The Hill Articles: December 13, 2012

Weyants World: December 14, 2012 Senate passes bill allowing Supreme Court review of Virgin Island cases Stop the Violence Against Women Act’s war on men OVERNIGHT ENERGY: Industry, green groups brace for soot rule OVERNIGHT TECH: Lawmakers applaud US for standing firm on UN Web treaty OVERNIGHT HEALTH: Dems dig in on Medicare age Steps to fiscal responsibility Safe Republicans open to raising top tax rates GOP needs a talent search Marriage equality beckons OVERNIGHT MONEY: Obama, Boehner meet over ‘fiscal cliff’ Scalia should butt out US must push Asia on climate Obama, Karzai to discuss postwar Afghan plan in January Satellite Room: Your friendly hipster bar and diner on U Street Gift ideas for the oenophile who has it all US says it won’t ratify UN telecom treaty Forbes secures Seapower chair, Turner locks in Tactical Air Land subcommittee Senate panel approves Franken’s location privacy bill Innovation focal point for incoming Senate Energy member Senate intel panel approves torture report McConnell gets his first Democratic challenger Susan Rice drops bid to become Obama’s next secretary of State Rep. Graves: Essential-benefits policy too hard on small businesses DAY’S END ROUNDUP OVERNIGHT CAMPAIGN: Dems plot House takeover for 2014 Senate to start work next week on bill to fund Hurricane Sandy recovery McCain lobbying fellow lawmakers on torture report release Sequester cuts threaten NASA, defense lobby warns Susan Rice drops bid to become Obama’s next secretary of State Cancer group calls for FDA crackdown on tanning beds House Dems to Obama: Don’t raise Medicare age Carney: Boehner offering ‘fantasy economics’ Senate votes to cover fertility care for female military service members Report: Hagel likely top White House pick for Department of Defense chief White House blasts Boehner Senate confirms two judicial nominations Northeast lawmakers push Sandy tax bill Pelosi’s fiscal-cliff ace in the hole State Department: No guarantee Clinton will testify on Benghazi before year’s end Sen. Wyden names top Energy Committee staffer Nancy Pelosi on raising Medicare eligibility age: ‘Don’t even think about’ it Analysis: Feds will have outsize role in health exchanges Senator’s ailing dog participating in cancer research project Democrats hammer Mica for ‘unhealthy obsession’ with Amtrak privatization The gentleman from Texas and the ‘Watergate Babies’ Report: Judge approves BP’s $525M settlement with SEC Carney: We ‘deplore’ any acts of violence at right-to-work protests Dem apologizes for saying ‘midget’ on House floor Sen. Durbin: White House has taken Medicare eligibility age hike off the table Four members to join Paul Ryan’s Budget Committee Haley: No time in office needed to fill DeMint’s seat Scarcity and choice Dem lawmaker calls on regulators to get tougher on big banks President Obama tweets support for Sandy relief during concert Report: Suicide bomber strikes US base hours after Panetta visit Jindal pushes Obama to meet with GOP governors on Medicaid HHS: Exchanges ‘will be ready’ in 2014 Law banning loud TV commercials in effect Obama to tape local television interviews Boehner: ‘I’m not concerned about my job as Speaker’ in fiscal talks Hospital says former President H. W. Bush could leave hospital before Christmas Senate fails to advance bill extending banks’ transaction account guarantee Tech groups sound alarm over UN Internet treaty resolution Sen. Ben Nelson: Reid has never pulled my hair House foreign affairs leaders urge closing of PLO office in Washington Cantor warns of possible weekend votes next week Boehner ‘not concerned’ about job as Speaker, focused on ‘doing the right thing’ Rethinking reliance on think tanks Boehner: White House willing to ‘slow-walk our economy right up, over fiscal cliff’ ObamaCare state exchanges suffer outright rejection by half the states House passes bill aimed at saving billions in improper federal payments Pakistan urged to do more to prevent IED attacks Conservative groups press lawmakers to reject proposals for a carbon tax Poll: Majorities say Obama making a serious effort, GOP leaders are not Blind embrace of Democrats cost unions in Michigan Sen. Harkin: GOP harms middle class when ‘assaulting’ unions House votes to conference with Senate on defense bill Sessions frustrated over closed-door debt deal negotiations Senate Judiciary to probe state pot laws DCCC Chairman Israel outlines Democrats’ targets for new cycle First Colombia, Now Afghanistan More staffers recount confrontational elevator rides with Rep. Foxx Ban on loud TV commercials takes effect Thune calls raising income taxes the ‘Holy Grail’ for Democrats Chambliss strategist says senator ‘not paying any attention’ to primary talk GOP should move first on immigration NRCC attacks Dems on medical device tax House passes GAO, DC court bills in quick votes C-SPAN the fiscal-cliff talks News bites: Malaise Unintended consequences News bites: Driver error Preserving security by curbing Pentagon spending Labor market showing stronger signs of improvement Rep. Kinzinger’s wedding called off Sen. Graham not quite ready to endorse Stephen Colbert News bites: About that meningitis News bites: US banks face risk of cyberattack Thursday: NDAA (for real) in the House, TAG program in the Senate News bites: Utility chiefs weigh in on ‘fiscal cliff’ Poll: Majority would blame both sides equally if talks fail DeMint says Obama ‘will get his wish’ on higher taxes in cliff deal Clinton Benghazi hearing set for Dec. 20 MORNING READ GOP tech gap needs millions Senators feel left out of debt talks GOP pits small business vs. corporate CEOs in tax fight President Obama’s pledge to close Gitmo in second term faces difficult test Ethics conflicts complicate votes for outgoing members Lawmaker compares employer-employee relationship to ‘giant’ vs. ‘midget’ fight Groundhog Day on North Korea for Obama Bernanke: Cliff already inflicting damage Dems line up behind Pelosi against changing Medicare eligibility age Lobbying World OVERNIGHT MONEY: Search for a fiscal deal continues Senate votes to create a counter strategy against a ‘hostile’ Iran Weyants World: Dec. 13, 2012 Treasury seeks extension of search powers