TPMDC Morning Roundup

Key House Dems Returning To Washington For Health Care Talks
Roll Call reports that House Democratic leaders and committee chairmen will be in Washington this week to work on the health care bill. The House isn't formally due back in session until January 12, but conversations on the bill have already been taking place by telephone.

Obama's Day Ahead: Returning from Hawaii
President Obama and his family departed from Honolulu at 3 a.m. ET (10 p.m. Sunday evening, local time). They will arrive at Andrews Air Force Base at 11:30 a.m. ET, and back at the White House at 11:45 a.m. ET.

Iran Denies Entry To John Kerry
The Iranian government has denied Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) permission to enter the country, after reports that he was seeking to visit in an emissary role. "Members of the Iranian parliament's Foreign Relations Committee voiced opposition to the request after studying the issue," said Foreign Relations Committee head Hassan Ebrahimi.

Bernanke Calls For Greater Financial Regulation
In a speech yesterday to the American Economic Association, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke called for stronger financial regulation. "All efforts should be made to strengthen our regulatory system to prevent a recurrence of the crisis, and to cushion the effects if another crisis occurs," said Bernanke, also adding: "However, if adequate reforms are not made, or if they are made but prove insufficient to prevent dangerous buildups of financial risks, we must remain open to using monetary policy as a supplementary tool."

Schumer Calls For Security Measures At Foreign Airports
At a press conference yesterday, Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) called for the American government to take greater security measures at foreign airports, in the wake of the Flight 253 attempted bombing. "You don't have to be Albert Einstein to realize that flights that originate in foreign countries pose a greater danger," said Schumer, who also added: "What's crucial is that we immediately send many more of our TSA agents to the airports to check on their compliance."

Census Bureau Kicking Off National Campaign
The Census Bureau is beginning a national campaign today to promote participation in the Census, which will be conducted in the spring. The Census will determine the distribution of seats in the House of Representatives, as well as the distribution of federal spending. "There's political power involved because of the Constitution," said Census Director Robert Groves. "There's money involved as well."

Secret Service Investigating Obama Effigy In Jimmy Carter's Hometown
The Secretary Service is investigating an effigy of President Obama that was found hanging from a building in Plains, Georgia, the hometown of former President Jimmy Carter. The large black doll reportedly had a sign with Obama's name on it, and was taken down by the volunteer fire department.