Tom Harkin) Ladies’ Night: Dem. female senators head to Baltimore Democrats move closer to passing Senate health bill without vote on text Karl Rove had breakfast with lingerie-clad Elizabeth Taylor Grayson: Palin is a ‘wild Alaskan dingbat’ Rules Committee claims precedent for ‘deem and pass’ plan Liberal group spends more as healthcare finish line nears Staffers seek to educate Tea Party on tax breaks in health bill SEIU backs Specter in Pa. Dem primary Top of the ballot E2 Round-up: Governors want national renewable mandate, U.S. may not be prepared to ‘cope’ with climate change, scientists defend climate science Hayworth parts ways with top consultant Dodd: Preferable to pass health bill in straightforward manner Clyburn says health vote could push past Easter holiday Justice Stevens says he’ll decide on retirement in the next month firedoglake RedState VeriSign’s McLaughlin: The best of the Internet is ‘yet to come’ AMERICAblog Huffington Post Hot Air MORNING READ Drudge Report Tech industry group ‘encouraged’ by broadband plan Senate GOP feels the heat on earmarks BOOK: The spy who came in from the farm 8 primaries where bailout support could make a difference Drum roll, please: The National Broadband Plan–in digital form Karl Rove: 40 percent chance health reform will pass Stupak: House Dem leaders at least 16 votes short on healthcare reform Dem leader: We have the votes for healthcare Obama calls for courage Graham: Climate draft may wait until after spring recess Dodd sets up new scrutiny over Wall St. Months after last health vote, many Dems in tougher reelection races Overnight Senate session averted on jobs legislation