The Hill Articles: February 25, 2011

Consumer confidence hits highest level since 2008 Hatch blasts administration for floating tax change Travel agents: Shutdown would be devastating Pelosi calls hearing on jobs for Monday Rep. Flake won’t address Tea Party convo in Phoenix A closer look at next week … Funding fight is likely to eat up Senate’s schedule DAY’S END ROUNDUP Shutdown talk softens as GOP details plans for $4 billion in cuts House GOP’s short-term spending bill does not target EPA Hollywood stars to join protesters in Wisconsin Senate Democrats signal possible acceptance of GOP stopgap Short-term CR avoids reform defunding Interior officials won’t offer timeline for issuing offshore drilling permits Healthcare déjà vu Gov. Walker’s common-sense budget proposal Florida gets an extra week to think about high-speed rail funds Republicans release two-week spending measure Gingrich rips Obama on DOMA but denies call for impreachment House GOP planning to move bill extending federal highway spending Rep. Weiner’s delivers on promise of bar mitzvah photo Survey shows mobile etiquette getting worse Cyber sanity USDA sets up $1.3 billion fund to resolve discrimination claims Analysts: Approval for CenturyLink-Qwest deal coming soon Anthony Weiner becomes a man Chinese telecom firm Huawei invites government probe President Obama orders unilateral sanctions on Libya Obama signs Patriot Act extension into law Dallas mayor enters Senate race, promises to make ‘hard calls’ House committees to examine budget, healthcare, foreign policy next week Spratt, Domenici: Strong chance Senate Dems, GOP will agree on debt plan House cuts key program to keep nuclear weapons from terrorists With one week until shutdown, GOP puts Senate Dems on the spot Allen West not ruling out VP bid: ‘I’m always willing to serve my country’ GOP budget staffer: Freshmen complicating spending fight Senate committees plan more budget work next week Scott Brown blasts GOP Senate campaign arm for ‘brush-off’ Groups press Senate to reject House ethanol restrictions House Democrats raise money off of Wisconsin labor dispute ‘First to file’ is threat to job creation Panel discusses tax reform roadblocks White House names Jeremy Bernard first male social secretary Groups urge Congress to keep Medicaid requirements Predicting the Egyptian revolution As shutdown looms, few indications of how, when impasse will be broken Spain lowers speed limit amid shortage of oil from Libya Top expert warns against using strategic oil reserves COICA not coming next week Senate returns to Patriot Act extension next week Republican condemns ‘violent statement’ about Obama at Georgia town hall GOP targets ‘most liberal’ Dem senators Sens. Rubio, Blunt join Senate Communications subpanel Gov. Rick Scott exceeds constitutional authority Barbour, in tweet, calls on Obama to defend DOMA Fla. Republican facing state probe calls himself ‘most transparent’ member Time to end the taxpayer subsidy of Planned Parenthood Interior’s big guns gather in Houston for drilling review Sen. Shelby says ‘Chicago politics’ made difference in tanker decision Military airwaves at risk in public safety bill, groups say Cantor: Dems need to stop playing ‘chicken’ with shutdown Carney to assume @PressSec account Monday The only way to ruin Social Security Cantor: House GOP shares Gov. Walker’s motivation on spending Reid tied with eight others as most liberal senator Sen. Rand Paul to David Letterman: Al Franken says you’re not that funny Quigley’s Grading Scale for Presidential Viability in 2012 N.Y. Dem fundraises off budget vote Individual assuming responsibility Obama in 2007: ‘I’ll walk on that picket line’ if bargaining rights threatened Fox News should fire Glenn Beck; Speaker Boehner should denounce the birthers House plans vote on bill targeting federal trespassers McCain, Lieberman meet with Israeli PM Biden offers tribute to late Rep. Tom Lantos Freedom of assembly trumps free enterprise News bites: Oil prices stabilize, dolphins are dying in the Gulf, and more Economy grew slower than first estimated at the end of 2010 With governors in town, HHS tries to soothe fears about health law Romney ‘proud’ of Mass. health reform Gingrich says Florida GOPers would be strong vice presidential candidates Senior Dem senator to NFL: Open your books in labor dispute Gingrich nearing decision on 2012 Boehner should defend same-sex marriage ban, says Santorum Frustrated mayors hope Rahm Emanuel will have Obama’s ear Bill stripping union rights clears first hurdle in Wisconsin Should the GOP pin hopes on 2016? Some contenders wait to jump in MORNING READ Senate Democrats eye the lockbox for Social Security, in Al Gore revival GOP leader faces tough audience at Harvard OVERNIGHT MONEY: Thousands of ways OVERNIGHT TECH: The White House celebrates Motown