Democrats Ignore Leaders to Pass Pediatrics Research Bill

House Democrats bucked their leaders Wednesday to join Republicans in voting for a contentious suspension bill that would authorize taking $12.5 million from political conventions and giving it to pediatric medical research.

Little Evidence of Major GOP Revolt on Budget Deal

There wasn’t much of evidence of a major revolt against the budget deal brewing among House Republicans Wednesday morning, despite some opposition from those in the party’s right wing to an increase in fees on air travel and letting up even a little on the sequester spending cuts.

• Some Democrats Holding Out for Unemployment Benefits
• Democrats Holding Back
• Boehner Blasts Groups Opposing Deal

Battle of the Juicy Lucys

This column typically functions by having you, my devoted readers, send me out in search of that which your taste buds simply can’t live without, but today I’m taking the initiative.

VA Lobotomized Military Veterans | Topic A

“The U.S. government lobotomized roughly 2,000 mentally ill veterans—and likely hundreds more—during and after World War II, according to a cache of forgotten memos, letters and government reports unearthed by The Wall Street Journal. Besieged by psychologically damaged troops returning from the battlefields of North Africa, Europe and the Pacific, the Veterans Administration performed the brain-altering operation on former servicemen it diagnosed as depressives, psychotics and schizophrenics, and occasionally on people identified as homosexuals.”

• More From Topic A: Defense

Iran Briefing Unable to Blunt Sanctions Push

Secretary of State John Kerry and Treasury Secretary Jacob J. Lew failed to convince senators not to pursue a new round of sanctions against Iran at a closed briefing Wednesday — although any floor action would likely be delayed until January.

House Administration Explores Creation of Women's History Museum

With a record 101 women serving in Congress, the National Women’s History Museum is hoping to finally bring to fruition its dream of a permanent home on the National Mall.

Opportunities Now and Later in North Carolina

It’s a good cycle to be a congressional hopeful in North Carolina — but that doesn’t mean there won’t be more prime opportunities soon.

Super PAC Ad Ties McConnell Opponent to Obama on Coal

A super PAC backing Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell is again hitting the radio airwaves to tie the Kentucky Republican’s opponent to national Democrats.

State, Local Hiring Are Finally Joining the Recovery

The latest employment numbers show a job market that is still in slow recovery, but one underlying trend suggests the economy may have finally turned a corner, raising hopes for broader improvement in 2014.

Berg's 'Wilson': A Warts-and-All Portrait

A. Scott Berg’s “Wilson,” a biography of the 28th president, covers what everybody knows about Woodrow Wilson: He was an academic wunderkind, educational and political reformer, governor, president, statesman, visionary. Berg also includes what’s less well-known: probable racist.

Timing for Sexual-Assault Bills Still Up in Air

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., has been promised a vote on her bill to remove the prosecution of violent crime in the military from the chain of command, but when that vote will happen remains unclear.

Gary Lytle Begins Long Goodbye | Downtown Moves

Gary Lytle is the kind of lobbyist whose informal “references” include a bipartisan duo of former members of Congress.

Landrieu's First TV Ad Highlights Her Obamacare Fix

Louisiana Sen. Mary L. Landrieu launched the first TV ad of her re-election campaign on Wednesday, highlighting her bill that would allow individual health care plan holders to keep their insurance under Obamacare.

U.S. ‘Nowhere Near’ Afghanistan Pull Out Decision | Topic A

Reuters reports that “the Obama administration is ‘nowhere near’ deciding to pull out all troops from Afghanistan at the end of 2014, a top U.S. official said on Tuesday, despite mounting frustration President Hamid Karzai has not signed a security deal allowing the military to remain there after next year.”

• More From Topic A: Defense

Scalise Forces Top RSC Aide to Resign Over Leaks

The longtime executive director of the conservative Republican Study Committee has been asked to resign by first-term Chairman Steve Scalise, R-La.

7 Things to Know About Katherine Clark

State Sen. Katherine M. Clark, a Democrat, seized victory Tuesday in the special election for Massachusetts’ 5th District.

• Clark Wins Massachusetts Special Election

Daschle World Is Back at a Zenith, 5 Years Later

For the Washington fantasists who like speculating about what might have happened in policy and politics “if only,” one of the most interesting questions at the moment is this: How would the administration be faring now if only Tom Daschle had properly paid his taxes.

Jane Norton Endorses in Colorado GOP Senate Primary

One of the handful of Republicans looking to take on Sen. Mark Udall, D-Colo., has earned the endorsement of Jane Norton, who was heavily favored to win the GOP Senate nomination in 2010.

6 Texas-Sized Primary Hurdles for Stockman

Texas Rep. Steve Stockman’s last-minute challenge to Sen. John Cornyn sent shock waves through Republican politics Monday night. But the congressman’s bid to upset the two-term incumbent has some Texas-sized hurdles to overcome before it’s competitive — let alone successful.

• Five GOP Candidates File for Stockman's House Seat

Vitter Wants Reid to Explain His Staff's Partial Obamacare Exemption

Sen. David Vitter, R-La., is taking another whack at Obamacare and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid — this time challenging the Nevada Democrat to disclose how he decided to exempt staffers from the exchange and whether those staffers helped draft the law.