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Capitol View®
Brett Neely

The Daily Digest: A long night for Congress

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In Minnesota

Gov. Mark Dayton's administration has asked the state legislative auditor to investigate claims that Commerce Commissioner Mike Rothman disregarded requests from key members of his department to terminate a contract with a controversial nonprofit. (MPR News)

Minnesota Republicans aren’t the only ones patting themselves on the back for taking control of the state House — national Republican groups count the state GOP’s win in November as part of a watershed victory for Republicans in state legislatures across the country.  (MinnPost)

After last session’s passage of a minimum wage increase to $9.50 an hour by 2016, labor union members are now calling on Minnesota lawmakers to pass requirements for sick time and predictable schedules. (MPR News)

The state Senate will hold a hearing on unmanned drones to determine whether the state needs new legislation to regulate them safely. (Star Tribune)

As Monday's deadline to enroll in private health insurance through the state's online insurance website approaches, people who help consumers with the application process say business is booming. (MPR News)

National Politics

Crazy, crazy times in Congress. After a day of high drama and histrionics, the House barely passed a government funding bill that keeps the federal government (except for Homeland Security) funded until September 30, 2015. (Politico)

Most of Minnesota's delegation opposed the bill. (MPR News)

Republican U.S. Rep. John Kline is defending a measure he co-authored in the latest government spending bill that would allow some pension funds to cut benefits for retirees. (MPR News)

Minnesota Democrats had a few small measures of their own tucked in the bill. (Star Tribune)

CIA Director John Brennan strongly defended the brutal interrogation tactics once used by the CIA against Qaeda suspects, describing agency interrogators as “patriots” and admonishing only those CIA officers who went “outside the bounds” of Justice Department rules. (New York Times)