Byrd Was ‘West Virginian of the 20th Century’
The Associated Press looks at the impact that Sen. Robert Byrd (D-WV), who passed away last night, had on his home state: “Outside critics like Citizens Against Government Waste crowned him the ‘King of Pork,’ dismissing the billions of federal dollars he sent to West Virginia as worthless ‘Byrd Droppings.’ But back in Charleston, a grateful legislature crafted a fitting description for the Democrat who dedicated his life to representing his state’s people in Washington: They had his likeness cast in larger-than-life bronze for the first and only statue in the history of the state Capitol, and mounted it on a pedestal declaring him ‘West Virginian of the 20th Century.'”
Obama’s Day Ahead
President Obama will receive his presidential daily briefing at 11 a.m. ET. He will receive his economic daily briefing at 2 p.m. ET, and will meet with senior advisers at 2:30 p.m. ET.
Biden’s Day Ahead
Vice President will travel to Louisville, Kentucky. He will tour the headquarters of GE Appliances & Lighting, and deliver remarks at 11 a.m. ET promoting the stimulus program. At 12:30 p.m. ET, he will attend an event in Jeffersonville, Indiana, for Democratic Rep. Baron Hill. He will then travel to Wilmington, Delaware. At 6 p.m. ET, he will attend an event for Senate candidate Chris Coons.
Kagan Hearings Begin Today
Solicitor General Elena Kagan’s confirmation hearings for the Supreme Court begin today, at 12:30 p.m. ET before the Senate Judiciary Committee. The Associated Press notes: “Democrats have more than enough votes to confirm her. Republicans have shown no inclination to try to block such a vote, although some conservative interest groups are urging them in increasingly vocal ways to do so.”
Republicans Look To Grill, Not Block Kagan
The Hill reports: “Senate Republicans do not expect to derail Elena Kagan’s nomination to the Supreme Court but they plan to strongly challenge her legal and political views…While Republicans don’t expect to defeat Kagan’s nomination, they do plan to argue forcefully that Obama is nominating a poor choice for the bench. The point is to give voters another reason for voting Republican in the fall.”
GOPers Eyeing Barton’s Top Slot On Energy Committee
Roll Call reports: “The public implosion of Energy and Commerce ranking member Joe Barton (R-Texas) has made it almost certain that the Republican side of the committee will have a new leader next year — and there is no shortage of volunteers gunning for it. Nearly all of the most senior GOP members of the committee have expressed interest in the post, but two, Reps. Fred Upton (Mich.) and John Shimkus (Ill.), have emerged as early favorites, according to Members and outside observers.”
Labor’s New Critics: Old Allies In Elected Office
The New York Times reports: “For years, Republican lawmakers have railed against public employees’ pay and benefits, but now another breed of elected official is demanding labor concessions, too: current and former labor leaders and allies themselves. After 12 years erecting steel beams for office buildings, [New Jersey state Senate President Stephen Sweeney] became a top official in New Jersey’s ironworkers union, now holding that post along with his legislative one. He says the state can no longer afford the benefits won over the years by public sector unions. ‘At some point, you reach the limit of your ability to pay,’ he said.”
