Pelosi, Ryan Talk About The Budget — Is This A New Phase In Capitol Hill Budget Sagas?
In other congressional news, Senate Democrats say Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., is blocking progress on a bill to help 9/11 first responders with health care.
Politico:
Ryan And Pelosi Bear Down On Budget As Deadline Looms
The private conversation between Pelosi and Ryan, however, marked a new phase in the government funding battle, and it also helps illustrate the new dynamics between the top Democrat and Republican in the House. Former Speaker John Boehner and Pelosi cut many deals to fund the government, oftentimes frustrating Rogers and other appropriators who thought they were being big-footed. (Sherman and Bresnahan, 12/1)
NBC News:
Democrats Accuse McConnell Of Blocking Zadroga Act
Senate Democrats say that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) is single-handedly blocking a bill to help 9/11 first responders from being included in the long-term highway bill, which was unveiled today and is expected to pass as soon as this week. The bill, called the James L. Zadroga 9/11 Health & Compensation Act, would reauthorize an expiring health care program for 9/11 first responders permanently, while at the same time reauthorizing a victims compensation fund for five years, aides say. (Thorp, 12/1)
Meanwhile, some Democrats are revisiting their opposition to an investigative panel formed in regard to the recent controversies surrounding Planned Parenthood's fetal tissue program. And, in Ohio, some legislators are questioning whether the tenor of that debate led to last week's shooting at a Colorado Planned Parenthood clinic --
Los Angeles Times:
California Members Among Congressional Democrats Seeking To Disband Planned Parenthood Panel
House Democrats, including Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco, called on House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wisc.) Tuesday to disband the select committee investigating Planned Parenthood. The organization has been a focus of heated criticism by conservatives since the release last summer of several videos in which Planned Parenthood officials in California and Colorado appeared to discuss using tissue from aborted fetuses in medical research. The videos were filmed by anti-abortion activists posing as biotechnology workers. (Wire, 12/1)
The Columbus Dispatch:
Ohio Abortion-Rights Leaders Worried About Harsh Rhetoric Against Planned Parenthood
After the attack at a Colorado Planned Parenthood clinic that killed three people on Friday, the organization’s officials in Ohio are re-evaluating their security measures. There’s currently no threat to any of the state’s 28 health centers, said Stephanie Kight, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio, but protests outside of clinics have picked up in the past six months. (Berliner, 12/2)
