The Hill Articles: May 18, 2015

McConnell vows to pass trade bill Obama’s ISIS strategy takes hit 10 times Letterman made impact on politics Intel likely from commando raid in Syria GOP leaders deny vote on banning first-class airfare for lawmakers OVERNIGHT CYBERSECURITY: White House urges speed in NSA fight Black lawmakers launching effort to diversify tech sector Dem warns of ‘reckoning’ on climate change GOP blocks effort to increase funds for trade assistance program In Iowa, Hillary vows to fight ‘drug epidemic’ House passes bills to boost veterans’ assistance Lawmakers reach deal on customs bill GOP may subpoena Clinton aide Blumenthal on Benghazi Bottom Line John Feehery: Iraq is a game-changer Bill Press: Change comes to Cuba OVERNIGHT DEFENSE: Pentagon defends strategy as ISIS advances Katie Pavlich: The protected, connected liberal media elite Unfair government subsidies for Gulf airlines must be addressed OVERNIGHT HEALTHCARE: GOP pressure builds for ObamaCare alternative OVERNIGHT TECH: Do you know your Internet speed? Rep. John Lewis pushes for running tab of war costs OVERNIGHT ENERGY: Obama moves to overhaul Endangered Species Act OVERNIGHT FINANCE: Hensarling’s tough fight; Trade vote this week? Snoop Dogg: I’ll be voting for Hillary Clinton FBI: No evidence derailed Amtrak train hit by bullet Feds: Unlikely that man hacked plane’s engine Now Rubio flubs the Iraq question Congress: Investor-state harms U.S. sovereignty Airlines predict 222 million summer passengers OVERNIGHT REGULATION: Lawmakers confront FDA over calorie counts Bill Clinton to Obama: Does Twitter username stay with office? Obama touts new limits on what military gear police can purchase Pentagon to accept help from Shia militias in Iraq GOP lawmaker plans to ‘raise hell’ over report of wasted $135M Sanders takes aim at high drug prices Two bills offer true reform to federal corrections system McConnell: Senate to finish trade this week Green group: Voters like EPA water rule Facebook’s Internet.org accused of creating insecure Web Fixing Amtrak is not ‘stupid’ Black Dems want to codify police reforms CIA: Two officers killed over last year IMF study: Governments subsidize energy $5.3T GOP governor’s gas tax hike veto overridden Parties point fingers over highway funds Debt limit deadline now seen at end of 2015 Why New Hampshire shouldn’t matter FTC presses courts to protect RadioShack customers’ data White House warns Congress: Don’t kick can on Patriot Act Does America need Mitt Romney? VA must hold all workers accountable for misconduct, poor performance Senate could take up $612 billion defense policy bill in June House Dem seeks to block future highway patches Bristol Palin calls off her wedding Gun control groups: Texas biker gang shooting a wake-up call Obama, local officials huddle over Amtrak crash Lawmakers push ban on first-class airfare for Congress Paul bucks McConnell on Patriot Act extension Ayotte: NH Republican should resign WH: Fall of Ramadi to ISIS a ‘setback’ ‘Innocence of Muslims’ should have stayed on YouTube, court rules House Dem calls fall of Ramadi ‘a serious setback’ Gillibrand vows to add sexual assault proposal to defense bill Congress must debate dangerous consequences of pro-Israel amendment to TPA GOP lawmaker proposes defunding NLRB Amtrak installs new brakes on deadly curve WTO shoots down US meat-labeling rule Jindal launches exploratory committee Poll: Majority want changes to Patriot Act Rand Paul: Bill Clinton put ‘generation’ of black men in prison Obama pushes to give states bigger role in species protection Supreme Court upends Maryland tax law Choosing the worst time to scale back AIDS research Obama joins Twitter Regulators seek climate rule ‘safety valve’ to protect electric grid Cruz ties immigration to trade GOP lawmaker presses House leaders for ObamaCare alternative Ex-CIA head: Other terror groups more dangerous than ISIS Organized crime, terrorist cash? Senator calls for higher Amtrak payouts Ayla Brown sings ‘I just wanna free Tom Brady’ Group started by tech investors bolsters lobbying power US vows tighter cyber cooperation with South Korea Labor group escalates fight against fast food Space is a win for all Monday: Trade, veterans Kerry floats new sanctions against North Korea Bipartisan blowback over calorie count rule AT&T CEO: No DirecTV merger call this week Warren disputes Obama’s promises on trade deal Sanders to unveil free college tuition bill New regs for Tuesday: Sexual assault, baseball, whistleblowers Elian Gonzalez wants to return to US New oil train safety rules spell delay, leaving citizens at risk Corporate tax rate isn’t threat to business, but crumbling infrastructure is FCC commish tweets about favorite ‘Mad Men’ episode Benghazi chairman: Panel’s findings could be inconclusive Apple CEO warns against ‘cynicism’ in Washington McCain: Fall of Ramadi ‘terribly significant’ Christie calls spying fears ‘baloney’ Kerry blasts North Korea for Sony hack AAA predicts 37 million Memorial Day travelers GOP Congress not ready if Obamacare goes down in court Kansas set to repeal renewable energy mandate Germany to weaken emissions rules for power plants Graham to announce WH bid on June 1 The federal government must act now to save Puerto Rico’s healthcare system What the Department of Education can learn from the foreclosure crisis If everything is a priority, nothing is Satisfaction with country’s direction slips Kerry: North Korea ‘not even close’ on limiting nukes Lessons about government from the NFL On TPP, it looks like 1993 all over again ‘Brexit’ stage right This week: Highways, trade and NSA top agenda Obama bans some transfers of military hardware to police Here’s how to achieve spending cuts in budget resolution Judd Gregg: Republicans’ trade quandary Juan Williams: NSA reforms are legacy of Snowden Washington’s new odd couple: McConnell and Obama Week ahead: Child nutrition programs under scrutiny Week ahead: Lawmakers dig into energy overhaul Week ahead: House to unveil Pentagon spending bill Week ahead: NSA fight nears pivotal showdown Week ahead: Senate kicks off trade debate Strategizing to defeat diabetes Week ahead: Medical cures bill on the move