Dems Seek Leverage By Forcing GOP Split On Ryan’s Budget Plan
The Hill reports: “Senate Democratic aides expect Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) to force Senate Republicans to vote on the Paul Ryan budget plan. Reid hasn’t made a formal decision yet, and won’t until he returns from an overseas trip. The idea is to drive a wedge through the GOP caucus and put vulnerable incumbents such as Sen. Scott Brown (R-Mass.) and Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) in a political jam.”
Obama’s Day Ahead
President Obama will receive the presidential daily briefing at 9:30 a.m. ET. Then at 10:15 a.m. ET, the First Family will attend the 2011 White House Easter Egg Roll, and the President will deliver remarks. Obama will meet at 11:30 a.m. ET with his national security team on Afghanistan and Pakistan. Obama will meet at 2:35 p.m. ET with Attorney General Eric Holder.
Biden’s Day Ahead
Vice President Biden will be in Wilmington, Delaware. At 11:30 a.m. ET, he will participate via teleconference in President Obama’s monthly meeting with his national security team on Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Lawmakers Seek To Unclog Road To Confirmation
The New York Times reports: “Hoping to unclog the Senate and spare scores of presidential appointees from what is often a grueling confirmation process, leading lawmakers in both parties are moving to cut the number of administration posts that are subject to Senate approval. The proposal to end Senate review of about 200 executive branch positions would be the most serious effort in recent years to pare the chamber’s constitutional power of advice and consent. It amounts to a rare voluntary surrender of Congressional clout, and it has high-caliber, bipartisan support with the endorsement of the Senate majority leader, Harry Reid of Nevada, and the Republican leader, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky.”
On Debt, GOP Consults Itself
Roll Call reports: “House Republican leaders are trying to unify their Conference around a set of debt limit negotiating principles, hoping to avoid a repeat of the internal breakdown they had over spending cuts earlier this month…The principles of a debt limit deal for Republicans could include ‘immediate’ reductions in mandatory and discretionary spending, hard spending caps, federal workforce reductions (possibly through attrition) and a spending cut trigger tied to debt as it relates to gross domestic product.”
Freshmen Feel The Heat Back Home
Politico reports: “Any lawmaker in a swing district can expect to take criticism from his right flank at a town hall meeting. But at an American Veterans outpost tucked deep in the Pocono Mountains this week, freshman Republican Rep. Lou Barletta took heat from every direction — from Democrats angry with the tax cuts in the GOP budget, to conservatives who thought he caved on the last continuing resolution vote, to a precocious 16-year-old critical of the lawmaker’s environmental record.”
