Tea Partiers from around the country, along with a group of Republican lawmakers, staged a “Code Red” protest on Capitol Hill Tuesday to express their opposition to the Democrats’ health reform plan.

U.S. Gen. David Petraeus, Commander of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), said on Tuesday that he is open to a review of the military’s controversial “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy.

“I believe the time has come to consider a change to DADT,” he said.

Regarding Iran, he said CENTCOM is networking with other countries that are concerned about Iran’s nuclear project and who hope to prevent it from growing.

“The Iranian regime continues its nuclear program. Indeed, Iran is assessed by many analysts to be engaged in pursuing nuclear weapon capability,” said Petraeus. “[Iran] is likely to spur a regional arms race.”

To prevent a nuclear war, Petraeus said CENTCOM has been working on building regional security architecture in that region to establish “security relationships and partnerships” between nations that share concern over Iran.

On Afghanistan, Petraeus said that in roughly 18 months from now, the total number of American troops in Afghanistan will top 139,000.

Meanwhile, American forces in Iraq are expected to be reduced from 97,000 to 50,000 by the end of August 2010, he said.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) told reporters Tuesday that Americans are more concerned with whether or not health reform passes than the means by which it is passed.

“We talk a lot about process in this town,” said Hoyer. “’So what?’ says the American public. What they are interested in is what resulted. ‘What did you do for me and my family to make my life more secure and greater quality?’”

Despite bipartisan efforts to prevent the legislation from passing, Hoyer said he’s hopeful the bill will persevere. The Majority Leader disputed a popular claim that reform will deal a large blow to seniors on Medicare.

“The Republicans have been doing everything in their power to undermine the health care legislation,” he said.

According to Hoyer, Republicans are obstructing reform regardless of what is in the bill. “They continue to scare the public, some of which has worked, by saying this is a government takeover of health care. That is absolutely untrue.”

While a vote on the bill has not yet been announced, Hoyer assured that one will take place very soon.

Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) announced Tuesday at the Tea Party “Code Red” Rally in Washington, D.C. that Republicans are winning the debate on health care reform.

With the crowd chanting ‘Kill the Bill” in the background, Bachmann called for the Tea Partiers to ‘stand their ground until Sunday’. Pointing to the Capitol behind her, Bachmann said, “They came back to the bubble dome and forgot about you. But, you’re still here.”

On Sunday, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said he believed in a week the bill would be passed in the House.

Bachmann responded to Gibbs by saying, “It will be past tense all right, because we are going to kill that bill before Sunday… they want you to think they won this, they want you to think it’s over.”

It is widely believed that the bill will be voted on at the end of this week. The Tea Partiers said they will continue protesting against health care reform until that day comes.

-The American Grassroots Coalition and The Tea Party

-Majority Leader Steny Hoyer’s (D-Md.) weekly pen and pad session.

-Senate Armed Services committee hearing on “U.S. Special Operations Command and U.S. Central Command in review of the Defense Authorization Request for FY2011 and the Future Years Defense Program.”

-Rep. John Kline (R-Minn.) and Sen.Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) news conference on student loan provision in Reconciliation.

-House Appropriations committee hearing on “FY2011 Budget and Economic Outlook.”

-Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Subcommittee hearing on “Department of Justice FY2011 Budget Overview.”

-Peace activist Cindy Sheehan’s anti-war protest at the Washington monument.

“When we have the substance, then we will decide on the process,” Pelosi said during an afternoon press conference. “[The self-executing rule] would be one option, but there are others that we may use.” (0:16)

White house officials voiced the serious nature of President Barack Obama’s upcoming diplomatic visit to Indonesia, Guam and Australia during a conference call with reporters Monday and stressed that the focus of the trip is to strengthen both political and economic relationships with the countries.

“This trip to Indonesia and Australia is an important opportunity to advance Americas’ security and economic interests in a very vital part of the world,” said Deputy National Security Advisor for Strategic Communications Ben Rhodes during a conference call with reporters. “The Asia Pacific region is of growing importance.”

Obama will first make a one day visit to Guam, where he will host a public with military personnel posted in area. Obama will then be off to Indonesia, which, according to Rhodes, has been critical to the United States’ direction in the war on terror.

The president will be giving a speech directed to the Indonesian people during his stay to relay his personal sentiments with the country stemming from the time he spent in the country as a child.

“This is an opportunity for [Obama] to discuss the comprehensive partnership that we’re developing with Indonesia and the Indonesian people,” said Rhodes.

After the two day stay, Obama will travel to Australia, which has become an increasingly strong ally to the U.S. in recent years.

According to Rhodes, Australia has been pushing with the U.S. to help forward action to decrease environmental factors that damage the planet

“In many ways its a model alliance for the United States. We have very robust cooperation with the Australians on security issues, economic issues and environmental issues,” said Rhodes.

The president was initially supposed to leave Wednesday, but has re-scheduled the trip for Sunday amid Congressional action on health care reform.

“When we have the substance, then we will decide on the process,” Pelosi said during an afternoon press conference. “[The self-executing rule] would be one option, but there are others that we may use.”

The rule, widely called the “Slaughter Solution” since it was put forward by House Rules Committee Chairman Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-N.Y.), will allow Democrats sidestep an up or down vote on the Senate version of health care reform legislation, which has proven to be unpopular in the House.

Pelosi said that a report from the Congressional Budget Office on the legislation’s cost and input from the Senate’s parliamentarian will help influence the final decision.

Former House Majority Leader Dick Armey (R-Texas) called the Tea Party movement an effort to return the Republican Party to its grassroots spirit, and chided lawmakers for passing “panic legislation” in the more than eight years since the attacks of September 11, 2001.

During a luncheon Monday at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., Armey, CEO of the organization FreedomWorks, defended the Tea Party movement at length, criticizing the leadership of the Democratic party for failing to earn the support of the public. He blasted the Democratic agenda, especially healthcare reform, saying “[Democrats] will get politically bounced” if their bill passes.

For good measure, Armey used the word “inept” to describe the leadership style of current House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.)

Responding to criticism that his organization has helped create an environment of obstruction over key legislative items, Armey attributed the failure to get health reform done to Democrats “accustomed to doing sloppy work.”

“I don’t think they have left within them the skills to do the disciplined, hard work that such ventures require,” he added.

While the former Congressman did say that he believes President Barack Obama will get the votes necessary to pass health reform, he criticized the undertaking.

“They are ineptly trying to do the wrong thing.”

Haiti needs continued generous support from the international community, the UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon, said during a visit to Port-au-Prince Sunday. Just over two months after an earthquake destroyed much of the capital and surrounding areas, only 49 per cent of the $1.4 billion dollar flash appeal for funds to help reconstruction efforts has been subscribed by international donors.

“For the foreseeable future, the government will need international assistance to simply cover its payroll– teachers, police, doctors and nurses.” said Ban. “The international community has been extraordinarily generous. Our challenge is to maintain this spirit of solidarity through the upcoming donors conference and beyond. ” added Ban, after meeting Haitian President Rene Preval to discuss the agenda for the international donors conference at UN headquarters on March 31st.

Finding shelter for those left without a home by the quake is still a top priority, the Secretary General said. He estimated UN agencies have provided tents and tarps to approximately 60 percent of the 1.3 million people believed homeless and that the remaining number would get temporary shelter by the end of April.

“We are planning on building more durable collective or community housing for the largest number of people possible before the start of hurricane season in June. If there is one thing Haiti does not need, it is another humanitarian catastrophe.” Weather forecasters are already predicting an active hurricane season in the Atlantic this year.

Dodd, who presides over the powerful Senate Banking Committee, said although a package he had been working on with fellow committee members Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) and Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) was close to being finished, he decided he could no longer wait for them to help put forth legislation.

“Nearly seven million have lost their homes to foreclosure over the last several years. Millions more have lost their retirement funds or their small businesses…Americans are frustrated…and they wonder if anyone is looking out for them…It is certainly time to act.”

In an attempt to prevent future collapses of both the housing and credit markets, Dodd’s plan would do four main things: First, it would abolish the belief that certain banks and financial institutions are “too large to fail,” ensuring that taxpayers would not again be asked to help bail out firms that fall into trouble. Next, it would create a new independent consumer protection agency (CFPA) to serve as a watchdog over various financial products, and would also establish a council tasked with identifying threats to the nation’s economic stability. Finally, it would increase the transparency by which complex financial tools such as hedge funds and derivatives are regulated.

“The legislation I’m offering is comprehensive in its scope because the crisis it aims to solve is comprehensive in its scope,” Dodd said.

While the plan has bipartisan agreement on several of its provisions, Dodd acknowledged that it currently lacks bipartisan support. Additionally, Dodd hesitated to say that the plan would even receive the blessing of every Democrat on the committee.

There are a few reasons for this. First, lawmakers and outside experts are skeptical over whether housing the CFPA inside the Federal Reserve (Fed) is a good idea. Those skeptics argue that the Fed contributed largely to the economic decline, and thus should not be given increased authority. During his press conference however, Dodd insisted that the CFPA would be an independent body, under no command of the Fed.

Another area of concern for some is that smaller-to-medium-sized banks would be needlessly subjected to tightened regulation under the legislation. But Dodd assured that firms with assets valued at under $10 billion would be excluded from increased oversight.

“We must restore confidence and optimism in our economy, accountability in our markets and stability to our middle class,” he said.

The hardest part for Dodd will now, of course, be getting the votes necessary to pass his plan. With the debate over health reform having renewed an atmosphere of partisanship in Washington, Dodd’s legislation will probably be viewed as too politically risky by moderates and conservatives who face re-election this year. Yet on Monday, Dodd — who has announced he will not be running for another term in office — viewed the prospects of passage with an almost defiant sense of confidence.

“We will have financial reform adopted this year in the Congress of the United States.”

The National Governors Association (NGA) urged governors Monday to prepare for changes in how health care is delivered in their states, regardless of reform legislation’s final language.

“If something does pass, states are going to need to quickly move into action,” Andrea Maresca, the Legislative Director for Health Care at the NGA, said during the organization’s winter conference in Washington, D.C.

Added Maresca, “As the process has moved farther along we’ve seen a growing interest from federal policy makers about what states’ role is and clearly a shift in thinking about how governors and key leaders within the states are going to be involved in the implication process.”

NGA Director for the Health & Human Services Committee Matt Salo, who also spoke at the conference, said many governors have been extremely concerned on how the reform will effect Medicaid programs, and explained that while the temporary financing for Medicaid from the recovery act will eventually run out, Congress has been open to extending $26 billion over 6 months to help ease the states in moving into a new era of health care.

Instead, Whitman repeatedly stated that the allegations contained in the article “warrant further review,” but would not elaborate as to how the review will be performed.

The New York Times story comes amid considerable controversy surrounding contractors in the country. In February, information surfaced alleging that employees from a subsidiary of the company formerly called Blackwater stole 500 AK-47s from Afghan National Forces.

Going against the grain is rare in American politics. I was reminded of this by seeing “Capitalism, A Love Affair,” Michael Moore’s most recent film. I didn’t get to see it in the theaters but saw it on DVD, and I cheered as Rep. Marcy Kaptur, D-Ohio, Rep. Dennis Kucinich, D-Ohio, and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., spoke truths that no one wanted to hear.

I am from Ohio and although I left when I was 14, I always return there with a sense of pride knowing that Ohio folks have a special ability to touch on the values that are important to all Americans. Kaptur’s speech deserves a Profile in Courage Award because what she said was quite bold, even if it went unnoticed by most of the press.

When the first part of the bailout occurred, Marcy Kaptur’s speech on the floor of the House went right after former Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson. “Instead of prosecuting those who stole from us, Secretary Paulson wants us to reward his former colleagues for their bad decisions, abusive and unlawful practices,” she said.

Kaptur continued, “While my constituents are struggling to pay their gas bills, we should recall fondly the record annual bonuses Secretary Paulson’s alma mater, Goldman Sachs, gave less than two years ago. In 2006, that investment house alone paid $16.5 billion in compensation to its employees averaging more than $600,000 per employee. In fact, Goldman CEO Lloyd Blankfein got $53.4 million that year. And Bear Stearns chief executive officer, the company that the Fed just bailed out with our money, James E. Cayne, got a stock bonus that year worth $14.8 million. Merrill Lynch chief executive officer Stanley O’Neal, he got $35.4 million. Think about this, America.”

Kucinich also weighed in on the bailout, pointing to the fact that helping out people with their mortgages would have made a huge difference (and would most likely have saved the banks at the same time). “The public is being led to believe that Congress has reconsidered its position because we have before us a better bill than we had a few days ago. It is the same bill plus hundreds of new pages for hundreds of millions of tax breaks. What does this have to do with the troubles of Wall Street?

“Driven by fear we are moving quickly to pass a bill, which may produce a temporary uptick for the market, but nothing for millions of homeowners whose misfortunes are at the center of our economic woes. People do not have money to pay their mortgages. After this passes, they will still not have money to pay their mortgages. People will still lose their homes while Wall Street is bailed out,” said Kucinich.

Sanders went against the prevailing wisdom, saying, “While the middle class collapses, the richest people in this country have made out like bandits and have not had it so good since the 1920s. The top 0.1 percent now earn more money than the bottom 50 percent of Americans, and the top 1 percent own more wealth than the bottom 90 percent.”

These three members of Congress said things that were quite shocking for elected officials to say during the worst financial crises this country had in decades. It took guts and courage. This week should bring forth both speeches and votes that take political courage. This will not be easy to do but necessary for the American people and our democracy.

Ellen Ratner is the White House correspondent and bureau chief for the Talk Radio News service. She is also Washington bureau chief and political editor for Talkers Magazine. In addition, Ratner is a news analyst at the Fox News Channel.

“The CBO came out with a report on the Senate bill yesterday that shows over $100 billion in savings for the first 10 years of the bill, and a trillion dollars over the second 10 years,” said Pelosi. (0:33)

Senate rules on the filibuster, a procedure that allows a single Senator to block legislation indefinitely, need to be modified to prevent minority obstruction, Sen. Tom Udall (D-NM), a member on the Senate Rules and Administration Committee said Friday.

“Over the past couple of years the impact of the filibuster has become even more pronounced,” Udall said during remarks before an audience at the Center for American Progress. “Senators from both sides of the aisle have increasingly used it as a weapon of partisan warfare.”

Udall proposes using the constitutional, often derided as ‘nuclear,’ option to prevent the abuse of the filibuster. Through the option, any legislation would only need a majority vote, as opposed to the 60 currently needed through a cloture vote.

“You only have to look at the lengthy and winding path of health care reform to understand that something is seriously broken in the system,” said Udall.

Udall will push for rule reform in the Senate and says he hopes to establish new rules that serve both the minority and the majority by next January.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said Friday that the House could vote on health care reform legislation by next Sunday.

“I’m hoping that it will be in that time frame,” Pelosi during a press conference. “Our clock can’t start ticking until we get the [Congressional Budget Office] score.”

The speaker noted that the public option would not be included in the bill, and explained that although she knew Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) would work to rally support behind it, she understood the political reality of the controversial measure.

“It isn’t a case of it’s not in there because the Senate is whipping against it. It isn’t in there because they don’t have the votes to have it in there or they would have had it in there to begin with,” Pelosi said.

Noted the speaker, “I’m quite sad that a public option isn’t in there.”

The legislation, based largely on the health care bill passed initially in the Senate and unpopular among House Democrats, is intended to be sent back to the upper chamber for additional measures provided through reconciliation, a process that would allow Democrats to side-step the 60 votes needed for cloture.

Pelosi commented on concerns among some House Democrats that the Senate could falter on reconciliation, and thus politically embarrass the speaker’s colleagues.

“I think Members are much more comfortable about the fact that this reconciliation will happen,” Pelosi stated. “Nonetheless, there are certain assurances that they want and that we will get for them before I ask them to take the vote. “

The Washington Bureau will be covering the following:

-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s weekly press briefing.

-House Budget Committee ranking Republican Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) and vice ranking Republican Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-Texas) hold a pen and pad briefing on next week’s markup of the reconciliation bill in the Budget Committee.

-The Center for American Progress (CAP) holds a discussion entitled, “Evaluating the Modern U.S. Senate and its Contribution to American Governance.”

-The U.S. Agency for International Development Administrator Raj Shah delivers remarks at the launch of “Helping Shelter Haiti,” an interactive exhibit that illustrates the agency’s immediate and long-term plans for sheltering those displaced.

“I take the words revolution very seriously,” said Reverend Lennox Yearwood, the president of political organization the Hip Hop Caucus. “I understand that it is a very serious claim to make, but unfortunately, one that we must make today.”

Yearwood was joined by, among others, Sierra Club President Allison Chin, Rock the Vote’s Executive Director Heather Smith and environmental pioneer Denis Hayes, who was the national coordinator for the first Earth Day.

The participants signed a declaration calling for the Senate to hasten their action on climate change legislation.

Sen. Judd Gregg (R-N.H.) says Democrats will attempt to buy the votes to pass health care reform.