The Hill Articles: June 11, 2013

Lobbying World Ex-Rep. Mark Critz eyes possible comeback bid in Pennsylvania House should pass appropriations bills Lawmakers say NSA briefing didn’t address privacy concerns Perils of the Patriot Act How reforms to legislation will help illegal immigrants Immigration bill on track to pass Senate The NSA needs balance Minority matters Q&A with With Jonathan Alter, author of The Center Holds ‘Homeland’ actor would play pool with Obama Weyant’s World: June 12, 2013 OVERNIGHT DEFENSE: Lawmakers consider NSA changes OVERNIGHT TECH: Senate plans hearing on FCC pick Strong building codes can save lives, reduce costs brought on by disasters End the partisan gridlock on energy To the top of Rattlesnake Mountain… Protect the environment and spur the economy through clean energy The Renewable Fuel Standard and the farmer Ron Paul warns US government may assassinate NSA leaker Snowden OVERNIGHT ENERGY: Lawmakers fire away on energy tax policy White House to Congress: No more war funding Opponents of new regs finding ally in White House office, report finds OVERNIGHT MONEY: Immigration reform gets underway Shifting to border security Union: Transit tax benefit should be permanent OVERNIGHT HEALTH: Administration backs down on Plan B White House opposes rule reining in Dodd-Frank Sanders calls on Congress to ‘take a very hard look’ at the Patriot Act White House threatens veto of Defense bill Noem declines Senate run in South Dakota Booker leads Democrats in New Jersey special Senate election Groups square off over chemical reform bill Utah, Conn., Rhode Island land bills pass the House Pandora purchases FM radio station amid battle with songwriters Mike Rogers to announce Senate decision Friday White House plots climate strategy with Senate, House Democrats Democratic freshmen oppose fast-track trade powers for Obama Chairman Issa: Release of full IRS transcripts would be ‘reckless’ House panel to probe alleged seizure of medical records by IRS DAY’S END ROUNDUP Dems draw distinction between Bush, Obama surveillance Sen. Nelson backs plan to boost MediCare whistle-blower reward to $9.9M In 84-15 vote, Senate moves forward on immigration reform Senate panel keeps Pentagon’s request to lower troops’ pay raises CBO: Debt-limit boost can wait until possibly November Gallup poll: Bush’s approval rating positive for first time since 2005 ACLU to sue NSA over phone spying Why Pandora bought an FM radio station Franken defends NSA surveillance McConnell wants Snowden prosecuted ‘to fullest extent of law’ Miss America: I’d rather interview politicians than be one Options exchange settles SEC allegations Cruz: Obama, Dems designed immigration bill to ‘crash and burn’ in the House Sen. Coburn blasts feds for ‘stupidity’ in IT spending Obama to ramp up international climate action, adviser says Reid: GOP ‘poison pill’ amendment could kill immigration reform bill Take a thorough look at human rights abuses in Egypt GOP bill would boost weather forecasting, reduce climate research Allegations against US diplomats not brought to FBI’s attention ACLU sues to block Alabama abortion law Walgreens pays $80M over prescription negligence Senate votes 82-15 in first step to debate immigration reform Home care workers demand minimum wage, overtime protections Washington state Dem cites bridge collapse in call for infrastructure spending increase NRDC chief: Fracking ‘most complicated thing I’ve encountered’ Carney: Role of contractors ‘worth a discussion’ after leaks Lawmaker says NSA spying shows ‘government spooks are drunk on power’ Tea Party turns on Mich. governor over Medicaid expansion Report: US hacked al Qaeda’s online magazine White House: Clapper was ‘straight and direct’ in testimony on NSA Kaine delivers immigration reform speech entirely in Spanish Members of Congress: We know nothing! Google asks to disclose details of NSA spying Carney declines to call Snowden a ‘traitor,’ wants probe to proceed Gore laments scientists ‘won’t let us’ tie climate change to tornadoes House Dem: ‘Redskins’ as offensive to Indians as ‘N’ word is to blacks Mikulski considers hearings on NSA security breach Cruz: Regulations slowing economy Paul Ryan: NSA surveillance program ‘creepy’ Gillibrand’s military sex assault bill facing Armed Services threat GOP threatens to block ATF nominee Hoyer: No comparison between Obama, Bush on secret NSA surveillance Rubio to bill opponents: Only way to solve a problem is to ‘get involved’ Durbin: FISA declassification bill dead on arrival Chewbacca actor draws TSA scrutiny with light saber cane Bill Daley moves toward run for Illinois governor GOP lawmaker: US Muslim leaders ‘complicit’ in terrorist attacks Wildlife agency proposes endangered listing for chimps Becerra sees House immigration deal within two weeks Hillary Clinton picks up more than 50K followers — per hour — on Twitter Cable Hall of Fame inducts class of 2013 CDC harnesses technology to protect people and save lives Green group sues State Department for access to Keystone pipeline files Rubio would require immigrants to speak English before receiving legal residency Obama: ‘Moment is now’ on immigration Wednesday’s meeting announcements: Inter-American Foundation discusses donors Putin lectures Obama on privacy NRCC hits Calif. Dems over ObamaCare rates Report: Taliban targets supreme court in latest Kabul attack Cornyn: If immigration bill fails, blame opposition to border security measures Senate Finance approves Froman to head trade office Advocacy groups, companies urge Congress to rein in NSA spying New regs for Wednesday: DHS extending immigration zone Markey holds slight, consistent lead over Gomez in new polls Hagel: No plans for war supplemental Sen. Whitehouse slams GOP on climate change Kate Upton celebrates 21st birthday with lawmakers President Obama, national security, and human rights: A good speech does not make good policy IG memo: US ambassador to Belgium ditched security detail to visit prostitutes NRSC ties Pryor to IRS scandal in new video Sen. Wyden presses Clapper for ‘straight answers’ on NSA Ron Paul, Russ Feingold were right about secrecy and the surveillance state Consumer watchdog eyes overdraft fees Actor Redford pushes Obama on power plant emissions McConnell: Immigration bill needs ‘major changes’ Get your free Constitutions from C-SPAN Booz Allen fires Edward Snowden for ‘shocking’ violation of ethics code Peace index ranks Afghanistan below Syria Optimism edges up for small businesses SEIU launches seven-figure pro-immigration reform ad buy Members propose bipartisan reforms to stop Medicare, Medicaid waste Rand Paul ‘reserving judgment’ on NSA leaker News bites: New, same as old Lifesaving protections vanishing down regulatory ‘rabbit hole,’ study says Student loan rates: Let the market decide, not politicians News bites: US plans to continue surveillance program Markey launches radio ad targeting Gomez on unanswered questions Foxx DOT nomination heads to Senate floor News bites: Drug spending Poll: Democrats hold edge on healthcare issues Tuesday: Immigration bill faces its first test votes Boehner: Immigration bill will pass this year News bites: New York City at greater climate risk News bites: Regulators take aim at overdraft fees Government moves to address domestic child sex trafficking Boehner calls Snowden a ‘traitor,’ defends NSA surveillance programs Boehner, Cantor to meet with families of Newtown victims News bites: For hire NSA leak is treason, says Feinstein Obama to rally support for immigration reform as Senate weighs bill Tough immigration choice for GOP Defense contractors fear blowback in wake of leak about NSA snooping K Street lobbyists tight-lipped about efforts to influence the NSA From Naderite to mortgage man Congress takes a closer look at contractors after NSA leaks MORNING READ White House postpones annual congressional picnic Obama administration will approve Plan B pill for women and girls of all ages Obama is no George W. Bush, says Carney IRS scandal ‘solved?’ Hardly, say GOP Bottom Line