From NBC's Ken Strickland
As the president's budget for 2012 arrives at the Capitol Monday morning, so begins the parade of administration officials going to Congress to defend it. In the Senate, over the course of three days, there are six hearings about the president's budget.

But before the hearings begin, Republican budget leaders will fire the opening salvo. House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan and top Senate Budget Committee Republican Jeff Sessions hold a news conference Monday at 2:30 pm.

Here's a quick look at the Senate's budget hearing schedule this week:
TUESDAY: OMB Director Jack Lew, Budget Committee (2:00 pm); HHS Secretary Sebelius, Finance Committee (2:30 pm)
WEDNESDAY: Energy Secretary Chu, Energy/Natural Resources Committee (9:30 am); Treasury Secretary Geithner, Finance Committee (10:00 am)
THURSDAY:- Geithner, Budget Committee (10:00 am); Homeland Security Secretary Napolitano, Homeland Security Committee (2:30 pm).

Also, the Senate Banking Committee is calling Wall Street's heavy-hitters back for a six-month review of last years financial regulatory reform law. Slated to appear are Fed Chairman Bernanke, FDIC Chair Bair, and SEC Chair Schapiro.

On the floor this week, Senate leaders hope to complete work on the FAA authorization bill. And next week, starting on Feb. 21, the Senate is out of session for its President's Day week-long recess.

From NBC's Ken Strickland
The Department of Defense and the FBI had enough information about the suspect in the 2009 Fort Hood massacre to have discharged him from the military before he killed 13 DOD employees and wounded 32 others, according to a new bipartisan Senate report.

The report on the Texas army base shooting, authored by Senate Homeland Security Committee Chairman Joe Lieberman and top Republican Susan Collins, says that both agencies were aware of suspected gunman Army Major Nidal Malik Hasan's radicalization to violent Islamist extremism "but failed both to understand and to act on it."

"Although both the public and the private signs of Hasan's radicalization to violent Islamist extremism while on active duty were known to government officials, a string of failures prevented these officials from intervening against him prior to the attack," it says in its executive summary.

The senators say their investigation found "specific and systemic failures" in the government's handling of the case and cited additional concerns about possible broader systemic issues. "The FBI and DoD together failed to recognize and to link the information that they possessed about Hasan" they write.

Hasan's move toward violent Islamist extremism "was on full display to his superiors and colleagues during his military medical training,” according to the report’s findings. One instructor referred to Hasan as "a ticking time bomb."

"Not only was no action taken to discipline or discharge him, but also his Officer Evaluation Reports sanitized his obsession with violent Islamist extremism into praiseworthy research on counterterrorism."

In a stinging charge against the Defense Department's handling of the matter, the report added, "DOD possessed compelling evidence that Hasan embraced views so extreme that it should have disciplined him or discharged him from the military, but DoD failed to take action against him."

While the inquiry credited one FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force unit for initially flagging Hasan because he was communicating with a suspected terrorist, it criticized a second unit's follow-through. According to the report, the second JTTF unit "failed to identify the totality of Hasan's communications" and didn't inform Army security about them.

"Instead, the JTTF inquiry relied on Hasan's erroneous Officer Evaluation Reports and ultimately dismissed his communications as legitimate research," the senators write.

The report suggests that because the two FBI units had different views of the severity of other unit's findings, the matter was eventually dropped "rather than cause a bureaucratic confrontation."

"The JTTFs never raised the dispute to FBI headquarters for resolution, and entities in FBI headquarters responsible for coordination among field offices never acted. As a result, the FBI's inquiry into Hasan ended prematurely,” it reads.

*** UPDATE *** The FBI responded to the report in a written statement, which reads in part: "The FBI recognizes the value of congressional oversight and agrees with much in the report and many of its recommendations. During the internal FBI review undertaken immediately after the attack at Fort Hood, we identified several of the areas of concern outlined in the report, and, as noted in the report, have implemented changes to our systems and processes to address them. We will review each of the report's recommendations and adopt them, as appropriate."

From NBC's Ken Strickland
In a bipartisan vote of 81-17, the Senate just voted to stripe the health care law of a controversial tax measure, the so-called 1099 provision.

It's a reporting requirement tucked into the law that mandates businesses submit IRS tax form 1099 for every vendor it pays more than $600.

It was designed to prevent vendors from underreporting income to the IRS while simultaneously offsetting the cost of the health care law. Instead, opponents say, it will create a paperwork nightmare for small businesses and the IRS.

The bill now moves to the House.

From NBC's Kelly O'Donnell, Ken Strickland, and Carrie Dann
Republicans will take a final stab this afternoon at repealing the health care law in the halls of Congress, but it's expected that the vote will go the same way that most of the debate over the legislation has gone: along party lines.

The Senate vote, expected between 5-6 pm ET Wednesday, will technically be on a "point of order" that would essentially nix the GOP effort to repeal the law.  

Several Democrats who are up for re-election in 2012 are under pressure from outside conservative groups to side with Republicans and support the repeal effort.  

The Tea Party Express has urged its supporters to flood the offices of Sens. Jim Webb of Virginia, Ben Nelson of Nebraska, Jon Tester of Montana, Joe Manchin of West Virginia, and Claire McCaskill of Missouri with calls lobbying for repeal.

FreedomWorks, an organization chaired by former Majority Leader Dick Armey, has targeted those five lawmakers as well as Bill Nelson of Florida, Bob Casey of Pennsylvania, and Jeff Bingaman of New Mexico.  

But Democratic leaders are optimistic that none of their party members will defect.   

Sens. Manchin and Ben Nelson - the Senate Democrats who have been the most outspoken about potential problems with the legislation - have both said publicly that they will not side with Republicans on the vote.   And a spokeswoman for Tester tells NBC News that the Montana lawmaker will not vote for repeal.  

It's also likely that the Senate will pass a bill this afternoon that strikes one almost universally unpopular provision from the health care law: the "1099" language that requires small businesses to submit IRS tax forms for every vendor whom they pay more than $600.  

There are several competing versions of the measure that would roll back the 1099 language, sponsored by lawmakers on both sides of the aisle. Democratic aides say that the most likely of these to pass is one introduced by Democratic Sen. Debbie Stabenow. She's also up for re-election next year.  

From NBC's Ken Strickland
Senate Republicans sponsoring a bill that would make dramatic cuts in spending - including caps on Social Security - were joined Tuesday by an atypical ally: a Democrat.

Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., accompanied by Sen. Claire McCaskill,D-Mo., gestures during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday.

 Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo.,introduced the bill along with chief co-sponsor Bob Corker and other Senate Republicans.

"I will try to be as obnoxious as possible trying to get more Democrats to join this cause," McCaskill said. "It's a little lonely right now, but I'm convinced there's merit in this proposal that is reasonable."

McCaskill is up for re-election in 2012 in what's expected to be a close race.

The bill would put caps on all spending, including mandatory spending on entitlement programs such as Social Security and Medicare, gradually reducing it from the current percentage of the gross domestic product from the current 24.7 to the 40-year historical level of 20.6 percent.

If Congress fails to meet those caps, the bill would authorize the White House's Office of Management and Budget to make cuts throughout the budget to reach the prescribed levels. The cuts could only be skirted by a two-thirds vote on both the House and Senate.

"If we don't [make the required spending cuts] OMB does the job for us, which I think will be very, very painful," said Corker.

McCaskill predicted on Tuesday that she may catch flak for backing the Republican bill.

"I know this is going to be controversial,” she said. “And I know there's a real political risk here because I guarantee you in Missiouri--in the not too distant future--there'll be a 30 second commercial saying I'm trying to take Social Security away from seniors. Just the opposite. I'm trying to make sure Social Security remains."

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid didn’t dispute that forecast today.

Asked about the Corker/McCaskill bill at a news conference, Reid said, "I will do everything that I can in throwing my legislative body in front of any efforts to weaken Social Security," he said. "People should leave Social Security alone."

From NBC's Ken Strickland
Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Daniel Inouye said today that there will be no earmarks in legislation in the 112th Congress.

"[T]he handwriting is clearly on the wall," Inouye said in a statement. "The president has stated unequivocally that he will veto any legislation containing earmarks, and the House will not pass any bills that contain them. Given the reality before us, it makes no sense to accept earmark requests that have no chance of being enacted into law."

Here's his full statement:

"I continue to support the Constitutional right of members of Congress to direct investments to their states and districts under the fiscally responsible and transparent earmarking process that we have established.

"However, the handwriting is clearly on the wall. The president has stated unequivocally that he will veto any legislation containing earmarks, and the House will not pass any bills that contain them. Given the reality before us, it makes no sense to accept earmark requests that have no chance of being enacted into law.

"The Appropriations Committee will thoroughly review its earmark policy to ensure that every member has a precise definition of what constitutes an earmark. To that end, we will send each member a letter with the interpretation of Rule XLIV (44) that will be used by the Committee. If any member submits a request that is an earmark as defined by that rule, we will respectfully return the request.

"Next year, when the consequences of this decision are fully understood by the members of this body, we will most certainly revisit this issue and explore ways to improve the earmarking process. At the appropriate time, I will once again urge the Senate to consider a transparent and fair earmark process that protects our rights as legislators to answer the petitions of our constituents, regardless of what the President or some Federal bureaucrat thinks is right."

From NBC’s Ken Strickland and Kelly O’Donnell
*** UPDATE *** Strickland reports that the repeal vote may take place today or tomorrow.

Democrats intend to introduce a "budget point of order" against the McConnell effort, using a procedural maneuver to prevent an up-or-down vote in favor of a kind of proxy vote instad.

In simple terms, there are several Senate rules that require certain bills to fall within specific fiscal constraints and not add to the deficit. The Congressional Budget Office says the new health care law reduced the deficit by about than $130-billion in the first ten years and a trillion dollars over the second decade. To repeal it, Democrats argue, would be to adding that money back to the deficit.

"It breaks the budget by a trillion dollars," Democrat Sen. Chuck Schumer told reporters earlier today of the Republican effort to repeal the health care bill. "They don't show any way of making up that trillion dollars."

Republican Leader Mitch McConnell says all of his 47 members will vote for repeal, but Republicans would need to produce 60 votes to waive the point of order and advance to bill.

While it may not be the straight-up-or-down vote Republicans seek, GOP aides say it will serve some political purpose.

"Everybody will have the opportunity to be on [the] record," McConnell said. "I think it will be clear who is for repeal and who isn't."

From NBC's Ken Strickland and Kelly O'Donnell
GOP sources tell NBC News that Republican Leader Mitch McConnell will try to force a Senate vote on the House-passed motion to repeal the health care reform law this week.

As early as today, McConnell will offer the repeal as an amendment to an unrelated aviation bill that the Senate is slated to consider this afternoon.

McConnell has pledged to use the rules of the Senate to push for a vote on repeal, although Democrats have some procedural tools at their disposal that could be used to prevent a final vote.

While it’s unlikely that the GOP will gain the Democratic support needed to garner enough votes for the measure to pass (and Obama could veto the measure even if it did), a repeal vote would force Democrats who are up for re-election in 2012 to go on the record in support of legislation which may not be popular in their home states.

 Msnbc.com’s Carrie Dann contributed

From NBC's Ken Strickland
The Senate gets back to legislative business this week. On the floor, the Senate will debate the FAA reauthorization bill -- what Democratic leaders call "the first jobs bill" of the new Congress.

Supporters say the bill is designed to modernize the aviation industry with the "next generation" air traffic control system; improve commerce by reducing delays and congestion; and create jobs by funding the the FAA's Airport Improvement Program (AIP) with $8-billion.

According to the American Association of Airport Executives, improving airport infrastructure with AIP funding could lead to the creation of 280,000 jobs. "If there were ever a jobs bill, this is it," Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said today on a conference call with reporters.

On the heels of today's federal judge's ruling that the health-care law is unconstitutional, the Judiciary Committee will hold a previously scheduled hearing on "The Constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act." On Wednesday, the committee will hear testimony from experts and academics. 

In a newser on Tuesday, Republican Sens. Lindsey Graham and John Barrasso introduce their bill which allows states to "opt-out" of the law's major provisions: the individual and employer mandates, and expansion of Medicaid.

There also will be two policy hearings on Iraq, with testimony from U.S. Ambassador James Jeffrey and the commander of U.S. Forces-Iraq, General Lloyd James Austin. They appear before Foreign Relations Committee on Tuesday, and Armed Services on Thursday.

From NBC's Ken Strickland and Carrie Dann
Democratic leaders have vowed to prevent a measure to roll back the health care law from even coming to the Senate floor, but Republican leader Mitch McConnell "assured" the public yesterday that he would force a vote on repeal.

And there's a reasonable chance that he can pull it off.

"The Democratic leadership in the Senate doesn't want to vote on this bill," McConnell said in a YouTube video Wednesday. "But I assure you, we will."

The chances of McConnell getting a straight up-or-down vote to repeal the law are slim. But Republicans will likely force procedural votes that serve as a proxy of sorts to get their Democratic colleagues on the record. 

Because any vote that would ultimately lead to repeal would require 60 or even 67 votes, no GOP-led efforts would actually pass the Senate.

But Republicans say they'll happily take the consolation prize that comes with an official roll call vote: the ability to force Senate Democrats who are up for re-election to vote again in support of a health care measure that remains unpopular in their home states.

There are two things McConnell could do that would all but ensure a vote tied to repealing the law.

First, McConnell could withhold any deals or agreements to proceed to any legislation without a guarantee of a repeal vote, effectively throwing sand in the Senate's procedural gears until the law is addressed.

Another way to force a vote is for McConnell or any Republican senator to offer a "motion to suspend the rules," essentially asking for a change in Senate rules to require a vote on a repeal amendment. If all members are present, it would take 67 votes to succeed.

This was the rule Republican Sen. Tom Coburn used recently to force a vote to ban earmarks after Reid refused to bring the measure to the floor. And there is nothing that prevents any senator from using this strategy.

Don Stewart, McConnell's spokesman, says it's unclear how soon the GOP leader will act or what strategy he will use.

For Republicans, negotiating the public relations fallout of the repeal effort could prove even trickier than choosing the right procedural chess moves to set it in motion.

Democrats are expected to counter the GOP strategy by emphasizing efforts to pass legislation to bolster the economy and painting Republican maneuvers to push repeal as costly obstructionism.

Reid previewed that battle plan in a written statement yesterday, as the House was taking up the repeal measure.

"This is nothing more than partisan grandstanding at a time when we should be working together to create jobs and strengthen the middle class," he said.

From NBC's Ken Strickland
Forget the conspiracy theories about where President Barack Obama was born: There's evidence just blocks from the White House that the American president was "made in China." And Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., has the pictures to prove it.

A bust of Barack Obama was "crafted in China"

During a recent stroll through the National Museum of American History, Sanders discovered that a number of products sold in the gift shop were not made America, but produced in other countries.

"I find it especially disappointing that miniature sculptures of presidents of the United States that are sold in the museum, including George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Barack Obama were made in China," Sanders wrote in a letter to the museum director.

http://sanders.senate.gov/statues.html

Miniature sculptures on sale at the National Museum of American History

Sanders, an independent Senator from Vermont who caucuses with Democrats, acknowledged that buying foreign products will not have a "profound" impact on the trade deficit, but added "the symbolism is extraordinary" and "pretty pathetic."

"It appears that a museum owned by the people of the United States, celebrating the history of the United States, cannot find companies in this country employing American workers that are able to manufacture statues of our founding fathers, or our current president."

Sanders' letter was sent yesterday to the museum's director, Brent Glass. The Smithsonian Institution, which overseas the operation of the museum, has yet to respond to Sanders' letter or NBC News for comment.

The senator told the director that one of the major reasons that the unemployment rate in this country is so high "is because it is increasingly difficult to find products in our nation's stores that are manufactured in this country."

"Our national museum should do it's best to be a model in helping us address that crisis situation," Sanders said.

*** UPDATE ***  The director of the museum called NBC News to respond to Sanders' letter. 

Brent Glass says that "most of the items we offer [in the gift shop] are made in America." He said the directive to vendors who buy merchandise for the store "is to buy American whenever they can."

Glass said he wasn't aware of the circumstances for the miniature presidential statues, but promised he would look into it and report back to Sen. Sanders.

"There are many options in the gift shop if [visitors] want to buy American," Glass said.

He added that he was  "aware and sensitive" to the symbolic significance of having presidential items made in China, but continued "the vast majority are made in the United States."