NEWS ROUNDUP:

• The George W. Bush Foundation, the organization responsible for funding the former President’s library, released it 2010 and 2011 tax returns. The returns show that Bush raised almost $30 million for his library while still in office and that half of foundation’s donations between 2010 and 2011 came from just 16 donors. (Roll Call)
• Immigration reform faces a unique hurdle as it races through the legislative process. Some of its strongest backers are “special interests,” including business, labor, and religious groups, meanwhile the bill has some strong, grassroots opponents. (National Journal)
• Both the Democratic and Republican Senate campaign committees are working hard to pay down significant debts that they incurred during the 2012 cycle. Despite strong fundraising quarters the DSCC still owes $15 million while the NRSCC is down $9.5 million. (Roll Call)
• President Obama nominated Howard Shelanski to lead the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs. Shelanski is currently the director of the Federal Trade Commission’s Bureau of Economics and has worked as a professor at Georgetown law, in the Clinton administration, and for the law firm Davis, Polk & Wardwell. (The Hill)
• CISPA, which passed the House last week, looks like it has met its match in the Senate for the second year in a row. Jay Rockefeller (D-WV), who chairs the Commerce Committee and has a seat on the Senate’s Intelligence Committee has signaled his opposition, noting that the bill’s privacy protections are insufficient, likely ending CISPA’s chances in chamber. (ars technica)
• FWD.us, Mark Zuckerberg’s vehicle into the political sphere, has added a couple of big tech names to its founders list. Sean Parker, founding president of Facebook, and Bill Gates have added their clout, and presumably some of their money, to the organization. (The Hill)

RELEVANT BILLS INTRODUCED:

• H.R. 1628. Public Employee Pension Transparency Act.
• S. 848. A bill to promote transparency by permitting the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board to allow its disciplinary proceedings to be open to the public, and for other purposes.
• H.R. 1648. Protecting America’s Workers Act.
• H.R. 1793. Global Partnerships Act of 2013.

HAPPENING THIS WEEK 4/29- 5/3:

• China’s Development Finance to Africa: A Media-Based Approach to Data Collection.  Center for Global Development. Mon 4/29. 4:00 – 5:30 pm. 1800 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Third Floor, Washington, DC 20036, First Floor Conference Center.
• Book signing: Democracy’s Fourth Wave – A conversation with Philip Howard and Muzammil Hussain. Elliot School. Tues. 4/30. 5:30-7:30 pm. 1957 E Street NW, Lindner Family Commons, Washington, DC 20052.
• Drones and the Rule of Law and War. Bipartisan Policy Center. Wed. 5/1. 10:00 – 11:15 am. 1225 I Street NW, Suite 1000, Washington, DC 20005.
• The Challenges of Innovative Governance. Georgetown University. Thurs. 5/2. 10:00 am. 37th Street and O Street NW, Old North 205, Washington, DC.
• The New Digital Age: Reshaping the Future of People, Nations, and Business. New America Foundation. Thurs. 5/2. 6:00 – 8:00 pm. 1899 L Street NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC 20036.

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