The Hill Articles: February 16, 2012

Rep. Berman denies encouraging super-PAC mentioned on his website Maine to recount caucus votes after protests from Paul supporters OVERNIGHT ENERGY: GOP scuttles Solyndra subpoena vote Opponents of Keystone pipeline are threatening US jobs OVERNIGHT HEALTH: ‘War on women’ label starts to stick to GOP OVERNIGHT TECH: Congress set to approve public safety network Lawmakers meet with Army official who issued scathing Afghanistan report House passes GOP energy bill, 237-187 New Jersey lawmakers send gay marriage bill to Christie Facing the dangers of the moment How to balance competing interests OVERNIGHT MONEY: Lawmakers aim to wrap up votes on payroll tax cut package Candidates should address cost 
of violence in primary states Obama’s religious bigotry Bishops 
cry wolf House votes to direct 80 percent of Deepwater Horizon fines to Gulf states Plane with drugs diverted by fighter jets after entering Obama’s airspace Good missile defense is smart politics Jon Huntsman: Romney’s position on China ‘wrongheaded’ Cain to campaign with Hoekstra White House agrees to Solyndra interviews under subpoena threat Weyants World: February 17, 2012 House releases payroll tax compromise DNC video hits Romney on auto bailout Panetta tells lawmakers sequestration ‘undermines everything’ you represent Business groups launch legal, Capitol Hill attacks on EPA mercury rule DAY’S END ROUNDUP At hearing, Sens. McCain and Lieberman clash over cybersecurity measure Dem. Sen. Manchin: ‘What in the world are we doing?’ on budget Hoyer to vote against payroll tax cut because of federal pensions Geithner punches back on budget Insider-trading bill sponsors keep pressure on leaders Manchin the first Dem senator to reject Obama budget Negotiators sign deal to extend payroll tax cut, paving way for votes Obama administration concludes healthcare law waiver review To be competetive, New Mexico must look to the stars Gingrich team hopeful California fundraising swing buoys campaign Pelosi: Lack of women panelists at birth-control hearing ‘Duh!’ moment for GOP Dem congresswoman says ‘I’ve never met a man that had the need for birth control’ Obama right on contraception rule Schumer tweets ‘Linsanity’ Senators pledge to back Obama if he attacks Iran to halt nuclear program Dems see smoother roads ahead for troubled Highway bill Santorum stands by opposition to auto bailouts in visit to Detroit Rick Perry seeks to form PAC using money left over from presidential campaign Administration highlights business healthcare tax credits in Obama budget Santorum super-PAC backer: Women ‘used Bayer aspirin for contraception’ Romney, Paul and Santorum will skip March 1 debate A reality check on Iran Alec Baldwin pens chimp-loving letter to Sen. Boxer Maryland Democrats sign on to conference agreement GOP senators push for Medicare cuts Fox News correspondent feels lucky anchoring in green tie Final tax deal includes spectrum auctions, preserves FCC flexibility Dems swat down Paul’s amendment to deny aid for Egypt Poll: Santorum catches Romney nationally Energy chief would be ‘very surprised’ if loan program lost $3 billion Rep. Paul Ryan: Payroll tax deal ’caused damage’ to GOP Pelosi rips GOP for lack of female witnesses at birth control hearing Pelosi blasts ‘most partisan transportation package in 50 years’ Al Green to perform for Obama Congressman woos bipartisan ‘platonic Valentine’ with chocolate Conservatives take contraception fight to McCaskill Rand Paul blasts aid to Egypt as ‘welfare’; Dems block move to deny funds Trump hits phones to fundraise for Romney Inhofe to force vote on killing EPA’s power plant mercury rule Poll: Santorum dominating in Ohio Pelosi blasts GOP transportation bill from House floor Dem: Snooping on bloggers ‘outrageous’ Republican senators unveil new premium support alternative for Medicare TV news host tells Rep. Waters to ‘step away from the crack pipe’ Meadows joins crowded GOP field vying for Shuler seat Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee’s favorite phrase: ‘If you will’ Geithner explains why Obama never embraced Bowles-Simpson Boehner sees payroll tax agreement as nothing to celebrate for Republicans Obama campaign crows as GM posts record $7.6B profit Bill of the Week: Gardens for Veterans Sen. Wicker: Putin’s Russia back under ‘iron curtain’ Obama administration announces delay of burdensome new rules on doctors Pelosi: Democrats will support payroll tax deal GOP lawmaker plans ‘speak-up tour’ against defense cuts Russia has almost reverted ‘iron curtain of authoritarianism,’ says Sen. Wicker Gingrich hopes gas price populism will fuel comeback Bureau promises hard look at debt collectors and credit agencies Head of GOP Solyndra probe rebuffs push for nuke loan inquiry Housing starts rise in January as sector slowly recovers Paul raises $1.2 million in Valentine’s Day money bomb, in pace with Santorum Rep. Jones imagines girl saying her soldier father ‘died for nothing’ in Afghanistan Intel: Iran not likely to attack if not provoked Planned Parenthood tweets picture of all-male panel at hearing on birth control Obama campaign opens tech field office in San Francisco Romney raises the stakes in Michigan, says he won’t lose Anti-war lawmakers urge Obama not to attack Iran Rep. Jones imagines girl saying her soldier father ‘died for nothing’ in Afghanistan Nuclear power will propel U.S. forward Michelle Obama becoming NBC regular? Four appearances in less than 14 days RFK’s grandson announces bid for Rep. Frank’s seat Berman, Sherman spar over super-PACs Reid: Senate to work on Friday Swimsuit model: Rep. ‘Uncle Fred’ Upton is ‘proud of me’ Santorum: Whitney Houston’s death ‘disturbing’ Jeb Bush backs Adam Hasner for Florida House White House begins gas ‘fracking’ rule review Gingrich guns for delegates in Michigan: ‘They’re not going to go to Romney’ Republicans propose cuts to schools that provide access to ‘morning-after pill’ Ryan urges GOP candidates to ‘prepare the country’ for tax, entitlement reform What will be Obama’s lasting legacy? Pro-Santorum super-PAC making big ad buy in Michigan Payroll deal spares EPA boiler rules News bites: Cute Romney slams Obama China policy, calls him ‘supplicant to Beijing’ Jobless claims drop to four-year low Report: LightSquared might swap airwaves with military News bites: Apple changes app policy under lawmaker pressure Thursday: House to complete energy bill The Roots’ ?uestlove endorses Obama: ‘We need to have his back’ News bites: Leaked docs shed light on climate-denier group, US backs new emissions program, and more Santorum releases tax returns; paid 28 percent rate in 2010 Poll: Obama leads GOP field in swing states News bites: War on religion, fake drugs, and more News bites: Big bank bite Michigan Gov. Snyder to endorse Romney Lin ‘humbled’ by Obama praise Chairman Priebus leads RNC revival: From $23M in the red to $7M in the black Santorum is the Tebow of ’12 race Super-PAC craze sweeps the nation Deal on extending payroll tax cut raises Obama’s chances for reelection MORNING READ Deal reached to extend payroll tax cut GOP proposal for federal pension cut holding up agreement on payroll tax Rep. West: Democratic handouts an ‘insidious form of slavery’ Santorum searching for supporters in Congress GOP’s rocky election-year start Unemployment benefits deal drops weeks by 26 Actor Alec Baldwin pens a chimp-loving letter to Sen. Boxer Attack on Koch brothers was partisan, misleading Romney: No way will I go on ‘Dancing With the Stars’! Four appearances in under 14 days: Michelle obama becoming an NBC regular? Social conservatives press Obama on administration’s birth-control mandate Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee’s favorite phrase: ‘If you will’ Homeland Security ‘constantly monitoring’ Hezbollah