Old Objections Hang Over New Push for Media Shield Law

Transportation Secretary Nominee Ducks Highway Financing Questions

Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx sidestepped persistent questioning Wednesday about how to fill revenue shortfalls in the Highway Trust Fund, telling senators weighing his confirmation as Transportation secretary that he would “bring together a wide variety of stakeholders”

Frederick Douglass Statue Set for Capitol Unveiling

Frederick Douglass will officially take his place in the Capitol on June 19, now that Congress has passed legislation authorizing the use of Emancipation Hall in the Capitol Visitor Center for the unveiling of the District of Columbia’s statue of the abolitionist and former resident.

Will Rising Cable Bills Prompt Congress to Tune In?

When Sen. John McCain recently introduced legislation to reshape how consumers watch cable television, he knew he was picking a fight with some of the most influential companies in town.

• Former Cable Chief Tom Wheeler Awaits FCC Confirmation

Weiner Launches His Comeback Bid in NYC Mayor's Race | Hawkings Here

This year’s second big comeback bid by a disgraced ex-congressman got underway at midnight, and it came in a manner the New York tabloids might describe as “Weiner’s soft launch.”

Abortion Bill Could Hurt All House Republicans, Bono Mack Says | Goppers

The conservative base is clamoring for the House to consider its first abortion-related bill of the 113th Congress, but at least one ousted GOP moderate is sounding an alarm about the political dangers for her party.

No, Ted Cruz Doesn't Trust Paul Ryan | #WGDB

Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas conceded Wednesday that he doesn’t trust fellow Republicans to not agree to fast-track a debt ceiling increase as part of a budget conference, after prodding by Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.

Henry Rollins Keeps Coming Back for More

Henry Rollins was supposed to talk about clean-water issues and his relationship with the charity Drop in the Bucket, whose mission is to build wells and sanitation systems in schools and to provide education, health and gender equality programs across sub-Saharan Africa.

Rand Paul's Math Doesn't Add Up | #WGDB

Sen. Rand Paul is still using an obsolete GOP talking point that Roll Call debunked back in March — and since then, he’s only gotten more wrong.

'Conferencia GOP' Reaches Out to Latinos in New Video | Goppers

The Republican Party, long-marooned from the Latino voting bloc, has begun a concerted effort to mobilize this constituency as its own, particularly ahead of the 2014 and 2016 elections.

House Democrats Fete Top Recruits in D.C.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee will host a reception Wednesday night for its best recruits, according to an invitation obtained by CQ Roll Call.

Sander Levin Picks Sides in Primary #MI14

Rep. Sander M. Levin endorsed state House Democratic Floor Leader Rudy Hobbs on Wednesday in the Democratic primary for Michigan’s 14th District.

Senate Ratings Changes: The Political Environment Turns on Democrats | Rothenblog

While national polls haven’t shown a shift in the public’s opinion of President Barack Obama’s performance, recent controversies have, in my view, significantly changed the political landscape.

Oklahoma Tornado Reignites Disaster Funding Debate

Even as emergency personnel continued to search through the debris of Monday’s tornado in Oklahoma, talk on Capitol Hill had turned to the question of paying for the recovery.

• Peter King: Give Oklahoma Tornado Relief Without Offsets | Goppers
• Oklahoma's Clout Tested by Tornado Aid Divide | Hawkings Here

Leahy Withdraws LGBT Immigration Proposal 'With a Heavy Heart' | #WGDB

The Senate Judiciary Committee’s markup of a comprehensive immigration rewrite took an emotional and tense turn Tuesday evening when Chairman Patrick J. Leahy, D-Vt., sought to offer an amendment to expand the bill to gay and lesbian couples.

• Republican Senators Eye Immigration Concessions

Military Sexual Assault Tackled by Flurry of Legislation

Lawmakers last year gave the military the benefit of the doubt that its leaders were working hard to stop the epidemic of sexual assault within their ranks, opting for a package of modest changes over far more controversial proposals that had drawn staunch opposition from the Pentagon.

• Addressing Military’s Sexual-Assault Issues Through Legislation

McCain, Collins Mock GOP Blockade on Budget Conference | #WGDB

Senate Democrats picked up some GOP reinforcements in their bid to get to a conference on a House-Senate budget agreement.

Procedural Madness Wednesday: A Nominee and the Nuclear Option | #WGDB

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., fought Wednesday morning over when a vote should be held for a D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals judge, which isn’t uncommon C-SPAN2 fare. But this battle got particularly heated because it served as a proxy war over the filibuster — and Reid’s threat to go nuclear.

• Truce in Judicial Wars: D.C. Court to Get Democratic Pick | Hawkings Here

Ten House Democrats Endorse Pete Aguilar #CA31

Ten Democrats in California’s congressional delegation announced their support Wednesday morning for Redlands Mayor Pete Aguilar for the 31st District.

Who's the Right Watchdog for Nonprofits' Political Activity? | Rules of the Game

An obvious danger of the IRS political targeting scandal is that congressional and federal investigations will produce much heat but little light.