Two top House of Representatives Democrats Monday want judiciary committee hearings on what they call "a wave of recent changes in state voting laws that make it more difficult for Americans to cast a ballot."

Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., top committee Democrat, and Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., top Democrat on the Constitution subcommittee, asked Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith, R-Texas, for the hearing. Smith has not yet responded.

The Democrats cited a report released recently by the Brennan Center for Justice, saying that more than 5 million voters could be affected by the changes.

Among them: Requiring photo IDs for voting, excluding more common IDs like Social Security cards, requiring proof of citizenship and enacting barriers for first time voters.

"in view of the gravity of this situation, we urge you to schedule hearings soon to address an issue so critical to our democracy," the congressmen said.

Mitt Romney continued Friday to tap previous Bush administrations for advice.

The former Massachusetts governor and top-tier Republican presidential candidate Friday announced the backing of two former attorneys general and three others who served in top positions.

Supporters and advisers include Michael Mukasey, attorney general under President George W. Bush from 2007 to 2009, and William Barr, attorney general under President George H.W. Bush from 1991 to 1993.

Also on the Romney team are George Terwilliger, deputy attorney general from 1992 to 1993; Mark Filip, deputy attorney general from 2008 to 2009, and Alice Fisher, assistant attorney general in charge of the criminal division from 2005 to 2008.

Want to know what committees senators will serve on? Here are the lists...Democrats first, then Republicans:

Agriculture:

Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow

Patrick Leahy

Tom Harkin

Kent Conrad

Max Baucus

Ben Nelson

Sherrod Brown

Robert Casey

Amy Klobuchar

Michael Bennet

Kirsten Gillibrand

Appropriations:

Chairman Daniel Inouye

Patrick Leahy

Tom  Harkin

Barbara Mikulski

Herb  Kohl

Patty  Murray

Dianne  Feinstein

Richard Durbin

Tim  Johnson

Mary Landrieu

Jack  Reed

Frank Lautenberg

Ben  Nelson

Mark Pryor

Jon  Tester

Sherrod Brown

Armed Services:

Chairman Carl Levin
Joseph Lieberman

Jack Reed

Daniel Akaka

Ben  Nelson

Jim  Webb

Claire  McCaskill

Mark  Udall

Kay Hagan

Mark Begich

Joe Manchin

Jeanne Shaheen

Kirsten Gillibrand

Richard Blumenthal

Banking:

Chairman Tim Johnson
Jack Reed

Charles Schumer

Robert Menendez

Daniel Akaka

Sherrod  Brown

Jon Tester

Herb Kohl

Mark Warner

Jeff  Merkley

Michael Bennet

Kay Hagan

Commerce:

Chairman Jay Rockefeller

Daniel Inouye

John Kerry

Barbara Boxer

Bill Nelson

Maria Cantwell

Frank Lautenberg

Mark Pryor

Claire McCaskill

Amy Klobuchar

Tom Udall

Mark Warner

Mark Begich

Energy:

Chairman Jeff Bingaman
Ron  Wyden
Tim  Johnson

Mary Landrieu

Maria Cantwell

Bernard Sanders

Debbie Stabenow

Mark Udall

Jeanne Shaheen

Al Franken

Joe Manchin

Christopher Coons

Environment and Public Works:
Chairwoman Barbara Boxer

Max Baucus

Thomas Carper

Frank Lautenberg

Benjamin Cardin

Bernard Sanders

Sheldon Whitehouse

Tom Udall

Jeff Merkley

Kirsten Gillibrand

Finance:

Chairman Max Baucus

Jay Rockefeller

Kent Conrad

Jeff Bingaman

John Kerry

Ron Wyden

Charles Schumer

Debbie Stabenow

Maria Cantwell

Bill Nelson

Robert Menendez

Thomas Carper

Ben Cardin

Foreign Relations:

Chairman John Kerry

Barbara Boxer

Robert Menendez

Benjamin Cardin

Robert Casey

Jim Webb

Jeanne Shaheen

Christopher Coons

Richard Durbin

Tom Udall

Health, Education, Labor and Pension:
Chairman Tom Harkin
Barbara Mikulski

Jeff Bingaman

Patty Murray

Bernard Sanders

Robert Casey

Kay Hagan

Jeff Merkley

Al Franken

Michael Bennet

Sheldon Whitehouse

Richard Blumenthal

Homeland Security and Government Affairs:

Chairman Joseph Lieberman
Carl Levin

Daniel Akaka

Thomas Carper

Mark Pryor

Mary Landrieu

Claire McCaskill

Jon Tester

Mark Begich

Select Committee on Intelligence:

Chairwoman Dianne Feinstein

Jay Rockefeller

Ron Wyden

Barbara Mikulski

Bill Nelson

Kent Conrad

Mark Udall

Mark Warner

Judiciary:

Chairman Patrick Leahy

Herb Kohl

Dianne Feinstein

Charles Schumer

Richard Durbin

Sheldon Whitehouse

Amy Klobuchar

Al Franken

Christopher Coons

Ricahrd Blumenthal

Special Committee on Aging:

Chairman Herb Kohl

Ron Wyden
Bill Nelson

Robert Casey

Claire McCaskill

Sheldon Whitehouse

Mark Udall

Michael Bennet

Kirsten Gillibrand

Joe Manchin

Richard Blumenthal

Budget:

Chairman Ken Conrad

Patty Murray

Ron Wyden

Bill Nelson

Debbie Stabenow

Benjamin Cardin

Bernard Sanders

Sheldon Whitehouse

Mark Warner

Jeff Merkley

Mark Begich

Christopher Coons

Joint Economic Committee:

Chairman Robert Casey 
Jeff Bingaman

Amy Klobuchar

Jim Webb

Mark Warner

Bernard Sanders

Rules and Administration:

Chairman Charles Schumer

Daniel Inouye

Dianne Feinstein

Richard Durbin

Ben Nelson

Patty Murray

Mark Pryor

Tom Udall

Mark Warner

Patrick Leahy

Small Business and Entrepreneurship:

Chairman Mary Landrieu

Carl Levin

Tom Harkin

John Kerry

Joseph Lieberman

Maria Cantwell

Mark Pryor

Benjamin Cardin

Jeanne Shaheen

Kay Hagan

Veterans’ Affairs:

Chairwoman Patty Murray

Jay Rockefeller

Daniel Akaka

Bernard Sanders

Sherrod Brown

Jim Webb

Jon Tester

Mark Begich

Select Committee on Ethics:

Chairwoman Barbara Boxer

Mark Pryor

Sherrod Brown

Indian Affairs:

Chairman Daniel Akaka

Daniel Inouye

Kent Conrad

Tim Johnson

Maria Cantwell

Jon Tester

Tom Udall

Al Franken

---

Now, the Republicans:

Appropriations

Thad Cochran, Miss.

Mitch McConnell, Ky.

Richard Shelby, Ala.

Kay Bailey Hutchison, Texas

Lamar Alexander, Tenn.

Susan Collins, Maine

Lisa Murkowski, Alaska

Lindsey Graham, S.C.

Mark Kirk, Ill.

Dan Coats, Ind.

Roy Blunt, Mo.

Jerry Moran, Kan.

John Hoeven, N.D.

Ron Johnson, Wis.

Armed Services

John McCain, Ariz.

Jim Inhofe, Okla.

Jeff Sessions, Ala.

Saxby Chambliss, Ga.

Roger Wicker, Miss.

Scott Brown, Mass.

Rob Portman, Ohio

Kelly Ayotte, N.H.

Susan Collins, Maine

Lindsey Graham, S.C.

John Cornyn, Texas

David Vitter, La.

Finance

Chuck Grassley, Iowa

Orrin Hatch, Utah

Olympia Snowe, Maine

Jon Kyl, Ariz.

Mike Crapo, Idaho

Pat Roberts, Kan.

John Ensign, Nev.

Mike Enzi, Wyo.

John Cornyn, Texas

Tom Coburn, Okla.

John Thune, S.D.

Foreign Relations

Richard Lugar, Ind.

Bob Corker, Tenn.

Jim Risch, Idaho

Marco Rubio, Fla.

Jim Inhofe, Okla.

Jim DeMint, S.C.

Johnny Isakson, Ga.

John Barrasso, Wyo.

Mike Lee, Utah

Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry

Saxby Chambliss, Ga.

Richard Lugar, Ind.

Thad Cochran, Miss.

Mitch McConnell, Ky.

Pat Roberts, Kan.   

Mike Johanns, Neb.

John Boozman, Ark.

Chuck Grassley, Iowa

John Thune, S.D.

John Hoeven, N.D.

Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs

Richard Shelby, Ala.

Mike Crapo, Idaho

Bob Corker, Tenn.

Jim DeMint, S.C.

David Vitter, La.

Mike Johanns, Neb.

Pat Toomey, Penn.

Mark Kirk, Ill.

Jerry Moran, Kan.

Roger Wicker, Miss.

Commerce, Science, and Transportation

Kay Bailey Hutchison, Texas

Olympia Snowe, Maine

John Ensign, Nev.

Jim DeMint, S.C.

John Thune, S.D.

Roger Wicker, Miss.

Johnny Isakson, Ga.

Roy Blunt, Mo.

John Boozman, Ark.

Pat Toomey, Penn.

Marco Rubio, Fla.

Kelly Ayotte, N.H.

Energy and Natural Resources

Lisa Murkowski, Alaska

Richard Burr, N.C.

John Barrasso, Wyo.

Jim Risch, Idaho

Mike Lee, Utah

Rand Paul, Ky.

Dan Coats, Ind.

Rob Portman, Ohio

John Hoeven, N.D.

Bob Corker, Tenn.

Environment and Public Works

Jim Inhofe, Okla.

David Vitter, La.

John Barrasso, Wyo.

Jeff Sessions, Ala.

Mike Crapo, Idaho

Lamar Alexander, Tenn.

Mike Johanns, Neb.

John Boozman, Ark.

Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs

Susan Collins, Maine

Tom Coburn, Okla.

Scott Brown, Mass.

John McCain, Ariz.

Ron Johnson, Wis.

John Ensign, Nev.

Rob Portman, Ohio

Rand Paul, Ky.

Judiciary

Jeff Sessions, Ala.

Orrin Hatch, Utah

Chuck Grassley, Iowa

Jon Kyl, Ariz.

Lindsey Graham, S.C.

John Cornyn, Texas

Mike Lee, Utah
Tom Coburn, Okla.

Health, Education, Labor and Pensions

Mike Enzi, Wyo.

Lamar Alexander, Tenn.

Richard Burr, N.C.

Johnny Isakson, Ga.

Rand Paul, Ky.

Orrin Hatch, Utah

John McCain, Ariz.

Pat Roberts, Kan.

Lisa Murkowski, Ala.

Mark Kirk, Ill.

Aging

Bob Corker, Tenn.

Susan Collins, Maine

Orrin Hatch, Utah

Mark Kirk, Ill.

Jerry Moran, Kan.

Ron Johnson, Wis.

Kelly Ayotte, N.H.

Richard Shelby, Ala.

Lindsey Graham, S.C.

Saxby Chambliss, Ga.

Budget

Chuck Grassley, Iowa

Mike Enzi, Wyo.

Jeff Sessions, Ala.

Mike Crapo, Idaho

John Ensign, Nev.

John Cornyn, Texas

Lindsey Graham, S.C.

John Thune, S.D.

Rob Portman, Ohio

Pat Toomey, Penn.

Ron Johnson, Wis.

Ethics

Johnny Isakson, Ga.

Pat Roberts, Kan.

Jim Risch, Idaho

Indian Affairs

John Barrasso, Wyo.

John McCain, Ariz.

Lisa Murkowski, Alaska

John Hoeven, N.D.

Mike Crapo, Idaho

Mike Johanns, Neb.

Intelligence

Saxby Chambliss, Ga.

Olympia Snowe, Maine

Richard Burr, N.C.

Jim Risch, Idaho

Dan Coats, Ind.

Roy Blunt, Mo.

Marco Rubio, Fla.

Joint Economic Committee

Jim DeMint, S.C.

Dan Coats, Ind.

Mike Lee, Utah

Pat Toomey, Penn.

Rules and Administration

Mitch McConnell, Ky.

Thad Cochran, Miss.

Saxby Chambliss, Ga.

Kay Bailey Hutchison, Texas

Lamar Alexander, Tenn.

Pat Roberts, Kan.

Richard Shelby, Ala.

Roy Blunt, Mo.

Small Business

Olympia Snowe, Maine

David Vitter, La.

Jim Risch, Idaho

Marco Rubio, Fla.

Rand Paul, Ky.

Kelly Ayotte, N.H.

Mike Enzi, Wyo.

Scott Brown, Mass.

Jerry Moran, Kan.

Veterans Affairs

Richard Burr, N.C.

Johnny Isakson, Ga.

Roger Wicker, Miss.

Mike Johanns, Neb.

Scott Brown, Mass.

Jerry Moran, Kan.

John Boozman, Ark.

President Barack Obama Monday nominated one of his lawyers, Deputy Counsel Donald B. Verrilli, Jr., to be Solicitor General. He will replace Acting Soliciotr General Neil Katyal, who's held the post temporarily since former Solicitor General Elena Kagan moved to the bench at the Supreme Court.

His resume, from the White House release:

"Donald B. Verrilli, Jr. currently serves as a Deputy Counsel to the President.  Previously he served in the Department of Justice as an Associate Deputy Attorney General, where he focused on domestic and national security policy issues. 

"Prior to joining the Justice Department in February 2009, Mr. Verrilli was a litigator in private practice for more than 20 years in the D.C. office of the Jenner & Block law firm, where his practice focused on First Amendment, telecommunications, and intellectual property law, as well as pro bono matters.  At Jenner & Block, he was co-chair of the firm’s Supreme Court practice group from 2000 until his departure in 2009.  

"Mr. Verrilli has participated in more than 100 cases before the Supreme Court and has argued twelve.  He also has participated in approximately 90 cases in the U.S. Courts of Appeal and state supreme courts, arguing over 30 of these appeals. 

"Mr. Verrilli held numerous leadership positions at Jenner & Block, including serving as a member of the firm’s governing Policy Committee and as chair of its Diversity Committee. 
"Mr. Verrilli also served for over fifteen years as an adjunct professor of constitutional law at the Georgetown University Law Center, focusing on First Amendment law.  Mr. Verrilli received the Frederick Douglass Award from the Southern Center for Human Rights in 2006, and the Arthur Von Briesen Award from the National Legal Aid and Defenders Association in 2004.  He also served as a law clerk to the Hon. William J. Brennan, Jr. of the United States Supreme Court and to the Hon. J. Skelly Wright of the United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. 

"Mr. Verrilli received his J.D. from Columbia Law School where he was a Kent Scholar and Editor-in-Chief of the Columbia Law Review, and received a B.A. with honors from Yale University."

Hard to imagine he'll make it though the selection process . . . but . . . this just released from Vice President Joe Biden's office:

UPDATED DAILY GUIDANCE FOR THE VICE PRESIDENT

Monday, January 24, 2011

This morning, the Vice President reported for jury duty with the Superior Court of Delaware at the New Castle County Courthouse in Wilmington. The Vice President will participate in the standard jury selection process in his capacity as a private citizen.

Repeal of the military's "don't ask don't tell" will move as seperate House of Representatives legislation.

Rep. Patrick Murphy, D-Pa., an Iraq war veteran, Tuesday introduced the bill, and a version is expected in the Senate. The Senate last week failed by three votes to cut off extended debate on legislation that included repeal.

It was not clear when--or if--Murphy's bill would be considered by the full House. Lawmakers hope to wrap up the 111th Congress by the end of this week, and the tax cut and government funding measures are still pending.

Murphy's bill is expected to draw strong support, though. The House in May voted to back repeal as part of a broader defense bill, but the measure has been stuck in the Senate.

And House members feel some urgency--Murphy lost his seat in the November election, and next month, Republicans will control the House.

In introducing the bill, Murphy said, "The time to repeal Don't Ask, Don't Tell has come. Already, two dozen other nations, including Israel and Great Britain, allow their troops to serve openly with no detriment to unit cohesion.

"As an Army veteran of the Iraq War," he said, "I’m insulted by those who claim that our troops are somehow less professional or mission-capable than the troops of these foreign nations. I’m proud to stand with the Secretary of Defense, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the majority of servicemembers and the American public who all support repeal of this discriminatory policy that harms our national security and military readiness."

Campaign spending by independent groups on congressional candidates continues to soar--up 73 percent from a comparable period two years ago, a new report from the nonpartisan Campaign Finance Institute said Monday.

Through mid-October, non-political party independent campaign spending in Senate and House of Representatives elections totaled $147.5 million, well above the $85.3 million reported in mid-October 2008. By the middle of the month four years ago, spending was $32 million.

Republicans are the chief 2010 cycle beneficiaries--spending to back GOP candidates has hit $105.5 million, compared to $42 million to support Democrats.

The spending is believed to have been stoked in part by the Supreme Court ruling earlier this year allowing corporations and labor unions to spend more freely to advocate for candidates. 

So far, the spending tops all non-party independent groups' spending in 2008. "And," the institute reported noted, "this is before the traditionally heavy-spending final weeks of the campaign."

Democrats now control both Houses of Congress. Republicans need net gains of 39 House and 10 Senate seats to win control of each House.

Two environmental groups _ the National Wildlife Federation and the Natural Resources Defense Council _ wrote a letter to Attorney General Eric Holder today saying that when the federal government totes up the damages from the BP blowout in the Gulf of Mexico, it should count not just the oil but the natural gas that escaped as well.

The government estimates 4.1 millions of barrels of oil spilled. The letter says that if gas is added, it's the equivalent of more than 6 million barrels. The administration began a criminal investigation of the oil disaster on June 1. 

A Justice Department spokeswoman said she couldn't say anything because the investigation is ongoing _ not even whether the federal government had made a decision yet about whether to include both oil and gas in the damage assessment.

Ohio Sen. George Voinovich, a Republican who last year voted to confirm Sonia Sotomayor to the U.S. Supreme Court, said Tuesday he will not back nominee Elena Kagan.

“Lack of judicial experience should not be an absolute bar on serving as a Supreme Court justice. However, Solicitor General Kagan not only lacks judicial experience, but has limited experience as a practicing attorney with really only the last year as solicitor general and two years as a junior associate making up her entire practice, said Voinovich, who last year backed Sotomayor, President Barack Obama's first court nominee.

But he won't support Kagan, saying she "has an extremely limited written record, which should make all of us unsure as to what sort of justice she might be.”

Senators Tuesday spent their day debating the nomination, with a vote expected Thursday. Voinovich had opposed Kagan for Solicitor General in March 2009.

He said Tuesday the 50-year-old former Harvard Law School dean "does not have that relevant experience. For example, when the Senate considered Justice Sotomayor’s nomination, there were more than a thousand prior opinions one could review to decide if she was ready for the job; with Gen. Kagan, there are none.

"When I asked her to name opinions that she worked on with Justice (Thurgood) Marshall with which she disagreed, she stated that she could not remember any individual opinion she worked on, much less whether she disagreed with Justice Marshall on any of them," Voinovich said.

Kagan is expected to easily win confirmation, since Democrats control 59 seats and only one, Nebraska's Ben Nelson, has said he will vote no. Five Republicans have said they will back Kagan. 

Senate debate followed partisan, and largely predictable, lines Tuesday as debate began on the nomination of Solicitor General Elena Kagan to the Supreme Court.

Kagan is virtually certain to be confirmed, probably by the end of the week. Only one of the Senate's 57 Democrats has expressed opposition, and five Republicans have said they will back the 50-year-old former Harvard Law School dean.

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., opened the debate by praising Kagan as someone whose testimony during recent confirmation hearings "reflected an understanding of the judicial role and a traditional view of deference to Congress and judicial precedent."

Kagan, nominated by President Barack Obama to replace retiring Justice John Paul Stevens, testified for more than 17 hours and took about 540 questions.

Kagan, said Leahy Tuesday, "not only has the necessary qualifications to be a Supreme Court justice, but has demonstrated her respect for the rule of law, her appreciation for the separation of powers, and her understanding of the meaning of our Constitution."

But Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., the committee's top Republican, quickly set the tone for the GOP side.

"She seems to admire the view, and has as her judicial heroes, judges who favor expansive readings of what they call the living Constitution," he said, "whereby judges seek, in President Obama's words, who certainly shares this view, to advance, as he said, a broader vision of what American should be."

But, Sessions said, "I don't believe that's a responsibility or a power given to judges to advance visions of what American should be. Whose vision is it they would advance, I would ask? It would be the judge's vision. They weren't appointed for that purpose; they were appointed to adjudicate cases.".