The Hill Articles: December 15, 2011

Tea Party leader arrested with gun at NY airport GOP Rep. Davis won’t seek another term OVERNIGHT TECH: Judiciary burning midnight oil on SOPA markup OVERNIGHT HEALTH: Ryan/Wyden Medicare plan panned Rep. West: Joseph Goebbels would be ‘very proud of the Democrat Party’ Lawmakers grow confident deal will be reached by weekend Obama: Candidates’ personal lives should not be ‘primary issue’ Santorum super PAC launches Last-minute ad blitz OVERNIGHT ENERGY: Curtain rises on EPA’s final MACT USPS: We can’t pay retiree prepayment even if delayed Last-minute ad blitz for Santorum OVERNIGHT MONEY: The year’s final bills appear headed for resolution House GOP gears up for Friday vote on appropriations package Illinois court upholds Democratic redistricting plan Legislative agencies feel pinch in final FY12 appropriations bill Iran sanctions, suspended aid to Pakistan among other items in Defense bill Google co-founder writes that piracy bill could limit free speech Corzine defends himself against claims of shifting customer funds DAY’S END ROUNDUP Gingrich signs anti-gay marriage pledge, says homosexuality a choice Cain reiterates desire for secretary of Defense job Polls: Democrats hold edge in marquee Senate races in Virginia, New Mexico Perry defends ‘America’s toughest sheriff’ against discrimination charges Holmes Norton blasts Republicans for possible shutdown, effects on DC Congress increases funding for e-gov fund Regulators and doctors must work together to ensure safety of biologic medicines Rep. King offends Rep. Jackson Lee with tweet calling her boring SEC appeals court rejection of Citigroup settlement Congress sends defense bill to Obama Corzine gets served during hearing break on Capitol Hill The Flaws with WTO Perry: It’s ‘an honor’ to be criticized for my faith Poll shows support for banning drivers from using cellphones Sen. Kirk: Pipeline provision may make payroll tax cut extension bill McKeon bill would undo first year of automatic cuts Sen. Lieberman’s Hanukkah wish list includes Glenn Beck’s new book Democrats, GOP make final effort to pass tax bill, stave off government shutdown Panetta to troops: ‘Your nation is deeply indebted to you’ Dems, allies firmly reject Paul Ryan’s new Medicare reform plan Poll: Millennials down on Obama Romney TV ad calls for fiscal responsibility NYC wins victory over childhood obesity Court prepares to hear challenges to FCC’s Universal Service order Congress marks the end of the Iraq war Cavuto not bundling up for GOP debate Cain eyes job of Defense secretary Ron Paul attacks Gingrich on military deferments Senate set to vote on Defense Authorization conference report Carney stops short of veto threat on Keystone pipeline Boehner: Omnibus will pass, ‘no need to shut down’ Weatherization works! Plan B and politics vs. common sense Former Rep. Perriello joins progressive think tank’s advocacy team Obama administration rejects Florida’s request for health law waiver House wraps up Thursday work with votes on three noncontroversial bills Rep. Matheson will run for reelection in 2012 Russia’s Putin lashes out at Sen. McCain over tweet Poll: Majority want Congress to extend payroll-tax break Congress members clash over call to investigate NYPD New Romney ad calls spending a ‘moral responsibility’ House re-approves extension of welfare block grants to states Omnibus clocks in at 1,200 pages Line-item-veto bill moves forward after tense debate House Democrats blast GOP efforts to avoid automatic defense cuts GOP Rep. King ‘bored’ by Rep. Jackson Lee Lawmakers want House Judiciary Committee to slow online piracy bill Elizabeth Warren makes pitch for gay rights Political cartoonists rooting for Gingrich Obama opposes Ryan-Wyden plan GOP lawmaker calls on Geithner to repeal Sudan representation license Defense bill amendment seeks to block LightSquared Obama: Congress should not leave until payroll-tax holiday extended Charged California rail debate rolls into House committee Herman Cain: I’d want to be Defense secretary Watchdogs: Perry team might have violated campaign finance laws Obama: Congress should prevent payroll tax hike before vacation First family tweets new portrait McCain escalates feud with Russian Prime Minister Putin Gingrich: Romney attacks violate the ‘spirit of Christmas’ FBI director: ‘We have not sought’ information from controversial cellphone tracking company Nuclear chief Jaczko says he’s ‘mortified’ by staff allegations of verbal abuse Mark Zandi: Economy should be improved in 2012 Boehner confident GOP will win Friday vote on $1T omnibus package Spending bill curbs EPA Alaskan air-quality role Striking the balance in the Arctic Pelosi warns GOP: You’re on your own with omnibus vote Texas Monthly names Rick Perry ‘bum steer of the year’ Senate Democrats continue push for simplified bank disclosures FBI denies using controversial cellphone tracking software GOP lawmaker rejects Friedman’s ‘bought and paid for’ assertion on Netanyahu Gingrich moves away from electronic health records Cellphone-tracking company meets with feds McCain blasts number of GOP debates Technology neutrality is the right approach for enhanced fuel economy Poll: Reps. Sutton, Renacci tied in incumbent showdown Rep. Hoyer to GOP: Stop picking on federal employees Cutting cancer patients’ care is not the right fix Survey: Congressional approval at record low, GOP takes brunt of anger House Judiciary to mark up online piracy bill Sen. Wyden touts Ryan Medicare shift as win for Democrats Sen. Paul and Rep. West cut their own hair Sen. Boxer defends nuke chief Jaczko GOP Leader Cantor: Palestinian culture ‘infused with resentment and hatred’ Michigan Senate candidate loses campaign manager Gingrich airs new commercial denouncing attack ads Jobless claims drop to three-year low Sen. McCain: US at risk of ‘losing everything we gained’ in Iraq Testing shows LightSquared harms ‘majority’ of GPS, including flight safety Report: Marines exaggerated Medal of Honor winner’s story Reid changes tune, signals deal close on $1T omnibus News bites: Facebook rolls out Timeline Rep. Neal: I support CLASS Act Huntsman making a move in New Hampshire! Poll: Romney lead is safe in New Hampshire Who can defeat Obama in 2012? Spending bill cuts EPA funding, but most ‘riders’ left out House GOP unveils $1 trillion omnibus, raising pressure on Democrats News bites: GOP hopes to make Keystone XL an election issue News bites: Cleared for landing GOP senator proposes separate vote on Keystone measure Giuliani slams Romney, likens Newt to Reagan Jon Stewart: Obama adviser Melody Barnes feeling ‘pure joy’ about leaving White House National Review: Don’t nominate Gingrich Thursday: Two days to reach a deal News bites: Another look Panetta marks Iraq war’s end in Baghdad House unveils $69.7B HHS bill that funds abstinence Why we need to restore the American dream for the 99% News bites: Public-option comeback, repeat hospital visits, and more Iowa debate could be final face-off for GOP candidates before first vote Huntsman jumps to third place with 13 percent in New Hampshire poll Omnibus reflects hard-fought compromises Political cartoonists rooting for Gingrich GOP officials say Romney must spend more time in South Carolina to win state Hollywood, pro-Israel lobby, unions seek exemptions from ban on lobbyist gifts Four Dem women get EMILY’s List backing MORNING READ GOP candidates slam Obama, Planned Parenthood at abortion forum Sides plot endgame on payroll tax Jaczko goes nuclear, say underlings White House backs down from threat to veto Defense bill over detainee language Bernanke, IMF chief meet with GOP lawmakers to allay euro bailout fears As clock ticks towards shutdown, still no funding votes in the Senate Preparing for possibility of shutdown, Senate clears intel appropriations bill GOP hawks face vigorous fight to avert billions in automatic Defense cuts Q&A with with Holland Taylor Theater dinner Sen. Lieberman’s Hanukkah wish list includes Glenn Beck’s new book Don’t cut the budgets for troops’ healthcare, weapons Sen. Paul and Rep. West cut their own hair Thinking ahead, Pelosi had a Christmas tree at her family’s Thanksgiving dinner Bill banning insider trading advances in Senate over GOP opposition Obama’s TV favorites: ‘Boardwalk Empire’ and ‘Homeland’ ‘Binding’ treaty obsession still ties up climate action OVERNIGHT HEALTH: Ryan, Wyden to release Medicare plan Anti-abortion groups vow to fight Ben Nelson’s reelection Bundling money for influence still out of sight