It may only be the first quarter of 2013, but Capitol Hill has already seen many memorable moments.
The Washington Post’s “The Fix” came up with the list and The Fix himself, Chris Cillizza, counted down the moments with The Gaggle on The Daily Rundown. Find out what topped the list as the single most consequential moment on the Hill this year.
10) Being Biden: Vice President Joe Biden hammed it up with the moms, he hammed it up with the spouses, he hammed it up for the cameras. It was quintessential “Biden being Biden.”
9) Vawa Victory: After a tough debate over the expansion of coverage in the Violence Against Women Act, the Senate passes the bill with overwhelming support. A handful of Republican senators opposed the bill’s expansion, which included protection for same-sex couples.
8) Da Bulls: 2014 will be a year where Capitol Hill loses a number of senators with vast institutional knowledge to retirement. Coupled with the recent passing of Sens. Byrd, Inouye, and Kennedy, the “lions” are becoming an endangered species.
7) Cruz Control: Senator Ted Cruz has certainly made an impression on his fellow colleagues in his first few months on Capitol Hill. He had a recent run-in with Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., over guns and received a bit of a dress down from Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., over the Chuck Hagel nomination hearing.
6) Charm Offensive: President Obama tries to reach across the aisle and invites Republican Senators to dinner. He’ll have a second date on April 10. Whether it’s too little, too late remains to be seen.
5) Budget Breakthrough: Democratic senators pass a budget that has almost no chance of making it through the House. The budget is the first to pass the Senate in four years.
4) Portman’s Pivot: Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, says he now supports same-sex marriage after revealing that his son is gay. Shortly after the Ohio Republican announces his shift, a number of his Democratic colleagues come out in support of same-sex marriage.
3) Reid’s Revision: Just three months after the tragic Newtown shootings, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., tells reporters there are not enough votes in the Senate to pass an assault weapons ban.
2) Sequester Fester: Republicans and Democrats fail to reach a deal on sequester. After punting once on the deadline, Congress fails to reach a deal, allowing billions of dollars in automatic spending cuts to start taking effect.
1) Rand’s Stand: In protest over the Obama Administration’s use of drones, Senator Rand Paul, R-Ky., filibusters John Brennan’s nomination for CIA director and speaks on the senate floor for more than 13 hours.
Xuan Thai