Student Loan Vote Soon
Student loan vote expected tomorrow, but no deal in sight. Roll Call: "Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., filed cloture Monday on a Democrat-sponsored one-year extension of the expired fixed rate of 3.4 percent for subsidized Stafford loans, likely setting up a Wednesday procedural vote ... Democrat Joe Manchin III of West Virginia and independent Angus King of Maine, who caucuses with Democrats, are set to present the details of their deal with Senate Republicans at the party’s lunch Tuesday. They, too, would like a vote on their plan, but no assurances had been made as of Monday that they would get one ..."
Division among Dems giving Republicans chance to appeal to students. W. Post: "'The White House and Senate democrats have let these students down,' Boehner said ... Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.) accused senators of putting politics ahead of students who, she said, might not be able to finish their college degrees because of the rate increase. Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) called upon Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to take action and not 'punish' students."
Senate Dems Prepare Filibuster Showdown
Senate Dems to force votes on key nominees, threaten rule change. NYT: "...Senate Democrats are preparing to force confirmation votes on a series of President Obama’s most contentious appointments as early as this week. If Republicans object, Democrats plan to threaten to use the impasse to change the Senate rules that allow the minority party wide latitude to stymie action ... The rule change they would seek is intended to be limited. It would allow senators to continue to filibuster legislation and judges, but not appointments to federal agencies or cabinet posts."
Reid focusing on several agency appointments. Bloomberg: "Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid could package votes on the Labor and Environmental Protection Agency selections along with Richard Cordray to head the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and picks for the National Labor Relations Board ... Reid may file a motion within days to force the votes next week and let lawmakers then act on the nominations ..."
Incredible Shrinking Deficit
New budget projection projects smaller deficit. NYT: "The federal budget deficit will fall to $759 billion for the fiscal year that ends this September, a $214 billion improvement from the projection made in March, [thanks to] spending cuts, tax increases and an improving economy ... The White House said this year’s deficit would reach 4.7 percent of the gross domestic product, down from more than 10 percent four years ago, and would continue to slide to 3 percent of the economy by 2017."
Sequester Devastates Head Start. HuffPost: "The 5.27 percent reduction to the $8 billion program is having a devastating effect on families with children in the program, according to interviews with parents across the country. Not everyone has experienced the loss of a child's Head Start slot or a teary living room conversation. But parents have been left fearful and scrambling, worried that the cuts are shredding an already frayed social safety net upon which they depend."
US and EU begin trade negotiations. NYT: "Companies and countries have started maneuvering in an effort to broker special carve-outs, exclusions or inclusions. Sensitive issues like agricultural policy, airline rights, data privacy and intellectual property are likely to face serious headwinds ... public interest groups also raised concerns that the negotiations would weaken consumer protection standards, and that corporate interests were too strong."
