5 Top Stories in Washington DC Nov 22

This Week In Washington

Top 5 Stories

 1.      The Senate approved a rules change that eliminates the filibuster on all presidential nominees except those to the Supreme Court, after Majority Leader Harry Reid invoked the "nuclear option."

Look ahead: The new system could ease the way for President Obama's nominees, but Republicans warned that Democrats could regret the change when the GOP regains control of the White House and Senate.

 2      House Republicans are mounting a messaging campaign designed to wage a cascading series of attacks on the Affordable Care Act.

Look ahead: A memo distributed to members this week outlines the strategy, which involves soliciting comments from individuals affected by the health care law.

3.      While some observers are cautiously optimistic Senate Budget Chairwoman Patty Murray, D-Wash., and House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan, R-Wis., could reach a narrow agreement to replace some of the sequester cuts, but others remain at odds over the appropriate strategy.

Look ahead: With few signs of progress emerging from the budget conference committee's negotiations, at least two of its members, Sens. Kelly Ayotte, R-N.H., and Ron Johnson, R-Wis., have already begun discussing a Plan B.

4.      Senate Republicans blocked a vote on amendments to the defense authorization bill that addressed military sexual assault, citing Majority Leader Harry Reid's apparent unwillingness to allow debate on GOP amendments.

Look ahead: A proposal from Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., that would remove military sexual assault cases from the military chain of command has the backing of 53 senators, but lacks the requisite 60 votes.

5.      Secretary of State John Kerry announced the United States and Afghanistan have agreed to terms for the Bilateral Security Agreement governing relations between the countries after 2014.

Look ahead: Afghan President Hamid Karzai endorsed the pact before a gathering of elders, but sought to defer signing it, leaving his successor to formalize the agreement following the April elections.