Tipsheet: Itching for a fight, Dems vow to hold the line

View in your browser     Itching for a fight, Dems vow to hold the line By Mike Lillis   The January battle to keep the government open is the fight Democrats have been itching for. On three occasions in recent months, Democrats punted on some of their top priorities as the GOP passed short-term funding bills — a strategy that outraged liberals eager for confrontation on issues like immigration and health care. Read the full story here     Listen to the HillCast AM View: Dem, Republican leaders meet in search of budget deal, DACA fix By Alexis Simendinger House and Senate leaders from both parties are meeting with White House officials on Capitol Hill today, in search of an elusive budget deal before a Jan. 19 deadline. Listen to The Hill's podcast here     Hatch exit opens door for Romney By Jordain Carney and Lisa Hagen   Longtime Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) announced on Tuesday that he would retire from the Senate, clearing the way for former presidential nominee Mitt Romney to mount a political comeback and take the seat. Read the full story here     Orrin Hatch, ‘a tough old bird,’ got a lot done in the Senate By Alexander Bolton Sen. Orrin Hatch (Utah), the longest-serving Republican senator in history, will retire at the end of this Congress, bringing to a close a storied 41-year career that put him at the center of the nation’s biggest political debates. Read the full story here       Trump: I have a 'much bigger' button than Kim Jong Un By Max Greenwood President Trump on Tuesday said that the nuclear launch button on his desk is "much bigger" and "more powerful" than that of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un – and that his button actually "works." Read the full story here     Congressional investigators find irregularities in FBI's handling of Clinton email case By John Solomon Republicans on key congressional committees say they have uncovered new irregularities and contradictions inside the FBI’s probe of Hillary Clinton’s email server. Read the full story here     The Memo: DACA tensions roil GOP By Niall Stanage A fix for DACA is one of the most urgent issues on the congressional agenda but the politics of the subject are complicated, especially for President Trump and his party. Read the full story here     Trump ratchets up support for demonstrators in Iran By Jordan Fabian and Rebecca Kheel The Trump administration on Tuesday ramped up its support for the protests gripping Iran and urged other nations to take a stand against Tehran’s violent crackdown on demonstrators. Read the full story here     GOP Rep. Shuster won’t seek reelection By Cristina Marcos Rep. Bill Shuster (R-Pa.) will not seek reelection this year, becoming the fourth House Republican committee chairman to call it quits. Read the full story here     Labor Department eyes drug test rule for unemployment pay By Lydia Wheeler The Trump administration is looking to bring back and broaden a rule that Congress killed last year requiring drug testing for unemployment benefits. Read the full story here     Trump's war on immigration caseworkers needs to end By Former Rep. Steve Israel OPINION | Using every tool it can to restrain immigration, the Trump administration has now taken aim at a little-known but vital resource: immigration caseworkers in congressional offices. Read the full story here     If Democrats want Congress back, women must play a key role By Jose Aristimuno OPINION | 2017 was definitely the year of women political empowerment, and it all started with the Women’s March in January 2017. Over 470,000 people over flowed the streets of the Nation’s Capital. What a sight it was. Read the full story here     The New York Times: Democrats outline demands as threat of shutdown looms By Sheryl Gay Stolberg and Thomas Kaplan Democrats are pushing for funding for children’s health care and protection for young undocumented immigrants, among other priorities. Read the full story here     The Washington Post: Trump takes hard line on ‘dreamers’ but remains willing to deal By Robert Costa, David Nakamura and Ashley Parker The president is caught in a snarl of competing interests within the White House and his own party, with many of his supporters clamoring for a standoff over funding for his promised U.S.-Mexico border wall, and others who are reminding him of his pledge last year to “show great heart” toward the immigrants brought to the United States illegally as children. Read the full story here     CNN: Trump lawyers talked with special counsel team By Evan Perez   President Donald Trump's legal team held talks with the members of special counsel Robert Mueller's team a few days before Christmas, a source briefed on the matter told CNN. Read the full story here     Reuters: Trump draws rebukes after touting aviation safety record By David Shepardson   U.S. President Donald Trump took credit on Tuesday for a record year of safety for commercial aviation in 2017, swiftly drawing criticism and derision from commentators who said the achievement reflected trends predating his administration. Read the full story here     The Associated Press: Trump warns Palestinian Authority it may lose US aid money By Zeke Miller and Jill Colvin Acknowledging his push to broker peace in the Middle East has stalled, President Donald Trump appeared to threaten to cut off U.S. aid money to the Palestinian Authority, asking why the U.S. should make “any of these massive future payments” when the Palestinians are “no longer willing to talk peace.” Read the full story here         Did a friend forward you this email? Sign up for The Hill Tipsheet       Forward this Tipsheet     You might like         Privacy Policy  |  Manage Subscriptions  |  Unsubscribe  |  Email to a friend  |  Sign Up for Other Newsletters   The Hill 1625 K Street, NW 9th Floor, Washington DC 20006 ©2016 Capitol Hill Publishing Corp., a subsidiary of News Communications, Inc.