Byrd’s Death Complicates Democrats’ Strategy
The New York Times reports: “The death of Senator Robert C. Byrd of West Virginia threw into doubt the ability of Democrats to win approval this week of a financial regulation bill and underscored how the smallest changes in the size and composition of their Congressional majority have complicated their efforts to pass ambitious legislation over near-unanimous Republican opposition…’We are down a vote,’ said Senator Richard J. Durbin of Illinois, the No. 2 Democrat. ‘We have got some work to do.'”
Obama’s Day Ahead
President Obama will receive the presidential daily briefing at 9:30 a.m. ET, and the economic daily briefing at 10 a.m. ET. He will meet at 10:50 a.m. ET with a bipartisan group of Senators, to discuss passing comprehensive energy and climate legislation this year. He will receive a briefing at 12 p.m. ET on the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill. He will have a working lunch at 1:05 p.m. ET with King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, and meet in the Oval Office with King Abdullah at 2:10 p.m. ET. He will meet at 3:40 p.m. ET with members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus.
Biden’s Day Ahead
Vice President Biden will visit the Gulf Coast region today, to assess the ongoing efforts to counter the BP oil spill. At 11 a.m. ET, he will visit the Unified Area Command in New Orleans, Louisiana. At 1 p.m. ET, he will visit Pomes Seafood, where he will meet with gulf residents and make a statement to the press. He will travel in the afternoon to Pensacola, Florida. At 5:30 p..m. ET, he will visit Naval Air Station Pensacola, and make a statement to the press.
Six Senators To Watch At Kagan Hearings
Chris Cillizza wriest hat there are six key Senators to watch at today’s Elena Kagan hearings: Orrin Hatch (R-UT), whose Utah colleague Bob Bennett just lost his nomination against a right-wing challenge; Lindsey Graham (R-SC), who may have to shore up his own political base; Arlen Specter (D-PA), who lost his Democratic primary this year after having switched parties from the Republicans; Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Chuck Schumer (D-NY), who are competing behind the scenes in a potential contest for Senate Majority Leader; and Al Franken (D-MN), who could emerge as a strong voice for liberal activists.
Petraeus To Face Questions On Afghanistan War
Gen. David Petraeus will testify today at the Senate Armed Services Committee, in his confirmation to be the new U.S. commander in Afghanistan. And although he is expected to win confirmation easily, Petraeus will nevertheless have the difficult job today of reassuring Congress on the war itself. “On the Democratic side, there is solid support. But there’s also the beginnings of fraying of that support” for the war, said committee chairman Sen. Carl Levin (D-MI).
Graham Will Skip White House Climate Meeting, Cites Scheduling Conflict
The Hill reports that Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), who had previously worked on a climate change bill, will not be attending today’s meeting at the White House on that subject. Graham cited scheduling conflicts from today’s hearings for Gen. David Petraeus and Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan: “I can’t be in three different places at the same time.”
Hispanic Caucus Sees Positive In Arizona Immigration Law
Roll Call reports: “The Congressional Hispanic Caucus believes it may have found a silver lining to Arizona’s strict new immigration law: that it will energize Latino voters this November and build momentum toward comprehensive immigration reform. Hispanic lawmakers initially seized on the Arizona law — which makes it a crime to be in the country illegally and empowered local officials to check identification of suspected illegal residents in certain circumstances — to try to spur movement this summer on immigration reform.”
