The Hill Articles: December 20, 2011

Biden calls Iraqi prime minister after reports of renewed sectarian tensions Dems turn payroll-tax fire on Senate candidates Lawmakers leave town after rejecting Senate payroll tax cut extension Former Sen. Ensign and Rep. Hastings named on ‘worst bosses’ list Panetta: Nuclear Iran is ‘unacceptable’ Top Iowa conservative asks Bachmann to drop out of presidential race Obama administration reducing Guard troops on Mexico border TSA: Knives found in hollowed-out book Lobbying World House GOP conferee thinks Reid might be bluffing FAA readies new pilot-fatigue rules GOP Sen. Portman says Senate should return to renew payroll tax cut bill McCain: Payroll-tax fight ‘harming the Republican Party’ Justice Department probes Verizon spectrum deal Rep. Steve King might not endorse before Iowa caucus DAY’S END ROUNDUP Cantor, Hoyer both criticize Senate after House votes CMS extends Medicaid waiver in Massachusetts GOP conferee: ‘I didn’t volunteer for this’ Democrat: Payroll tax fight not ‘Mission: Impossible’ Ethics: Rep. Young didn’t break rules House accepts GOP guidance on payroll tax, rejects Dem motion to instruct conferees Rep. Pelosi on Speaker Boehner: ‘He is not Lucy and we are not Charlie Brown’ EPA to unveil air pollution limits that Republicans say are threat to power grid Washington quietly upgrades fighter fleets of key allies as China rises Republicans eye return of the ‘Mact’ in payroll fight Pro-Romney group attacks Gingrich on ethics in new ad Lawmakers urge Commerce to ‘take all steps necessary’ to delay rollout of new domains Boehner: GOP negotiators ‘here, ready and able to work’ Poll: Romney overtakes Obama for the first time Pro-Romney group goes after Gingrich’s ethics in new ad Ex-Bush official involved in payroll tax letter touted by GOP Perry bills himself as the ‘only Main Street candidate’ Boehner urges Obama to drag Senate Dems back to payroll talks Fed takes on ‘too big to fail’ US Chamber petitions EPA to lower gas-well emissions estimates Obama: ‘Clock is ticking’ on payroll tax extension Markup of anti-piracy bill postponed General Dynamics doubles down on blast-resistant military vehicles Boehner names conferees for payroll tax bill Housing construction picked up pace in November Rep. Jackson Lee: Obama should use executive power to extend payroll tax cut House kills Dem bill condemning Rep. West for Nazi comment GOP senator ready to head back to Washington Dems launch fundraising pitch after House payroll vote Rep. Clyburn goes home for holidays for one hour, travels back to D.C. Airline industry predicts decline in holiday travel Criticism starts as House nixes Medicare ‘doc fix’ ‘Tis the season: Grover Norquist names his naughty, nice list House rebuffs Senate payroll tax cut extension, calls for conference Bachmann, Paul miss payroll tax cut vote ‪GOP Sen. Brown slams House for ‘playing politics’ with tax vote‬ Interior nears decision on project linking offshore wind power to grid Cantor: Democrats will have to answer to taxpayers Approval ratings: Obama spikes, Republicans sink in new poll Coburn report claims $6.5B in ‘egregious’ 2011 government waste Parks breathe life, and jobs, into cities Last Iraq commander returns to US with military flag President Obama: It’s not too late to reject bad detainee law Obama to House GOP: Senate bill is the only ‘viable way’ to prevent tax hike Rep. Boehner calls on House to fix payroll tax now, not in February Departed Gingrich staffer joins super-PAC Pratt & Whitney chief is new aerospace association chairman Homeless programs get injection of $1.47 billion Unemployment rate drops in 43 states Note to Santa: No green suits for Sen. Graham, Sen. Portman wants some cluckers GOP hits Dems over Medicare ‘Lie of the Year’ EPA’s risks outweigh rewards for new mercury rule Peninsula politics and Kim Jong-Il’s passing New PSA from Alaska state lawmaker targets TSA Trade commission rules for Apple in patent case House Dem says GOP is ‘ruining Christmas’ Alaska state lawmaker targets TSA in new PSA Reinventing politics Levin criticizes Republicans for ‘snubbing’ compromise A field still up for grabs Obama campaign rolls out swing-state fund Cain will not endorse Paul or Perry Romney: Solyndra was bad policy even if it succeeded Cantor predicts House will vote for conference, calls for work over next two weeks GOP doctors say stand-alone ‘doc fix’ needed if no payroll tax cut deal Religious leader: Romney’s Mormonism bigger problem than Gingrich’s infidelities Most of House to leave after payroll vote Bill Clinton: Gingrich doesn’t ‘really’ deserve all the credit for balancing the budget Iowa conservative endorses Santorum First female appointed deputy public printer of GPO Regulators claim victory over AT&T House approves rule setting up payroll tax break votes, 231-187 How does Gingrich rate on the Tea Party scorecard? Romney, Gingrich spar over negative ads DCCC chairman: Payroll tax cut will be ‘defining issue’ in 2012 election Attacks on Paul Ryan’s Medicare reform proposal named ‘lie of the year’ Slaying a dragon could send money to Ron Paul’s campaign Harry Reid keeps his word, John Boehner has lost the trust of Democrats Partisan Christmas ghosts haunt Washington, says GOP senator Google invests in California solar project GOP senators blame Obama for sectarian tensions in Iraq Pentagon: Japan’s F-35 pick a vote of confidence in US industry Lugar warns China on healthcare price controls News bites: What’s next for T-Mobile? Fifth Democrat drops out of Senate primary against Elizabeth Warren Schumer predicts GOP will fold in payroll fight White House quiets talk of using omnibus bill as tool in payroll tax fight News bites: Inside info Ron Paul releases new anti-Washington ad in early voting states Poll: Gingrich, Romney in dead heat nationally Agricultural innovation and exports key to America’s economic resurgence Rep. Camp endorses Romney Santorum lobbies for Family Leader endorsement House Dems top GOP in November fundraising News bites: Taking off for a nap Disappearing without a trace Rick Perry rising In op-ed, Romney looks past primary to Obama Gingrich wins endorsements from former American Family Association leader, Iowa Speaker Romney: US could face ‘financial crisis’ like Greece, Italy if Obama is reelected Tuesday: House votes on Senate conference Gov. Christie asked Romney to be ‘edgier and bolder’ Romney jokes about hair, Gingrich on ‘Letterman’ News bites: Healthcare exchange fight, struggling hospitals, and more GOP leader: Two-month tax extension would ‘do more harm than good’ Thompson’s work with unions as governor could hurt his Senate campaign Solar opportunity or trade war with US Nonprofits triumph over House Republicans in 2012 budget battle Gingrich struggling to regain ground in Iowa News bites: Google shoots for the sun, Shell leaks in the Gulf, and more MORNING READ Committee, after testy debate, approves rule for payroll tax cut vote House GOP to vote Tuesday on holding payroll tax conference with Senate Japan will buy F-35 fighters, boosting the troubled program