No Alternatives to NSA Surveillance Programs? | Topic A

Despite public and congressional resistance to recently disclosed National Security Agency surveillance programs, “President Obama and his top advisers have concluded that there is no workable alternative to the bulk collection of huge quantities of ‘metadata,’ including records of all telephone calls made inside the United States,” according to the New York Times.

• More From Topic A: Defense

Roll Call's 10 Most Vulnerable House Members Revealed

The midterm elections are one year away, but it’s already clear that days are numbered for some endangered House members.

Twitter IPO Makes House Ethics Nervous

As Wall Street prepares for Twitter to make its initial public offering Thursday, the House Ethics Committee would like to take this “opportunity” to remind members they can’t get in on the stock rush before the general public.

Reid to Set Up Next Moves in Latest 'Nuclear Option' Staredown

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said Tuesday he plans to have two more test votes on nominations to the District of Columbia Circuit Court of Appeals by the end of the week.

Steny Hoyer to Campaign for DCCC Jumpstart Candidates

House Minority Whip Steny H. Hoyer has jam-packed several campaigning events and fundraisers over recess on behalf of House candidates.

Disruption of Regular Appropriations Threatens DOD Projects

The Navy has grand plans for its next-generation ballistic missile submarine, pushing it deeper into the research-and-development phase in fiscal 2014 — and one step closer to production — with a healthy $1.1 billion investment that amounts to roughly double what the service spent on the program last year.

• Appropriators Strike Optimistic Note, Despite Heavy Lifting Ahead

McCollum to Protest Redskins' Arrival on Her Home Turf

The D.C. Council strongly supported a resolution Tuesday calling on the Washington Redskins to ditch their controversial name, fueling the fire for one of Capitol Hill’s foremost opponents of the name.

Reid Dangles Two-Week Thanksgiving Recess if Senate Expedites Legislation

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said Tuesday that he hopes to take a recess the week of Thanksgiving and the week after, but he warned that senators would need to cooperate to expedite work on the floor if that is to happen.

Correcting the (Politico) Record on Louisiana | Rothenblog

I had to laugh when I saw the headline in the Nov. 4 paper edition of Politico: “Louisiana Key to GOP Senate Control.”

Citizens United Joins Vitter Push Against Health Benefits for Congress, Staff (Video)

Sen. David Vitter took his campaign against federal employer-provided health benefits to a new level on Monday night.

House Dining Services Hungry for Feedback

Before the cupcake, Daniel Minchew’s lunch in the Longworth Cafe totaled $5.50. Dessert pushed it to $7.75.

GOP Gets Another Chance to Back Disabilities Treaty

The last time Senate Democrats brought up an international disabilities treaty Republicans were deeply divided.

Ex-FEMA Director Seeks Open House Seat in Arkansas

Former Federal Emergency Management Agency Director James Lee Witt, a Democrat, announced on Tuesday he is running in the open-seat contest in Arkansas’ 4th District.

Interoperability Isn't Only Reason for Capitol Police Radio Upgrade

“Radio interoperability” has become a buzzword in the wake of recent shooting events that have shaken the Capitol Hill community.

Illinois Democrat Estimates $2.5 Million Race for Top Competitive Seat (Video)

Former chief judge Ann Callis said she will need to raise $2 million to $2.5 million to wage a competitive campaign in the 13th District next year, according to an Oct. 10 interview she gave CQ Roll Call.

Coburn Facing Another Cancer Fight

Sen. Tom Coburn is being treated for a recurrence of prostate cancer, The Oklahoman reported Tuesday morning.

Capitol Community Mourns 'Mr. Ivey'

Ivey Lee Armstrong Sr., affectionately known as “Mr. Ivey” to many in the Capitol, spent nearly 30 years cooking for senators, policemen and support staff. He died Oct. 15 at the age of 62.

How Can 2014's Most Endangered Senator Win?

If there’s one thing both parties can agree on, it’s that Sen. Mark Pryor is the most vulnerable incumbent facing re-election next year.

Who Does Congress Listen to Most? | K Street Files

It might just be the ultimate insiders’ strategy: When pressing a client’s cause, try to catch the ear of the two offices that Congress most cares about to spread your message.

Gay Civil Rights Debate Moves to Still-Recalcitrant House

Monday evening’s preliminary test vote on the Employment Non-Discrimination Act essentially guarantees that the most consequential civil rights bill of the year will pass the Senate with genuinely bipartisan support, very likely by the end of the week.

• Boehner Under Bipartisan Pressure to Bring Up ENDA
• 7 Republicans Lift ENDA Past Filibuster
• Is the White House ENDA Strategy Working?

The Magical Powers of the J.D. | Hill Navigator

Walk onto any Washington Metro car and you’re bound to find a lawyer. They’re everywhere: working in government, writing in newsrooms, making lattes at Starbucks. After three years of law school and a decent amount of debt, even the most starry-eyed of juris doctors can find the D.C. job market jarring. What do you do when you’re a lawyer and want to work on Capitol Hill? Hill Navigator discusses: