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MICHIGAN LOSES MORE CLOUT: INTEL CHAIRMAN MIKE ROGERS TO RETIRE, BECOME RADIO HOST - The Detroit News' David Shepardson and Marisa Schultz report: "U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers, the 50-year-old chairman of the House Intelligence Committee who has represented Michigan in Congress since 2001 and has been an ardent defender on the need for U.S. intelligence programs, said early Friday he will not seek re-election. The seven-term Howell Republican's announcement comes less than a month before the filing deadline - and is the third major departure for the state's congressional delegation following the decisions of Rep. John Dingell, D-Dearborn, and Sen. Carl Levin, D-Detroit, to retire. Last year,
Rogers opted not to take on Levin, despite pressure from fellow Republicans, to focus on his job overseeing the Intelligence committee. ...

-- "He announced he will become a radio talk show host for after his term ends in December - returning to a college passion. 'They may have lost my vote in Congress, but you haven't lost my voice,' Rogers told Paul W. Smith Friday morning on WJR-AM (760). Rogers said he'll start in January as a nationally syndicated radio show host at Cumulus Radio."
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BREAKING: AP NEWS ALERT: New Zealand military plane has found objects in the Indian Ocean in a new search area for missing plane."
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CONGRESS SHOWS IT CAN WORK: $1B UKRAINE BILLS CLEAR HOUSE, SENATE - Seung Min Kim reports for the hometown paper: "The House and Senate easily passed measures that would provide aid to Ukraine and impose sanctions on Russia, edging Congress closer to sending a comprehensive package to the White House to respond to the crisis in Eastern Europe. The House approved the legislation in a 399-19 vote while the Senate simply cleared it in a voice vote. The two chambers have differing legislation, though the variances are minor after Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) agreed to drop a provision to reform the International Monetary Fund that Republicans opposed. House and Senate leaders will
have to reconcile the remaining differences before sending a bill to President Barack Obama for his signature."
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-- CONGRESS WORKS II: 'DOC FIX' - "House Republican leaders found a way Thursday to swiftly circumvent bipartisan opposition to controversial 'doc fix' legislation. Stealth," write POLITICO's Jennifer Haberkorn and Jake Sherman. "In neck-breaking fashion, GOP leadership took to the House floor in the morning and voice-voted a one-year patch to the Sustainable Growth Rate - a pricey formula that determines how much the government pays doctors who treat Medicare patients. Republican leaders worked with their Democratic counterparts to orchestrate the ploy. As members returned to the floor when the House came into session, they discovered that the bill had already passed. Nearly all of them
were surprised. No one had the chance to vote no; no one had a chance to vote yes. ... In the latest in a long line of crises, physicians face a 24 percent pay cut under Medicare on April 1 if Congress doesn't act. The Senate still has to act to avert that cut."
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-- But not everyone was thrilled with the maneuver: "GOP gripes about 'bull----' vote," The Hill:
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-- And there's still plenty of gridlock when it comes to the jobless benefits issue, our own Burgess Everett writes: "The Senate took a key step forward on renewing expired unemployment benefits, voting to open debate on a bipartisan measure on Thursday afternoon. The 65-34 vote was a significant breakthrough, putting the Senate on a glide path to final passage next week. But Speaker John Boehner has indicated he has no intention of putting the proposal on the House floor, citing concerns about implementation and a dearth of job-creation provisions in the package. Some Senate Republicans forged ahead anyway, despite Boehner's opposition."
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OBAMACARE HITS SIX MILLION MARK - Louise Radnofsky and Colleen McCain Nelson write on A1 of the Wall Street Journal: "The White House said the Affordable Care Act crossed a key threshold as it announced Thursday that more than six million people have signed up for private health coverage through state and federal insurance exchanges. The number, released days before the Monday deadline for most people to enroll for this year, surpasses the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office's revised estimate that six million people would enroll in private health plans for 2014-down from its initial forecast of seven million. ...

-- "Supporters of the law called the enrollment total a milestone that shows the Affordable Care Act had turned the corner after its disastrous rollout. The federal HealthCare.gov exchange had such crippling technological problems that on the first day of enrollment in October, only six people completed applications for insurance, according to internal federal health-agency documents. ... Opponents of the law said the figure had little meaning given the lack of detail so far on the makeup of the enrollees. 'I think those numbers are a fantasy,' said Rep. Michael Burgess, (R., Texas). 'How many of these people previously had insurance?"
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THE FRONT PAGE - New York Times: "DEADLINE NEAR, HEALTH SIGNUPS SHOW DISPARITY: SIX MILLION ENROLLED: State by State, a WideRange of Outcomes for Obama Plan." Washington Post: "More seeking health coverage: LATE SURGE FOR OBAMACARE: More than 6 million have now signed up." Chicago Tribune, 5-col lead: "Frenzied finish for sign-ups: Illinois enrollment lagging as Obamacare deadline looms; state pulls out stops to get the message out."

THE OBAMACARE REPORT CARD - POLITICO's David Nather identifies the highs and lows of the first enrollment season, which comes to an end on Monday. He gave high marks for "Enrollment" numbers and "Outreach," but predictably gave an "F" for "Readiness." And there's much more: A "B-" for "Website repairs," "C" for "Messaging," and another "F" for President Obama's remark that if you like your existing plan, you can keep it.
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** A tax code that's simple and fair is good for business and the economy. Repealing the cash method of accounting fails on both counts. Efforts to cut tax rates shouldn't harm the businesses that drive growth. Join Grant Thornton in preserving the cash method of accounting. Learn more:
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GOOD FRIDAY MORNING, MARCH 28, 2014, and welcome to The Huddle, your play-by-play preview of all the action on Capitol Hill. Send tips, suggestions, comments, complaints and corrections to
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TODAY IN CONGRESS - Both the Senate and House are out today.

AROUND THE HILL - Rep. Tim Murphy and former Rep. Patrick Kennedy speak at an event titled, "Fixing the mental health care system: What Congress can do," at 10 a.m. at AEI, 1150 Seventeenth Street, NW.

BRALEY PERSONALLY APOLOGIZES TO GRASSLEY FOR FARMER QUIP - Jennifer Jacobs and William Petroski report for the Des Moines Register: "As U.S. Senate candidate Bruce Braley's 'farmer' remark took on the label of political gaffe of the year, Iowa Democrats on Wednesday expressed dismay at the turn of events in a critical race, while Republicans seized on the chance to dig the knife deeper. 'With the words 'farmer from Iowa who never went to law school,' Braley instantly became a very big fish in a very small barrel,' wrote Todd Dorman, a columnist for the Cedar Rapids Gazette, one of countless news organizations in Iowa and nationally that put a spotlight on Braley's
caught-on-tape blunder. ... The political forest fire began Tuesday, when GOP operatives released a videotape of Braley at a private Texas fundraiser criticizing the qualifications of Republican U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa to be Judiciary Committee chairman because he's a farmer and lacks a law degree. Braley, whose bid for retiring Democratic U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin's seat as recently as Monday was considered very likely to succeed, apologized Tuesday, about three hours after the story broke. ...

-- "Gov. Terry Branstad offered blistering criticism Wednesday, telling reporters at the Capitol: 'I think that this is something that Iowans will not forget.' ... Branstad ... said his wife, Christine, happened to witness Braley catching Grassley in a hallway to apologize in person. Some Democrats admitted they were stunned by Braley's judgment in this situation, but publicly came to his defense and downplayed the effect on his campaign."
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-- Braley compounded his gaffe Thursday by posting a picture of an English farm. Buzzfeed:
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SENS. DIANNE FEINSTEIN AND BARBARA BOXER are calling on a fellow California Democrat, state Sen. Leland Yee, to resign in the wake of his arrest in a public corruption scandal. Yee, who unsuccessfully ran for San Francisco mayor, quit the race for secretary of state on Thursday. No reaction yet from House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, who represents San Francisco and has known Yee for years. She is sure to be asked about the scandal today when she appears at a public event in San Francisco.

MULVANEY EYES RSC POST - Tim Alberta reports for National Journal: "Rep. Mick Mulvaney of South Carolina will seek the chairmanship of the Republican Study Committee in the 114th Congress, National Journal has learned, the first significant measure of internal campaigning amid a season marked by quiet, cautious jostling for positions in the next session. ... Mulvaney, a sophomore lawmaker known for his sharp tongue and quick wit, has long been viewed as a favorite to succeed Scalise-partly because of his relationship with some of the founders, including Hensarling and Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio.

-- "Mulvaney's path to the chairmanship could be complicated, however, if the group's bylaws are changed. According to several sources with direct knowledge of the deliberations, the founders are considering a new system under which they would vet candidates and recommend certain people to be included in a caucus-wide vote-without endorsing anyone. Nothing has been finalized, sources cautioned, but the goal would be to avoid having the group's leaders taking sides in divisive runoff elections."
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ISSA HANDLING OF IRS PROBE RANCKLES SOME REPUBLICANS - Rachel Bade and Lauren French report for POLITICO: "It was supposed to be an easy win: The most loathed federal agency engaged in what amounted to discrimination against tea party-backed nonprofits. But 10 months out from the first IRS scandal headline, some Republicans are unhappy with their party's investigation - and they point a finger at the man who helped sustain the national uproar: Oversight and Government Reform Chairman Darrell Issa (R-Calif.). In background interviews with more than a half-dozen House Republicans on the Oversight and Ways and Means committees, the two panels probing the matter in that chamber, members
expressed frustration that the investigation has become a spectacle that's dragged on and distracted from serious charges.

-- "Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah), who is hoping to replace Issa as chairman next year, expressed regret over the pace of the investigation, saying it's 'lost momentum.' ... 'There is a perception that if your case is rock-solid, it doesn't need months to sort it out,' said Chaffetz, who like several others, said the recent dust-up between Issa and top panel Democrat Elijah Cummings was unfortunate . ... The list of complaints includes: Issa waited nearly a year to bring a key IRS witness back to his panel; he let an offer to hear that witness speak slip and may even be causing sympathy for ex-agency official Lois Lerner."
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MISSOURI DEMS' THIN BENCH - Juana Summers reports for the hometown paper: "The Missouri state auditor's post has been a launching pad for politicians with higher aspirations like Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill, former U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft and former GOP Sen. Kit Bond. But this year, Democrats concede they won't field a serious candidate against incumbent Republican Auditor Tom Schweich - sparking questions about the strength of the party's bench in the red-trending swing state. Schweich may also be using his position to mount a bid for higher office in 2016, making Democrats' historic failure to recruit an opponent for Schweich even more costly. ...State Rep. Jay
Swearingen, a North Kansas City Democrat, bowed out of the race in January, saying that he wanted to step aside for a Democrat who was better able to raise money for the contest. Democrats last held the post in 2010, when Schweich defeated incumbent Susan Montee."
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CAPITOL POLICE BUST VISITOR FOR BIG BAG OF POT - Hannah Hess writes for Roll Call: "Capitol Police stationed outside the Senate gallery got a surprise Thursday afternoon when they asked one visitor to empty his pockets in accordance with procedure. Sherman Tyrone Edwards Jr., 32, placed a bag of marijuana on the stand next to the security checkpoint, manned by three uniformed officers. According to sources on the scene, Edwards pulled out a bag of bud big enough that the U.S. Attorney could probably hold onto it and bust him for distribution ... He looked stoned, apparently, but the prediction on distribution charges turned out to be bogus. Edwards was arrested at 2:33 p.m. on Thursday,
then transported to Capitol Police headquarters. He was charged on two counts - possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia, according to a Capitol Police spokesperson."
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MARCH MADNESS: FLORIDA ONCE AGAIN DRIVES UCLA FANS CRAZY - Mike Hiserman writes for the L.A. Times: "Top-ranked and No. 1-seeded Florida is going to its fourth consecutive Elite Eight in the NCAA basketball tournament. UCLA is going home to Westwood for the fourth time since 2006 after meeting the Gators in the NCAA tournament, this time getting beat, 79-68. The Gators did exactly what they needed to do in a South Regional semifinal at the FedExForum in Memphis, Tenn. They beat the Bruins on the boards, limited the damage inflicted by UCLA star Kyle Anderson, and scored from outside. ... And so the Gators and Coach Billy Donovan continued their mastery of UCLA, eliminating the Bruins from
the NCAA tournament for the fourth time since 2006."
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-- Florida will meet Dayton in an Elite 8 game on Saturday. Dayton, the No. 11 seed, knocked off No. 10 Stanford. Meanwhile, Wisconsin defeated Baylor 69-52 and will go on to face Arizona, which beat San Diego State University 70-64.

-- Super Bowl champ Richard Sherman (@RSherman_25) took a selfie with fellow Stanford alum Condi Rice at the game in Memphis: Nice crowd tonight in Memphis
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THURSDAY'S TRIVIA WINNER - Gabe Fleisher from University City, Mo., was first to correctly answer that 'I'm From Missouri' was written on the back of the placard on President Harry Truman's desk that famously read "The Buck Stops Here."

TODAY'S TRIVIA - Gabe Fleisher, who you may remember is in sixth grade, has today's question: Franklin Roosevelt was the first President to appoint a female Cabinet secretary (Frances Perkins, Secretary of Labor). Who was the first President to appoint a woman to a so-called "subcabinet" position? The first person to correctly answer gets a mention in the next day's Huddle. Email me at
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** The cash method of accounting has long been recognized as the appropriate method of accounting for pass-through businesses. It's simple, fair and requires taxpayers to pay tax only when they actually receive income. Forcing businesses to change to the accrual method would be disruptive, complex and unfair. It would add unnecessary compliance burdens and hurt the nation's efforts to grow. The U.S. can't afford damaging its economic jobs engine by forcing a conversion to the accrual method of accounting. Join Grant Thornton in preserving the cash method of accounting. Learn more:
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