The Hill Articles: August 1, 2013

Lawmakers find agreement: We don’t know much about IRS nominee OVERNIGHT HEALTH: Tavenner spars with GOP over ObamaCare impact Reid blocks GOP attempts to stop ObamaCare Schumer: Tax rates fine where they are OVERNIGHT ENERGY: Carbon tax vote looms in House OVERNIGHT DEFENSE: Outrage at Russia over Snowden Obama calls Netanyahu and Abbas as peace talks continue Senators expect to take up energy efficiency bill in September Report: CIA using polygraph tests to ensure Benghazi operations stay secret Obama, Yemeni president pledge to work together on Guantanamo prisioners OVERNIGHT TECH: Senators seek permanent ban on Internet taxes OVERNIGHT MONEY: Labor look-see House votes to limit federal bonuses, rein in government abuses Rep. Issa subpoenas State Department for Benghazi documents Samantha Power confirmed as Obama’s UN ambassador Ohio predicts rate increases under ObamaCare Advocates bemoan ‘regulatory paralysis’ No time for beer, Christie heads to Vegas for fundraising with casino billionaire Senators want stronger anti-shark ‘finning’ rule Graham: Snowden has ‘gotten some people killed probably’ Senators outraged at Russia granting Snowden asylum Rap artist and House clerk: Separated at birth Bonner’s final words to the House: Laugh a little Booker not planning on 2016 presidential run Senators break bread, but not deadlock Kerry: Morsi ouster restored democracy House advances bills on regulations, ObamaCare, government abuse FreedomWorks pushes GOP to embrace ObamaCare shutdown threat DOT chief: Sequestration a ‘blunt instrument’ that should be replaced Sen. Hatch ‘mystified’ by IRS move House votes to regulate EPA’s energy regulations We are all in this together Lawmakers vote to thwart EPA move on ‘social cost of carbon’ White House backpedals on Kerry’s pledge to end drone strikes in Pakistan Report: Sen. Graham gets second primary challenger House GOP drafting new food stamp bill with $40B in cuts Tech exec to lawmakers: Patent trolls ‘a massive problem’ Tourist arrested with marijuana at the Capitol The secret war on union workers and their health care choices Newspaper editor fired over anti-Obama headline Chobani Greek yogurt picked for federal school lunch program Citing ‘security considerations,’ US to close embassies Tech and agriculture industries team up to lobby for immigration reform Official disputes that work hours are being cut due to ObamaCare McConnell chief of staff stepping down to join NRSC Hoyer upbeat Cantor reviewing Dem manufacturing bills McConnell: No path for tax reform Goats to graze in Congressional Cemetery McConnell scores win as GOP rejects bill that would bust budget cap Schumer: Russia ‘stabbed us in the back’ by giving ‘coward’ Snowden asylum FTC issues guidance to avoid getting hacked The whistleblower and the national security robber barons Obama to nominate corporate turnaround specialist for IRS chief Bill with Paul Ryan’s backing seeks budget flexibility for Pentagon Top implementer: ObamaCare will be ready US resumes talks with Pakistan Colin Powell denies affair after emails are hacked by mysterious ‘Guccifer’ Senators to attend bipartisan caucus meeting on Thursday Top Interior officials huddle with offshore oil and gas industry after accidents Boehner: ‘Votes would have been there’ for Transportation, Housing bill Senate panel clears $594B Defense appropriations bill Senate bill would create FISA privacy advocate Boehner to Obama: ‘Engage’ with Putin Immigration reform will provide certainty for restaurant industry and our economy White House ‘extremely disappointed’ in Russia for granting Snowden asylum Republicans question firm filled with former CFPB officials GOP lawmakers ask for study on increased ‘social cost’ of carbon Michelle Obama’s chief of staff: FLOTUS the ‘most popular person in the White House’ Ryan slams Obama corporate tax plan as ‘crony capitalism’ Boehner calls for short-term fix to avoid government shutdown While asking for order, Reid tells senators to ‘sit down and shut up’ Senate votes to confirm federal circuit judge Cantor slams Dems for opposing government accountability bills Russia grants Snowden asylum Obama appoints top fundraiser as next ambassador to Argentina Rubio: Defunding ObamaCare more vital than immigration reform Taking a page from the HIV/AIDS movement to boost Alzheimer’s advocacy Dems block Vitter’s bill to prohibit a federal ‘bailout’ of Detroit Energy secretary: Natural gas helps battle climate change – for now Dems: Happy birthday to ObamaCare birth control mandate Report: Afghan postwar deal near complete ObamaCare opponents hit road to press government shutdown threat Friday’s meeting announcements: Parole commission holds session Obama says poor relatives help Malia and Sasha keep perspective House Dem: GOP doing ‘bidding of polluting industries’ Sanders: ‘End starvation wages’ by raising the minimum wage Administration shreds paperwork mandate for drivers of big rigs Obama, lawmakers to huddle on NSA spying Congress spars with Puerto Rican governor opposed to statehood Dem says GOP spending bill died because it lacked compassion Senators decry Putin move as a ‘slap in the face,’ press Obama to retaliate A service in need Markell tries to meet Christie and Paul halfway Conservative group key-votes co-sponsorship of Hensarling’s housing bill Author to women: ‘Every day is Election Day’ Poll: Peters, Land tied in Michigan Late night smash: Christie vs. Paul Republicans say IRS can’t be trusted with ObamaCare data Third Republican lines up to challenge Franken GOP senator warns public of a ‘barrage’ of ObamaCare ads this summer Time to get serious about exporting natural gas New regs for Friday: Foreign atomic energy assistance Coburn lashes out at conservative groups over ObamaCare threat Poll: Majority of GOP voters wants party to move right Initial jobless claims fall Obama orders review of US chemical plants News bites: Getting ready Does Netanyahu believe true peace Kant be achieved? News bites: Slow growth Poll: Kentucky Senate race a dead heat Thursday: REINS Act, EPA, and Round 2 of stopping government abuse News bites: Facebook shares briefly trade above IPO price Showdown set in House on carbon tax News bites: GOP vs. Dems on climate, Shell profits take a hit, and more Booz Allen CEO: Snowden ‘did not share our values’ Politics stops at water Rep. Peter King: Paul more interested in ‘blowing up stuff’ Govs. Jindal, Perry, Walker heading to SC for Haley fundraiser NSA chief Alexander asks hackers to help ‘defend the country’ Former House Foreign Affairs CoS Yleem Poblete: Failing, again, to connect the dots on Iran News bites: Senate panel to examine ‘regulatory paralysis’ at inaugural hearing Both sides of the aisle Both sides of the aisle Rand Paul, Chris Christie, Marco Rubio,Ted Cruz, Karl Rove and the GOP civil war MORNING READ Phone data collection declassified in effort to assuage Capitol Hill Obama gives Dems marching orders House Judiciary chairman calls Holder’s testimony ‘deceptive and misleading’ Cruz needles Obama on gun background checks and Syria House to try again to rein in government Paul cries uncle, offers Christie beer After drama and delay, Senate confirms Obama’s nominee to head ATF Pentagon considers troop reductions due to cuts from sequester Republican fiscal splits erupt; Rogers rips party leadership on spending cuts