The Hill Articles: December 4, 2012

Weyants World: December 5, 2012 OVERNIGHT DEFENSE: Senate passes defense bill 98-0 Think outside the packet on cocoa OVERNIGHT TECH: US fails to win early backing for UN treaty DeLauro, Andrews to head Dem Steering and Policy panel in 113th Senate votes to increase penalties for attending animal fights Boehner lights the Capitol Christmas Tree OVERNIGHT CAMPAIGN: DSCC gets new chief OVERNIGHT ENERGY: Clean Air Act in focus as EPA readies soot rule Democrats skeptical of Obama’s FTC pick Gingrich says he will not challenge Chambliss in 2014 Senate passes $631B defense policy bill 98-0 OVERNIGHT HEALTH: Medicare on the table DCCC targets 40 Republicans on taxes Waters secures top Democratic spot on House Financial Services Committee Gohmert calls for replacing CBO with competitive scoring system Mica portrait to be unveiled Wednesday Senate expected to take up Russia trade bill on Wednesday DAY’S END ROUNDUP Lowey selection a win for Pelosi Senate votes to require report on possible US military activities in Syria Feds to mediate West Coast port strike Study: Synthetic marijuana puts thousands in the ER Egypt’s Morsi flees presidential palace amid massive protests Obama signs Safe Web Act into law GOP lawmaker: Dems telling GOP to raise taxes or ‘go to hell’ We have to stop kicking the can down the road Dem lawmaker arrested in August for intoxication Poll: Half of Republican voters say ACORN stole election Hillary Clinton sending letters to losing New York Dems 15 House Republicans call for special panel to investigate Benghazi Obama over-reading his mandate? Reid vows to take up disability treaty in next Congress Senate passes ‘Stolen Valor’ rewrite in defense bill Restaurant chain says criticizing ‘ObamaCare’ may hurt its earnings Arizona senators don’t know Gov. Jan Brewer’s whereabouts Senate Foreign Affairs subcommittee hearing to use Google Plus’s Hangout feature Avid hockey fan in Congress laments NHL lockout Nation needs a new airline policy NATO missile deal with Turkey does not equal no-fly zone, Levin says McConnell declines to endorse Boehner plan Conservative coalition puts pressure on GOP to embrace immigration reform House votes down motion to adjourn Stabenow: Dems won’t balance budget on ‘backs of middle class’ Prioritize investments in early learning Santorum tweets on defeat of UN disabilities treaty: ‘We did it’ Bloomberg reacts testily to report he urged Clinton mayoral bid House approves bill easing energy efficiency rules GOP presses for Senate passage of FEMA bill during Hurricane Sandy review Report: Terror attacks up, fatalities down Obama: Susan Rice ‘highly qualified,’ but no decision yet on secretary of State Reshaping Pentagon spending Obama dismisses new offer from Boehner as ‘still out of balance’ Congressional offices decorate for Christmas, don reindeer antlers Report: Fashion queen Anna Wintour next U.K. ambassador? Safety-net hospitals: Don’t cut Medicaid Levin ‘very optimistic’ defense bill passes Tuesday Bennet accepts DSCC chairmanship Court rejects Verizon’s challenge to FCC’s data roaming regulations Samuel L. Jackson pushes Michelle Obama for president Hoyer: Entitlement benefit cuts on the table in talks with GOP on ‘fiscal cliff’ House passes seven bills on residency status for foreign nationals Baucus: Don’t shift health costs to seniors in ‘fiscal cliff’ deal Settlement construction threatens two-state solution and Israel Senate rejects United Nations treaty for disabled rights in a 61-38 vote Baucus: We need revenue, and fast House Democrats file petition to force vote on middle class tax rates George W. Bush urges ‘benevolent’ immigration reform debate GOP: Dems making ‘baseless’ charges that Boehner plan would tax middle class Bob Dole returns to Senate to watch vote on disability treaty US oil production hits 15-year high Washington gives Polish delicacies a try Sperling: GOP counteroffer ‘disappointing’ and ‘unfortunate’ Poll: Herman Cain would be strong challenge to Sen. Chambliss How Obama can avoid McCain’s trap on Rice Analysis finds big state-by-state swings in prescription coverage McConnell says rules changes to Senate would make it more like House Reid says Boehner debt plan would raise taxes on middle class Report: Cheney to pen book about heart treatment Business success should not trump creativity: Pandora isn’t playing fair Navy denies Iranian reports of captured US drone Top House conservative cancels plans to unveil alternate deficit proposal Objections to Disabilities Treaty don’t stand up to scrutiny Warren tapped for Senate Banking panel Kate Middleton makes royal pregnancy predictions DeMint slams Boehner counteroffer A grand bargain that works Poll finds majority would blame GOP if deficit negotiations fail News bites: Eggs-its and guilty pleas Report: Obama might appoint Vogue editor as ambassador to UK or France Rep. Becerra: GOP deficit plan ‘went after the middle class’ A secret grab for power Tuesday: UN treaty in the Senate, forced collegiality in the House House Democrat hopes Christmas season warms ‘Scrooges in the House’ News bites: Counteroffer News bites: ‘Bad politics’ Former GOP leader Armey resigns from Tea Party group Report: Holder’s chief of staff to leave DOJ News bites: Judge approves Facebook privacy settlement Palin regrets calling GOP lawmakers ‘wusses’ on deficit talks News bites: US defends Obama on climate at UN talks Report: Bloomberg asked Hillary Clinton to run for New York mayor Tuesday’s global agenda: Disability treaty faces tough test in the Senate Liberal think tank pitches $1.8 trillion in tax increases McConnell’s moves box in House GOP Boehner goes on public relations blitz to counter Obama in deficit negotiations UN disabilities treaty expected to fail in Senate amid GOP opposition Former Gov. Whitman sees turning tide for Republican centrists MORNING READ Senate Dems push climate change amendment Conservative groups lash out at GOP’s ‘fiscal cliff’ counteroffer House GOP makes a $2.2 trillion debt counteroffer to Obama on cliff Four more years for DNC chief Dunford confirmed to replace Allen as Afghan commander
 GOP ousts lawmakers from plum posts Cuomo gets no firm assurances on Sandy aid from federal government Sen. McCain calls abortion argument against disability treaty ‘bad politics’ Top Reid energy aide to leave Capitol Hill