The Hill Articles: February 7, 2014

Pelosi slams GOP ‘excuses’ on immigration Russia bans bitcoin Energy regs come with $70M price tag State Dept. update: No specific threat in Sochi House Dems push for hearing on Ex-Im Bank reauthorization Senate Dems: Electric grid could be vulnerable Currency manipulation hangs over US trade agenda Hagel: Work nominated for deputy Defense secretary Next week: Undoing military pension cuts New York City mayor punches back at Biden EPA piles up billions Twitter’s quiet power play DOJ closes Samsung investigation Immigration reform is lose-lose for GOP Lockdown at White House for fence-jumper Lew sets debt limit deadline Patent reform on Main Street CBO: Six-year transit bill would cost $100B more Florida Dem House candidate: Dems can’t take back House in 2014 Hagel hints at ethics enforcer Janet Yellen, meet the House of Representatives Pat Roberts not in Kansas anymore Jail time for contractor in Fox News leak case Screenwriters to adapt Jake Tapper’s book on Afghanistan House Dems ask how much probes costing IRS Unintended consequences Obama signs $956 billion farm bill House to take another swing at Dodd-Frank reform Russia snubs Obama with torch-lighting GOP skips Obama farm bill signing US ambassador suspects Russia taped the ‘F–k the EU’ call A mixed farm bill FAA fines Amazon for alleged shipping violation Shaheen urges Obama to press French on business visits to Iran Snowden has new chance to spill secrets Budget Committee to hear from CBO director Republicans demand meeting on union election rule Bill Clinton’s first 2014 stop: Kentucky Seahawks’s Sherman passes on politics Minimum wage hike may hurt those it’s intended to help WH: Boehner employing ‘an odd bit of diversion’ on immigration reform Ryan schedules grilling on Obama’s 2015 budget Bill calls for sidewalks, bike lanes on federal funded roads Spy courts get two new judges Postal Service: No plans for bitcoin Syria has become ‘matter of homeland security,’ DHS Secretary Johnson says Bloomberg: Close down coal-fired power plants DHS head: GOP immigration principles ‘serious step forward’ Walsh tapped as successor to Baucus Equalize payments for cancer care Work scheduled for confirmation hearing as deputy Defense secretary Armed Services panel nixes military pension markup Cellphones have made NSA’s job tougher GOP proposal for food stamps: Show some ID Rep. O’Rourke live-tweets bus ride with constituents Pelosi: Russian law like ‘ancient history’ Postal losses shrink to $354M Swiss Swatch CEO upset over NSA spying Proposed IOASE repeal threatens patient choice Mr. Jones and the Walrus: The ‘British Invasion’ 50 years on Cassidy hires DOD clean energy expert Coburn: Relationship with Obama ‘cooler’ New regs for Monday: Energy efficiency, crane operators, bears NY, NJ Port Authority eliminates David Wildstein position Brown demands government end contracts with labor law violators Pelosi: Russian anti-gay law like stepping into ‘ancient history’ Sessions ad: He ‘took Nancy Pelosi out of power’ DCCC promotes Jesse Ferguson to IE director The Fed ignores emerging markets at its peril Alberta premier won’t play games with US on Keystone Germany: ‘F–k’ the EU’ call ‘absolutely unacceptable’ Space: The final frontier … for regulation Polls: Republicans lead in 5 key Senate races Nevada to get Mount Reagan? Transportation sector gains 9,000 jobs Koch-backed group drops another $400K in Florida ad buy Weak jobs report points to problem for Obama Pentagon drops plan to cut one carrier For Montanans, Baucus leaves regrettable legacy War against democracy is at heart of conflict in South Sudan EMILY’s List endorses Greuel for Waxman’s seat in California Paul: Candidates should return ‘predatory’ Bill Clinton’s donations Court OKs NSA changes Report: US temporarily lifts sanctions on Iranian state broadcaster Coal miner to Obama: Set strong carbon controls Biden: No reason not to run in 2016 Kerry on travel to Sochi: ‘I’d say go’ Biden says he’ll decide on 2016 by next summer Could Koch brothers help Democrats? Feds to banks: Stop preying on the elderly Obama muddles his message