The following is a roundup of political activity going on in Washington and across the nation. It is courtesy of Scott Wilk, Community Organizer, and Anchor Consulting group. The Beacon will be posting these daily as they become available.

IN THE HOUSE

• The House is not in session.
• Pelosi puts two distracting issues aside to press forward on health  -  House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) has put the lid on two of the more contentious issues that last week were threatening to divert critical attention away from healthcare’s home stretch. (The Hill)

IN THE SENATE

• The Senate convenes at 2:00pm, with morning business until 3:00pm.
• At 3:00pm, the Senate resumes consideration of HR4213, Tax Extenders; there is a 3pm filing deadline for first degree amendments.
• There will be no roll call votes.
• GOP senator urges Obama to shift on terror trials  -  Sen. Lindsey Graham says that if the president agrees to try alleged Sept. 11 mastermind Khalid Sheik Mohammed and four accused henchmen in military tribunals, he will press fellow Republicans to vote to close the Guantanamo Bay prison. (AP)

OTHER NEWS

• Program Will Pay Homeowners to Sell at a Loss  -  In an effort to end the foreclosure crisis, the Obama administration has been trying to keep defaulting owners in their homes. Now it will take a new approach: paying some of them to leave. (NY Times)
• Ed officials to step up civil rights enforcement  -  The federal Department of Education plans to intensify its civil rights enforcement efforts in schools around the country, including a deeper look at issues ranging from programs for immigrant students learning English to equal access to a college preparatory courses. (AP)
• Juggling Act for Obama in Filling Fed Board Openings  -  To fill three seats on the Federal Reserve’s board of governors, the Obama administration is balancing seemingly contrary needs. (NY Times)
• Texas’ NASA fight soars even as state’s clout fades  -  Texas’ hard-charging campaign to save NASA’s back-to-the-moon Constellation program may have star-struck optimism on its side, but the political and historical realities could prove too daunting to overcome. (Houston Chronicle)
• Schools’ New Math: the Four-Day Week  -  A small but growing number of school districts across the country are moving to a four-day week, in a shift they hope will help close gaping budget holes and stave off teacher layoffs, but that critics fear could hurt students’ education. (WSJ)
• Iowa governor faces tough reelection as another state sours on incumbents  -  Republican Terry Branstad’s lines have a familiar ring as he campaigns to return to the governor’s office after 11 years away. (Wash Post)

FEDERAL GRANT OF THE DAY

• OJJDP FY 2010 Strategic Enhancement to Mentoring Programs- The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of Justice Programs (OJP), the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) is pleased to announce that it is seeking applications for funding for the OJJDP FY 10 Strategic Enhancement to Mentoring Programs. This program furthers the Department’s mission by supporting evidence-based enhancements to improve the services that mentoring programs offer youth at risk for delinquency or becoming involved with the juvenile justice system. While research indicates that quality mentoring is a promising delinquency prevention technique, certain program characteristics and elements are moderators of its effectiveness. This solicitation invites eligible applicants to propose evidence-based enhancements that are among these moderators of program effectiveness. The three strategies include: (1) involving the parents in activities or services, (2) providing structured activities and programs for the mentoring matches, and (3) developing and implementing on-going training and support for mentors. See DoJ for more information. Application deadline: April 14, 2010

TODAY IN HISTORY

• March 8, 1817- On this day, the New York Stock Exchange is founded.

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