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Colorado Capitol Dome (Denver Post file photo)

House Democrats are poised to add $5 million to the state budget bill for a controversial program that provides intrauterine contraceptive devices to teenagers, a move that may derail negotiations with Republicans on the $25 billion spending plan.

The money will continue a privately funded program that provides IUDs or other long-acting reversible birth control to women at little to no cost one credited with a 42 percent decline in the state's teen abortion rate and a 39 percent drop in the teen birth rate in five years.

The House is expected to consider the amendment along with 38 others Wednesday afternoon in a marathon session on the budget bill. But the majority Democratic caucus took an informal vote earlier in the day to support the provision after a verbal whip crack from House Speaker Dickey Lee Hullinghorst, who shut down initial misgivings about the procedural move.

"Members, we need this amendment," the Boulder Democrat said, cutting off debate on the move that initially drew a handful of Democratic opponents. "This is a priority for the caucus. This is belt and suspenders in case the bill doesn't pass we need the appropriation."

Democrats are pushing to put the language in the budget because a related bill to continue the Colorado Family Planning Initiative won't survive the state Senate, where Republicans control the majority.

Senate Republicans oppose the measure, with some saying it represents a duplication to services provided in the federal health care law and others suggesting IUDs cause abortions a point disputed by the medical community.

Senate Republicans opposed a similar amendment to the budget bill a week earlier, meaning the two chambers will need to work out the differences in a conference committee next week.

However, this provision may prove especially difficult. For it to win approval in the conference committee, which is the Joint Budget Committee, it needs at least one Senate Republican to support it.

John Frank: 303-954-2409, jfrank@denverpost.com or twitter.com/ByJohnFrank

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Democrats to seek $5 million for IUD program in Colorado budget battle

MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Democrats are renewing their call for significant changes to Gov. Scott Walker's budget proposal, including reducing a $300 million cut to the University of Wisconsin System and spending more money on public schools.

The four Democrats on the budget-writing Joint Finance Committee sent a letter Wednesday to the Republican co-chairs of the committee asking for a series of changes in light of comments from the public in reaction to Walker's plan.

The Democrats are calling for removal of a proposed cut to the SeniorCare program as well as changes to the structure of the state's long-term care system for the elderly and disabled.

Republicans have signaled that SeniorCare will be protected and cuts Walker proposed to public schools and UW will be reduced, especially if tax collection projections improve.

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Democrats renew call for changes to Walker budget

The political problems that President Obama may have selling the Iranian nuclear deal were emphasized quite well yesterday when New York Sen. Chuck Schumer, who is set to succeed Harry Reid as leader of the Democratic Caucus in the Senate,endorsed legislationthat would essentially require the president to submit whatever deal is finally reached by the June 30 deadline in the framework for approval by Congress:

Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer, one of Capitol Hills most influential voices in the Iran nuclear debate, is strongly endorsing passage of a law opposed by President Barack Obama that would give Congress an avenue to reject the White House-brokered framework unveiled last week.

The comments Monday by the Democratic leader-in-waiting illustrate the enormity of the task ahead for Obama and his team: While theres no guarantee that Congress would ultimately reject an agreement with Iran, theres an increasingly bipartisan consensus that Congress should at least have the ability to do so.

His comments came as the White House press secretary was panning the legislation, which was written by Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) and would allow Congress to vote to suspend the lifting of sanctions. A committee vote on the measure is planned for next week.

Schumer is a potentially decisive figure in whether the Iran measure will eclipse veto-proof support in Congress, given his expected ascension to the Democratic leaders job in 2017 and the diminished influence of indicted Sen. Robert Menendez of New Jersey, who recently relinquished his position as the top Democrat on the Foreign Relations panel.

Within the Senate Democratic Caucus, a dozen senators have either co-sponsored Corkers legislation or indicated they could support it. That would put the measure one vote shy of a veto-proof majority. On Monday, three more Democratic senators Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Claire McCaskill of Missouri left open the possibility of voting for it, according to aides. Their support, however, could hinge on whether Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.), the new ranking member of the Foreign Relations Committee, is able to negotiate concessions that alleviate concerns the bill could derail any agreement.

Capitol Hill aides in both parties on Monday said it is not clear what changes Democrats will seek. The bill would give Congress 60 days to review the Iran framework by freezing sanction relief and allowing lawmakers the ability to formally disapprove or approve of the legislation. One possibility is to clarify that the legislation governs only congressional sanctions rather than ones that originated from global agreements or the White House.

With no co-sponsors publicly backing away from Corkers bill in recent days, Democratic supporters said they have detected a shift in rhetoric from the White House. They pointed to Obamas comment to The New York Times over the weekend in which hesuggestedfinding a legislative compromise that allows Congress to express itself but does not encroach on traditional presidential prerogatives.

I read what the president said last night, looking for a way to work with Congress on that. They are now in a realistic position: That Congress is going to weigh in, said Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.), who co-wrote the bill while making technical consultations with the White House. He called Obamas tone in that interview just a recognition of the reality of the situation on Capitol Hill.

But White House press secretary Josh Earnest declined to entertain that possibility, telling reporters on Monday that the White House sees no way to reconcile Corkers bill with the presidents mission of finishing Iran negotiations before Congress votes on anything.

Originally posted here:
Will Democrats like Chuck Schumer help scuttle Obama's Iran deal?

By Emily Cahn Posted at 5 a.m. today

Young is a top Democratic target in 2016. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

Iowa state Sen. Matt McCoy is seriously considering a challenge to Republican Rep. David Young, a top target in 2016.

But Democrats in both Washington, D.C., and Iowaare concerned about the Des Moines Democrats congressional ambitions in the 3rd District, a must-win seat for Democrats looking to slice into the Republican majority this cycle.

In fact, their concern about McCoys candidacy has been pretty constant since he threatened to run back in 2002, one Iowa Democratic operative said. I dont think theres a lot of interest in him running.

Young, the incumbent Republican, won an open-seat race to succeed longtime GOP Rep. Tom Latham. Hes one of 12 incumbents the National Republican Congressional Committee placed in its Patriot program for vulnerable incumbents for 2016.

Young defeated former state Sen. Staci Appel by 10 points in 2014 in a dismal year for Democrats, but the party has higher hopes for the presidential election cycle. Appel is mulling a rematch, and Democrats are also looking at Nick Klinefeldt, the U.S. attorney in the Southern district of Iowa.

McCoy ditched his 2002 bidwhen then-Rep. Leonard Boswell, a fellow Democrat, moved into thedistrict following redistricting. A state legislator since 1993, McCoy has a colorful past that makes him rife for attacks from the GOP.

In 2005, McCoywas accused of funneling money from a businessman to a Democratic gubernatorial candidate, and he agreed to pay a fine to settle the accusations in 2008.

He was indicted on a federal extortion charge in 2007, when he was accused ofthreatening to use his influence as a senator to force a business partner to pay him $2,000, according to a report from the Associated Press. Though he was ultimately acquitted, the incident would give Republicans easy fodder in advertising.

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Democrats Down on Potential Iowa Candidate

Senate Democrats are emerging as a potentially major obstacle facing President Obama as he tries to build support on Capitol Hill for a nuclear deal with Iran.

Key Democrats say they are open to a bill that Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) is pushing, which the White House says could complicate talks with Iran. And one of the Senate's top-ranking Democrats is reiterating his support for the measure. If it got enough Democratic backing, Obama would not be able to stop the bill with his veto pen.

These developments, which come as Congress is in recess and just days after the United States and five other world powers reached a framework for the nuclear deal with Iran, illustrate the stiff challenges facing Obama and his team when lawmakers return to the Capitol next week.

"I do think they have some work to do to recognize that congressional oversight is appropriate," Sen. Chris Coons (Del.), one of the Democrats weighing support for Corker's bill, told The Washington Post.

[Obama makes his sales pitch for Iran nuclear deal]

Sen. Charles E. Schumer (N.Y.), the third-ranking Senate Democrat, released a statement Monday reaffirming his support for Corker's measure. Schumer is one of nine Democratic co-sponsors of the measure.

This is a very serious issue that deserves careful consideration, and I expect to have a classified briefing in the near future. I strongly believe Congress should have the right to disapprove any agreement, and I support the Corker bill which would allow that to occur," said Schumer, who has the inside track to becoming the next Senate Democratic leader.

Sen. Ben Cardin (Md.), the newly minted ranking Democrat on the Foreign Relations Committee, said in an interview with The Post that the framework of Corker's bill "is one that makes sense." Cardin said he is weighing whether to back the measure -- it would give Congress a 60-day period to review the nuclear deal before the Obama administration could suspend or remove sanctions against Iran mandated by the legislative body -- and what changes to it may be needed.

He said he is also withholding final judgment on the nuclear deal until he receives classified briefings from administration officials next week.

"I want to ask questions about the snapback of sanctions," he said.

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Why Senate Democrats could be Obamas biggest problem on Iran