Inside Politics: Lawmakers question VA plans for more staff

Liberal financial heavyweights are becoming more involved in the presidential campaign.

The growing list now includes George Soros. The billionaire philanthropist has pledged $2 million to political groups supporting the re-election of President Obama, as well as progressive causes.

Mr. Soros‘ new contributions include pledges of $1 million to the advocacy group America Votes and $1 million to American Bridge 21st Century, an independent super PAC supportive of Obama’s campaign.

Mr. Soros announced the donations in an email Monday night. The money is a sign that wealthy liberals are starting to write big checks to help finance what is expected to be a costly campaign.

HOUSE

Lawmakers spare Pentagon, homeland security from cuts

Republicans controlling the House are sparing the Pentagon, military veterans and most homeland security programs from the budget knife as action begins on a set of spending bills setting the day-to-day budgets for federal agencies.

Foreign aid programs would absorb a 5 percent cut in legislation released Tuesday, while the FBI would receive a 2 percent budget hike.

At issue is much of the nuts-and-bolts work of Congress, going line by line through the agency budgets funded each year through 12 appropriations bills. Democrats will support several of the early bills, but the Obama administration has already promised to veto the measures because Republicans are cutting domestic programs below levels agreed to in last summer’s budget pact.

CONGRESS

‘Stand-your-ground’ laws rollback move postponed

Democrats backed off from an effort Tuesday to offer a “Trayvon amendment” to pressure states to drop their stand-your-ground laws after learning it was likely to be ruled out of order under the evening’s rules for debate on the House floor.

Rep. Keith Ellison, Minnesota Democrat, said he will still try to force a debate at a more “appropriate” time, saying action is demanded by the case of Trayvon Martin, the Florida teen fatally shot by a neighborhood-watch volunteer.

The Ellison amendment would withhold federal funds from states with stand-your-ground self-defense laws.

NEW JERSEY

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