The Hill Articles: July 23, 2013

Lawmakers get Obama’s personal commitment to press Vietnam on human rights Stop secrecy in new trade negotiations O’Donnell stirs pot on 2014 speculation Cummings: No Dem votes expected for Issa postal plan Mamas, please let your babies be pols Silver’s switch may not succeed House protects Guantanamo Bay, missile programs in DOD spending bill Lobbying World Christine O’Donnell considering another run for Senate OVERNIGHT DEFENSE: House wades into Defense spending bill OVERNIGHT TECH: Showdown in House over NSA spying Weyant’s World: July 24, 2013 Filibuster all but dead OVERNIGHT ENERGY: EPA’s oil-and-gas ‘fracking’ work in focus Fed pursues crony capitalism US aids manhunt for escaped al Qaeda members in Iraq OVERNIGHT MONEY: Postal reform back in the spotlight OVERNIGHT HEALTH: White House steps up enrollment push Watchdog finds IRS executives racked up six-figure travel bills Weiner admits sexting continued after resignation from Congress Mr. Lewis goes to Comic-Con Filmmaker: Take better care of our veterans Tehran’s winning streak The importance of US-Taiwan economic relations Huma stands by her husband: ‘Anthony has made some terrible mistakes’ Report finds sequester barely affecting regulators EPA finalizes delayed industrial cleaning wipe rule GOP amendment to Transportation bill ends housing assistance for criminals Senior House Republican readies EPA power plant regs bill Regs chief urged to block poultry inspection rule McCain: Rifts emerging in Pentagon over Afghan postwar plan DAY’S END ROUNDUP Finance chairman tells senators to ‘be ready’ for tax reform this fall First lady presses for ObamaCare enrollment in address to La Raza Report: Peter King heading to New Hampshire House votes to block sex offenders from enlisting in the military Senate Dems look to shore up support on student loan deal Rep. Simpson defends House EPA, Interior spending bill Reed: Loan program has shifted from investing in students to profiting off them Trayvon Martin’s father to speak on Capitol Hill Bill limiting EPA power draws veto threat US demands ally Rwanda end support to Congolese rebels A fresh start on Guantanamo Poll finds Southwest Airlines most popular airline Landrieu knocks Interior’s ‘heartless’ and ‘tragic’ stance on revenue bill Home care workers press administration for minimum wage Key House subcommittee advances permanent ‘doc fix’ Blumenthal backs ‘a la carte’ cable TV bill The Supreme Court and the value of knowing Report: Homeland Security official probed over questionable visa Wyden warns data collection under Patriot Act is ‘limitless’ Reid’s firm stand increases likelihood of shutdown standoff Panel clears Obama’s nominee to the United Nations Cornyn blames Obama for creating a ‘generation debt’ The House farm bill’s sleight-of-hand Heritage Action backs spending bill threat to stop ObamaCare Report: Guinta moving toward House rematch Lobbying revenue – Second quarter 2013 Foxx to join Obama for Jacksonville port speech Participation unclear in Wonder-backed boycott of Florida Interior Department slams Senate energy revenue-sharing bill NTSB to investigate Southwest Airlines crash landing Rep. Wolf doesn’t support discharge petition for his Benghazi bill House advances Defense spending bill amid NSA, Egypt, Syria complaints AT&T, T-Mobile spar over airwaves auction Rep. Schock celebrates his birthday two months late House Democrats push for bipartisan work on a housing finance reform bill Sequestration threatens to eviscerate federal public defenders House Energy Committee chairman: Biofuel-blending system ‘cannot stand’ White House presses Senate to advance student loan deal Lawmakers debate possibility of gas tax increase White House: Boehner comments on immigration are ‘laughable’ Sen. Shaheen: Keystone-free efficiency bill can clear House Hoyer suggests Dems will support amendment to block Syria funding Republicans signal they will abide by ‘nuclear option’ pact US court strikes down law allowing Americans born in Jerusalem to list Israel as birthplace Feds eye new regs on menthol cigarettes Broadcast spectrum is not the only spectrum available NSA Director to brief House before vote on amendment to limit surveillance program GOP lawmaker slams Jay Z and Kanye West for boycotting Florida NRCC launches ObamaCare countdown Carney hoping for ‘This Town’ book party invite 19 Republicans help Senate move $54B Transportation bill Bush, pro wrestlers and circumcision are all very controversial on Wikipedia Senate panel proposes new restrictions on foreign aid to Egypt Who made call to delay ObamaCare mandate? Republicans want names Poll: Enzi holds big lead over Liz Cheney Obama asks Hollywood celebrities to help pitch ObamaCare enrollment Rep. Levin details tougher trade requirements for Japan McCarthy’s next challenge at EPA: Confront climate chaos Former NY Gov. Paterson considering possible run for Rep. Rangel’s seat Senate Dems propose increasing IRS budget Tech giants pour millions into lobbying efforts Lawmaker: Benghazi details provided at pricey conference, but not given to Congress New tax coalition concentrates on effective rates Veteran regulator to help energy clients steer clear of feds Grocery trade group grabs lobbyist from Walgreens Senate energy revenue-sharing bill has $6B price tag White House ‘strongly supports’ Senate transportation, housing bill Senate GOP prods Obama on Keystone Wednesday’s meeting announcements: Chimp research House Democrats warn odds of immigration reform dim in 2014 Poll: Public OK with ObamaCare mandate delay Senate Intel leaders slam House measure to cut NSA surveillance funds Lawmakers urge Obama to press visiting Vietnamese leader on human rights The lab results are in on tax reform Boehner: Obama economic push a ‘big set-up’ for higher taxes Romney ‘blessed’ with 22nd grandchild FAA investigating bad Southwest Airlines landing McConnell: Dems will ‘continue to fight with each other’ over student loans Reid accuses House of slashing funding for roads and bridges New regs for Wednesday: Campaign rules Dems outraged at cuts in House Interior, environment bill GOP presses Obama administration on mandate delay timeline Top Dodd-Frank official leaving Treasury Poll: Obama hits second-term record low In support of a legal pioneer Christine O’Donnell considering another run for Senate Dem says insurance mandate votes show GOP acceptance of ObamaCare Scott Walker raises $3.5M in first half of year News bites: Pentagon compromises on spectrum NYC top cop Ray Kelly ‘flattered’ by Obama’s praise, DHS talk The Return of the King: An alternative chronology of Anglo-America so far News bites: ‘Action August’ News bites: Rough landing The cable industry – what we don’t see on TV every day Report: Christine O’Donnell mulling another Senate bid Reddit joins Internet lobbying group Senate Majority PAC hammers McConnell as ‘guardian of gridlock’ in new ad Poll: Americans split on Senate immigration bill Consumers and first responders demand successful spectrum auctions The Hill policy briefing: National interest and security implications of Keystone XL Tuesday: Defense spending in the House, plus NSA, Syria, Egypt Senior Cantor adviser joins Dentons McCain: ‘Foolish’ to write off Rubio as 2016 contender Hagel warns troops close to ‘breaking point’ Metals theft bill gives brass ring to criminals News bites: Not for the first time Spitzer tells voters ‘I failed big time’ in new ad News bites: CFTC flexes Dodd-Frank muscles, bans trader for ‘spoofing’ Pelosi: Dems may try to force House vote on Senate immigration reform bill Russia sees ‘double standard’ in US call for Snowden extradition Greek Ambassador Christos Panagopoulos: Greece, an energy security provider Listen to small businesses’ red tape worries Ron Paul’s television channel will be a huge hit News bites: Warming’s toll on Alaskan forests, reaction to Obama’s climate plan, and more Government shutdown looms over ObamaCare Throwing a punch with a smile CBC seeks improvements to voting law The ‘other Kucinich’ pans GMOs MORNING READ ObamaCare fight threatens to shut down government Conservatives win: DOD bill will see amendment votes on NSA, Syria, Egypt Obama: Economic proposals tough with ‘this Congress’ Black caucus member: Blacks worth less than whites in America Green shoots sprout on K Street President to seek credit on economic uptick Player of the Week: Environmental Protection Agency