Today’s Times
- Lawmakers have been working on legislation that would lead to some of the most significant advancements in treating mental illness in years and address a problem that people on both sides of the issue agree is a root cause of gun violence, Jeremy W. Peters reports. The legislation would also serve as a political refuge for Republicans and more conservative Democrats who are eager to offer a federal response to the nation’s recent mass shootings, but have no interest in taking action on anything that could be construed as an infringement on the Second Amendment.
- Illegal immigrants who arrived in the country after Dec. 31, 2011, could be ineligible to apply for legal status under a new bipartisan bill, Ashley Parker reports. Every bill that legalizes immigrants has a cutoff date for eligibility, but immigration advocates had been pushing for the date to be as current as possible â€" Jan. 1, 2013.
- President Obama released his 2012 tax returns on Friday, showing that his personal income has dropped significantly since he was first inaugurated, mostly because of declining sales from his two books, Michael D. Shear reports.
- Fund-raising totals for Organizing for Action, the grass-roots group that grew out of President Obama’s campaign machine, suggest that it may initially struggle to raise the kind of money that Mr. Obama relied on during his presidential campaigns, Michael D. Shear writes.
Weekly Addresses
- President Obama relinquished his usual role of delivering the weekly address to Francine Wheeler, whose 6-year-old son, Ben, was killed in the Newtown, Conn., shooting in December. She spoke with hopes that the Senate would pass reforms to protect other children and communities in the future. “I’ve heard people say that the tidal wave of anguish our country felt on 12/14 has receded,†she said. “But not for us. To us, it feels as if it happened just yesterday. Please help us do something before our tragedy becomes your tragedy.â€
- Representative Jackie Walorski of Indiana delivered the Republican Weekly Address, harping on President Obama’s proposed budget and offering “a better way†to solve the nation’s deficit. “If we were to implement the president’s budget, taxes would go up on just about every American, including middle-class families,†she said. “The president’s budget isn’t a compromise; it’s a blank check for more spending and more debt.†She offered her party’s alternative, which aims to balance the budget in 10 years, end “the waste of taxpayer dollars†and foster a healthy economy.
Happenings in Washington
- The White House will host the Spring Garden Event this weekend, opening the grounds for visitors to see the Jacqueline Kennedy Garden, the Rose Garden, the White House Kitchen Garden and the South Lawn of the White House. The National Park Service will distribute free tickets at the Ellipse Visitor Pavilion on Saturday and Sunday beginning at 8 a.m.
