The Hill Articles: May 7, 2012

Bottom Line US ambassador to Pakistan stepping down, report says Shuttles’ retirement marks the next era of exploration Player of the Week: Sen. Dick Lugar (R-Ind.) Q&A with Richard Dreyfuss OVERNIGHT ENERGY: Pipeline politics on display as highway bill talks begin Parties shouldn’t make Afghanistan an election issue An opening for better US-Pakistan relations The Republican Party’s ‘Grenell’ problem GOP senator: Anti-austerity leaders in France, Greece could create ‘real crisis’ Rep. Capuano’s nephew stars in record-breaking ‘Avengers’ Carney’s wife a big 
fan of his glasses Rep. Noem is Congress’s 
newest college graduate Levin, McCain to get second briefing on Colombia scandal Former congresswoman reveals hat trick House Republicans lure 
press with Chik-Fil-A Anti-incumbent super-PAC close to targeting Rangel ‘Forward’? Senate confirms last three of 14 judicial nominees Evolve on marriage OVERNIGHT HEALTH: Smooth sailing — so far — for FDA bill Weyants World: May 8, 2012 Rep. Tierney, GOP opponent mull outside-group pledge Michelle Obama to host world leaders’ spouses for G8, NATO summits BALLOT BOX OVERNIGHT: All about the economy OVERNIGHT TECH: Congratulations pour in for new FCC commissioners OVERNIGHT MONEY: Student loan rate extension on tap in the Senate Underdogs reassert themselves in Nebraska Senate GOP primary FTC, Commerce officials to testify at Senate privacy hearing Heartland climate conference keeps sponsors despite billboard controversy Administration official says Syrian election ‘borders on ludicrous’ White House threatens veto on Commerce, Justice spending bill McCain calls Charles Barkley ‘clueless,’ offers wager on Romney win Coal ash bill protects environment, preserves jobs New French president to formally announce Afghanistan withdrawal House Dems hit Boehner on gay rights after Biden marriage comments Gas pipelines come under cyberattack House passes Kennedy Center reauthorization act Cuomo’s book deal fuels presidential speculation Congress is moving quickly on FDA bill CIA thwarts al Qaeda plot timed near bin Laden anniversary Business groups key vote Ex-Im reauthorization Sen. Harkin blasts GOP for likening health program to a ‘slush fund’ Republican to revive lightbulb war Business group presses Keystone pipeline ahead of House-Senate talks Leppert touts controversial pastor’s endorsement in Texas Senate race Study: Market-driven plans could lower healthcare costs RNC chairman: Obama trying to ‘play both sides’ on gay marriage April produces first monthly surplus in nearly four years Obama team: Romney must rebuke ‘extreme voices’ after ‘treason’ call at rally Kyl: Reid student loan bill a job-killer by imposing permanent taxes Labor Department abandons child farmworkers Rep. Noem is Congress’ newest college graduate Memo to Congress: No budget is no way to run a country House GOP includes billions for anti-Iran weapons in defense bill Harkin: Senate GOP ‘shameful’ for targeting health fund to pay for student loan rate extension Give us a healthcare system that works and is affordable Senate confirms FCC picks who were held up over LightSquared Carney unsure whether Obama will back Rep. Rangel for reelection Crowd, host steal attention at Romney event in Ohio White House ‘strongly supports’ Dem student loan bill Barber snags seniors group’s backing in race for Giffords seat Reid calls on GOP to accept Dem ‘compromise’ on student loans Senators: DEA might be making drug shortages worse Deutsche Telekom chief calls FCC to push against Verizon-cable deal National Ocean Policy makes smart business sense Survivor of Tucson shooting rampage presses Issa for stronger gun laws Official: EU to move forward on transaction tax Conservative groups to punish members voting for Cantor’s Export-Import bill Warren Buffett say his namesake rule ‘doesn’t cure all revenue problems’ Sen. Baucus wins fight to prevent trademarking of Montana’s state slogan Unshackling the Iranian opposition is what it takes to rattle the Tehran mullahs Franken urges crackdown on Comcast Russian envoy: US should stop blaming Moscow for problems Rubio hopes to pass DREAM Act alternative by end of summer Oil companies top Fortune 500 list Appropriators see eye to eye on military bill, to little avail Clinton hopes woman will win the White House, doesn’t plan to run Clinton pressures India to further reduce Iranian oil imports Susan B. Anthony List backs Steelman in Missouri House appropriator touts almost $1 billion for Israel in defense spending bill Web gatekeeper suggests nixing applicants who gained unfair edge Obama launches new $25M ad campaign in nine swing states Europe trade chief sees boom in trade and export jobs, thanks to customs deal with US Jeb Bush endorses Tommy Thompson for Senate Weyants World: May 7, 2012 House set to approve May and June commemorative events on Capitol grounds Facing pressure on gay marriage, Obama campaign pivots to Romney’s stance Dem senator ‘glad’ Biden backs gay marriage Ad battle pits drugstore lobby against pharmacy benefit managers Charles Barkley to Mitt Romney: ‘You’re going down, bro’ Group says Sebelius speech at Georgetown ‘insulting’ to Catholics Convincing the Supreme Court Treasury to sell some AIG stock House Appropriations panel pushes back against Pentagon spending cuts House Republicans introduce bill to help small firms increase exports General Motors, Ford crack top 10 of Fortune 500 list Retired general: Obama dithered for a year on bin Laden evidence The week ahead: Conference to begin on highway bill Dems work to tie Brown to Wall Street in Massachusetts Rep. Brooks ‘cautiously optimistic’ Congress can find way around sequester Charles Barkley to Mitt Romney: ‘You’re going down, bro’ Romney aide: Obama ‘wants to pretend that he hasn’t been in charge’ This Week in Tech: Senate set to approve FCC nominees End of the eurozone? Stenberg town hall scrapped after no one shows Report: US secretly releasing high-level Afghan detainees The week ahead: Keystone pipeline in focus as highway talks begin News bites: Zuckerberg leads Facebook to IPO News bites: Oil prices drop, Clinton keeps up pressure on Iran, and more After primary fight, Altmire to join Critz at Dem unity rally The week ahead: Congress puts its mark on Defense budget Monday: Student loans in the Senate, suspension bills in the House Education secretary says he supports same-sex marriage In new video, al Qaeda hostage tells Obama: ‘My life is in your hands’ After French vote, will Europe switch course? France finds its soul Obama touts record in swing-state ad Poll: Obama edging Romney in swing states News bites: Upheaval across the pond News bites: Obama attacks Romney on women’s health, and more Report: Ron Paul wins majority of Maine delegates Turkish Ambassador Namik Tan: Turkey-USA, a relationship built on ‘bonds of trust’ Monday’s global agenda: Out with the new Europe, in with the old Tester ad: He’s a ‘different kind of senator’ This week: Paul Ryan, Dems set to spar on sequester replacement White House touts health law’s benefits for nurses in new report AFL-CIO’s super-PAC to begin running ads targeting Mitt Romney Opinion: Republican extremism has blocked compromise, crippled Congress Boozman reaches across the aisle for help on his Senate initiatives Hill Poll: Voters split, independents say bin Laden death politicized Opinion: Vote in French presidential election should be a warning for America Control of Senate faces photo finish Week Ahead: House returns to budget battle Trumka says labor wants Keystone built, believes green issues can be resolved Jump ball for the Senate