The Daily Digest
The House and Senate are expected to vote on a conference committee report that cuts roughly $300 million in spending. The conference committee finished their work on Saturday evening.
Lawmakers also hope to vote on a jobs bill.
They hope to get it done by 3pm today before they go on the Easter/Passover break.
The federal stimulus money props up the state's sex offender program.
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On Friday, Gov. Pawlenty signed the GAMC bill on Friday.
The U of M and the Met Council are at an impasse over Central Corridor. MPR and the Pi Press have stories.
DFL Sen. Mee Moua backs off of a measure that would forbid law enforcement from collecting gang databases. MPR and the Pi Press have stories.
Congress
President Obama visited Afghanistan and pressed Afghanistan's president Hamid Karzai on fixing corruption.
Obama also made 15 recess appointments.
Obama will sign the health reconciliation bill on Tuesday.
A,T&T links $1 billion in new charges to the new health care law. Specifically, the company (and others) won't get as large a tax rebate for providing drug benefits to retirees.
Politico says history shows that the passions may fade over the health care debate.
The New York Times says some lawmakers received an earful over their health care votes.
DFL Sen. Amy Klobuchar will propose legislation to fix online privacy problems.
Klobuchar also spoke in North Dakota.
The Star Tribune also writes that Klobuchar has a centrist voting record.
DFL Sen. Al Franken talked renewable energy in Mankato.
Franken and GOP Rep. Michele Bachmann were also on WCCO's Sunday Morning to talk health care.
Bachmann also called for protests of the nation's health care law during an appearance on Face the Nation. CBS says she offered big numbers but little proof. Specifically, she didn't offer any facts to back up her federal government now controls 51 percent of the economy and a prominent medical journal denies publishing a survey she cited.
DFL Rep. Tim Walz will receive a national award from the national and state AMVETS.
DFL Rep. Collin Peterson says he's going to make the new health care law work.
DFL Rep. Jim Oberstar was in Colorado speaking about distracted driving.
Race for Governor
Democrat R.T. Rybak has a news conference scheduled for today at the State Capitol. His campaign manager offered few specifics on Friday except to say it was "delegate related."
Democrats Margaret Anderson Kelliher, Matt Entenza and Paul Thissen spoke at an event in Marshall.
Republican Marty Seifert released a health care position paper.
The race for endorsement comes down to the undecideds.
Race for Congress
GOP Rep. Michele Bachmann appeared at rallies in Duluth and Moorhead.
Meanwhile, Democrat Tarryl Clark won DFL backing at the 6th District Convention. AP and the Pi Press have stories.
The DFL candidates in Minnesota's 3rd Congressional District criticize GOP Rep. Erik Paulsen on using $413,000 in taxpayer money on mailings and other communication. AP first reported the story on Paulsen's spending.
The DFL also endorsed DFL Reps. Tim Walz and Keith Ellison over the weekend.
Republicans in the 7th and 8th will hold a forum tonight in Beltrami County.
Race for the Legislature
Republicans endorsed Paul Gazelka over GOP Sen. Paul Koering. Koering said he was skipping the convention and running in the primary.
Pawlenty for Prez Watch
A National Review commentator writes about Pawlenty's prospects.
Mitt Romney will be in Iowa tomorrow.
Sarah Palin told thousands of Tea Partiers in Nevada that they should dump the Democrats.
A poll shows that a majority view Palin unfavorably.