National
The House of Representatives passed a bill on Wednesday to combat violence against women despite objections from President Obama and Democrats. Democrats are saying that the bill would reduce protections for many battered women including lesbians, illegal immigrants and Native Americans. It is likely that some form of the bill would become law by this Fall but Democrats want to first force Mitt Romney to choose between the House bill or the Senate measure. The Senate measure was approved with the support of 15 Republicans. The bill would reauthorize programs operated under the Violence Against Women Act of 1994 which provided assistance for women. The bill has been renewed since 1994 with the support of both parties.

National
President Obama raised $43.6 million in April which was smaller from the President’s March financial outcome but the current campaign funding puts some edge over his likely rival, Mitt Romney. The Obama campaign also hopes to capitalize on his support of gay-marriage to bring in funds from the gay community. The Obama campaign faces outside group challengers supporting the Romney campaign from Super PACS like Crossroads GPS and Restore Our Future.

National
President Obama warned Republicans on Wednesday that he would not allow Congress to hold the economy “hostage” over another fight to raise the country’s debt ceiling without accompanying cuts in spending. John A. Boehner and Obama clashed again over the debt ceiling telling the president that he would not allow a debt ceiling increase “without doing something serious about the debt.” The President and his Democratic supporters stated firmly that they were not going to recreate the debt ceiling problem that occurred last August. Last year the Republicans balked at a debt ceiling without deep spending cuts but after weeks of debate and discussion the Congress came to terms for a debt ceiling increase.