–Obama plans to use a recess appointment to get Donald Berwick in at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, avoiding what was sure to be a nasty confirmation fight in the Senate. In its spin, the White House makes at least two good points: CMS has been without a permanent chief since 2006 and the Harvard …
Official White House Photo by Pete Souza
–Obama is set to meet with Israeli PM Netanyahu today at the White House. Both countries’ press corps seem focused on the personal rift. The White House seems determined to reverse that impression. Bibi says getting to direct talks is the goal.
–Scott Brown flirts with an “aye” on …
Remember how Jim Bunning blocked those unemployment benefits in March and everyone was outraged? Then when Tom Coburn did it in April, the outrage was a little less? With voter worries about deficit spending mounting, Republicans are now seeing benefits to blocking the extension of unemployment benefits unless they are paid for. …
The memorial service is in full swing in Charleston. Meanwhile, our TIME colleague Michael Grunwald has his own goodbye to Senator Robert Byrd which looks at the West Virginia Democrat’s life without the rose colored glasses that always come with the idiom: Don’t speak ill of the dead. Let’s just say, upon reading this Grunwald’s mom …
Photo credit: Stephen Crowley/pool
Senator Robert Byrd’s flag draped casket is lying in state for most of the day on the Senate floor — note his black draped desk with white flowers on it. Much of Congress, the President and the Vice President will head tomorrow morning to West Virginia for a memorial service on the steps of the …
As Adam noted last night, despite House passage of Financial Regulatory reform, the bill still seems in peril in the Senate with five of the six holdouts still seemingly wavering. But, frankly, going into a recess why would you declare your vote? If you were, say Scott Brown, would you a) declare that you’re going to buck your party and …
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Here’s a wrap up of the first day of questioning in the Senate …
Official White House Photo by Pete Souza
–As Jay reported yesterday, Barney Frank and Chris Dodd moved back to conference to strip the $18 billion bank tax from financial reform. The money to pay for the bill will now come from the TARP and increased FDIC premiums. Translation: Rather than getting the money from large investment …
Senate Banking Committee Chairman Chris Dodd stood an hour ago in the Senator’s Retiring Room off of the Senate floor in an intense conversation with Massachusetts Senator Scott Brown – one of surely many they will have today. Dodd is trying to get Brown, one of four Republicans who voted for the Senate version of financial …
Reuters/Jim Young
–Russ Feingold is a “no” on financial reform. Maria Cantwell is still on the fence; her office tells me she is still examining the final language. Susan Collins has joined Scott Brown in protesting the $18 billion financial sector tax tacked on in the 11th hour to pay for implementation. Snowe’s in a similar …
Day 1 is done in Solicitor General Elena Kagan’s hearings to become the 112th Supreme Court justice. Thus far there has been relatively little about Kagan herself. In between memorials for Senator Bobby Byrd and Sandra Day O’Connor’s Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s husband, Republicans griped that no matter what Kagan says, they don’t think …
The White House sends over excerpts of her opening statement. Anticipating the standard Republican inquisition over “judicial activism” and “legislating from the bench,” Kagan’s remarks come off as a paean to rule of law, impartiality and proper deference to the legislative branch. From her prepared remarks (emphasis mine):
“Mr.
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Well, it’s actually her week. President Obama’s nominee to the nation’s highest bench, Solicitor General Elena Kagan, takes the hot seat today before the Senate Judiciary Committee. Though, today will be relatively mild given that the whole day will actually be spent on senators’ opening statements. Her first words are expected to be …
