The Hill Articles: May 12, 2011

Appointments Eastern Market is a tasty midday getaway OVERNIGHT ENERGY: Interior drilling chief calls GOP oil bill a ‘suicide pact’ Blue Duck Tavern: First impressions are everything Florida Rep. says White House poetry guest a ‘slap in the face’ to police officers The new third rail in politics Fundraising is a tricky business Osama, Obama and 2012 Pass on Gringrich The House is ceiling-less House prepares for debate honoring intelligence agents for bin Laden killing OVERNIGHT TECH: White House wades into cybersecurity debate OVERNIGHT HEALTH: Medicare solvency report expected Friday OVERNIGHT MONEY: Nitty gritty Lawmakers, Obama administration push ahead on plan to shed excess federal property Senate adjourns after lackluster week Biden: Medicare, taxes are both on the table in debt reduction talks Romney picks Wolverines over Spartans in Michigan Senate report: Santorum emailed Ensign that affair could be made public Issa: Draft order is ‘Chicago, hardball politics’ DAY’S END ROUNDUP Biden to attend Emanuel inauguration Scott Brown hails Romney’s ‘courage’ in healthcare speech House approves two diversity amendments to intelligence bill Black Caucus pushes Obama to ease minorities’ economic ‘pain’ Bipartisan senators introduce pediatric training bill House panel approves Medicaid flexibility bill Lawmakers look to limit taxes on digital goods White House raises stakes in cybersecurity debate Holding the president accountable to commitments made over Medicare discussions 2012 rival slams Romney’s ‘lack of foresight’ in backing ‘RomneyCare’ Huckabee endorses in Florida Senate race Romney compares Boeing lawsuit to healthcare law Bernanke: Debt limit not a ‘bargaining chip’ Businesses continued building up inventories in March Facebook hires Burson-Marsteller to stir up Google privacy concerns Ethics reports evidence Ensign violated laws, sends case to Justice Romney promises his own Medicare plan HHS: Healthcare reform law saves Medicare $120 billion Third Party candidate in NY-26 labels video dirty trick Weiner pans Romney healthcare speech Quigley offers plan to cut $2 trillion in 10 years Name the latest congressional banking scandal Kerry: Libya conflict a ‘stalemate’ Ron Paul’s anti-war sleeper card House approves rule for FY 2011 intelligence bill DNC chairwoman offers RNC chairman wager on annual softball game House passes bill setting US energy-production goals Panjshir: Afghan cuisine with a side of geopolitics McDowell calls for for reform to merger reviews at FCC Republicans ask Geithner for details on debt-limit manueverings McConnell: No raising of debt limit without cuts to entitlements Senate Judiciary members reintroduce counterfeiting bill Study: West Coast has best ratio of public transportation to jobs Zandi: Economy can handle $4 trillion in deficit cuts Fincher joins Financial Services Rep. Norm Dicks blasts cuts in Homeland Security bill Ethics Committee to make announcement on Ensign investigation Why the term ‘subsidy’ is inaccurately applied to the oil and gas industry FCC chairman addresses Baker’s departure Corporate CFOs: We’ll give up tax breaks for lower rates Republicans, Democrats come together in support of FY 2011 intelligence bill Dem opposition to disclosure plan grows Pelosi: GOP trying to ‘renege’ on bipartisan tax-cut deal Fixed mortgage rates hit lowest level of the year Bernanke: Limits on debit card fees could hurt smaller banks Barney Frank slims down for spring Studies blast menthol cigarettes as FDA weighs ban American Samoa delegate offended by bin Laden mission code name: Geronimo Rep. Polis likes his birthday wishes Gingrich plans major Iowa campaign swing Boehner says he ‘struck a nerve’ on cuts Boehner: Scrap oil subsidies only in broader corporate tax cut McCain: Waterboarding did not lead to capture of bin Laden Study: US leads in healthcare spending, but ranks last in health Boeing: Labor board trying to accomplish what union couldn’t in negotiations Pelosi backs Obama, splits with Hoyer on White House disclosure rule Senate Dems ask SEC to require firms to disclose cyber-attacks GOP matches Dem investment in NY special House GOP trims military construction, VA measure ‘for first time in history’ McCaskill expresses concerns about draft executive order on political contributions Homeland Security bill cuts $1.1 billion, goes after FEMA grants First-time unemployment claims dropped last week Politicizing procurement Upton won’t rule out debt ceiling as vehicle to thwart climate rules Rep. Grimm’s puppy the one to beat in pet photo contest White House gate crasher Michaele Salahi’s new pop song Kazakhstan making steady progress against corruption Ros-Lehtinen throws cold water on export control reform Senate Dems slam ConocoPhillips CEO over company’s ‘un-American’ comment South Carolina lawmaker says Congress could consider ‘removal’ of NLRB in Boeing dispute Exxon CEO: Bid to repeal oil tax breaks is ‘misinformed and discriminatory’ Paul plans major announcement Friday Corporate CFOs call for territorial tax system Reid accuses GOP of ‘protecting’ oil firms Libyan opposition leader invited to the White House Dems go on attack against Romney ahead of healthcare speech Obama asks Hispanic leaders to mobilize Senate GOP to Obama: Act swiftly on deficit or risk ‘dereliction of duty’ Rep. Barton is first lawmaker to publicly endorse Gingrich Senate panel approves Fed nominee for a third time White House keeps its distance from Boeing lawsuit Oil execs blast effort to slash tax breaks News Bites: Facebook’s ‘adult supervision’ Ron Paul looks to deregulate trade in unpasteurized milk, hemp Huntsman scraps support for cap-and-trade Schumer ‘optimistic’ on immigration GOP suicide bombers ‘Dirty Jobs’ star charms Sen. Rockefeller When did sunlight become the infectant? News bites: Amateur hour Obama pressures US companies to up hiring Observers watching for ’12 hints from Indiana’s first lady DC mayor pushes for budget autonomy White House opposes cuts in intel bill, but stops short of veto threat Stalling offshore drilling is costing jobs and gas prices News bites: Amtrak’s already making a list and checking it twice Democrats slam Issa for rejecting witness Men of honor Thursday: House to finish energy bill, start work on intelligence bill Coburn says he’s talked to Obama about importance of reaching deficit deal McCaskill tweets on becoming ‘more disciplined’ about weight Ron Paul would not have ordered bin Laden mission News bites: Romney reinvents healthcare stance Cindy McCain to Glenn Beck: ‘Enough vitriol and hate’ House panel authorizes nearly $700 billion in Defense spending RNC chief to Obama: Too many speeches, too little substance RNC chairman: Things ‘moving in the right direction’ on Florida primary date Palin: Rapper’s invite to White House lacks ‘class and decency’ Speaker’s proposal to break up funding bills abandoned by GOP His budget plan under a spotlight, Ryan’s political stock takes hit With prices still dropping, housing woes remain a hurdle for White House GOP messaging ‘lousy’ on Hispanics Reagan, Clinton star in push for transportation bill MORNING READ News bites: Oil and the economy, the health effects of moutaintop mining, and Newt Gingrich’s energy industry ties Dems go on attack against Romney ahead of healthcare speech House panel OKs malpractice bill Gingrich wants new Contract with America; slams Obama ‘scare tactics’ Video: Candidate strikes tracker as NY-26 special election gets heated After heated debate, panel adds $100 million to missile program Bipartisan House group kickoff tax holiday push Republicans throw right hooks in escalating fight over budget, debt Burr appointment snub to DeMint OVERNIGHT MONEY: Drilling Diamond Celebs hit Capitol Hill but skip the hoopla Rep. Grimm’s puppy the one to beat in pet photo contest New York politicians take aim at diplomatic parking tickets Barney Frank slims down for spring ‘Dirty Jobs’ star charms Sen. Rockefeller Senate Dems target millionaires for tax in draft budget outline