A source close to the House Progressive Caucus tells NBC News that after reading media reports about a potential debt deal between the White House and Senate Republicans, many members are, "sufficiently spooked."

They are worried about any cuts to Medicare and still believe that the president is slashing too many needed domestic programs without a revenue increase.

It seems that a caucus wide NO vote could be urged on the debt deal.

Obviously this could change as the real details of a potential deal come to light, needless to say, they aren't happy this morning.

Here are the members of the House Progressive Caucus:

Co-Chairs: Keith Ellison, Raúl Grijalva
Vice Chairs: Tammy Baldwin, Judy Chu, William "Lacy" Clay, Sheila Jackson-Lee, Chellie Pingree
Whip: Hank Johnson
Senate Member: Bernie Sanders
House Members: Karen Bass, Xavier Becerra, Earl Blumenauer, Robert Brady, Corrine Brown, Michael Capuano, Andre Carson, Donna Christensen, Yvette Clarke, Emanuel Cleaver, David Cicilline, Steve Cohen, John Conyers, Elijah Cummings, Danny Davis, Peter DeFazio, Rosa DeLauro, Donna Edwards, Sam Farr, Chaka Fattah, Bob Filner, Barney Frank, Marcia Fudge, Luis Gutierrez, Maurice Hinchey, Mazie Hirono, Michael Honda, Jesse Jackson, Jr., Eddie Bernice Johnson, Marcy Kaptur, Dennis Kucinich, Barbara Lee, John Lewis, David Loebsack, Ben Ray Lujan, Carolyn Maloney, Ed Markey, Jim McDermott, James McGovern, George Miller, Gwen Moore, Jim Moran, Jerrold Nadler, Eleanor Holmes Norton, John Olver, Frank Pallone, Ed Pastor, Donald Payne, Jared Polis, Charles Rangel, Laura Richardson, Lucille Roybal-Allard, Bobby Rush, Linda Sanchez, Jan Schakowsky, Jose Serrano, Louise Slaughter, Pete Stark, Bennie Thompson, John Tierney, Nydia Velazquez, Maxine Waters, Mel Watt, Peter Welch, Frederica Wilson, Lynn Woolsey

House Speaker John Boehner called the debt-limit extension President Obama's problem.

"We passed our budget back in the spring, outlined our priorities," Boehner said at a news conference this morning on Capitol Hill. "When's he going to lay his cards on the table? This debt-limit increase is his problem, and I think it's time for him to lead by putting his plan on the table, something that the Congress can pass."

This is quite a bold statement by Boehner, considering that for the last few days there has been a substantial amount of discussion about how the debt increase needed a bipartisan solution because a failure to raise it would cause an economic catastrophe.

According to Business Insider, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said the following on the Senate floor:

"I have little question that as long as this President is in the Oval Office, a real solution is unattainable. ... This was not an easy decision for me."

Despite Paul Ryan’s attempt on NBC’s Meet the Press to shut the door on speculation that he might run for president in 2012, he got one high-level possible supporter today.

At a press conference on Capitol Hill today, Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA) said he’d like to see Ryan (R-WI) run.

“Sure, I think Paul is about real leadership,” Cantor said in response to a question of whether he would like to see the congressman make a bid. “I think that's what this public so desperately wants to do right now. They want to see Washington that will lead. They don't want to see individuals dismiss the current problems as something that we can sweep under the rug. These are problems that go to the very existence of programs that are so important to people. Yet, somehow the other side castigates, us for putting a plan out there that is responsible. What is the choice, their choice thus far has been bankruptcy of these programs and rationing of healthcare.”

Cantor’s comments come as many in the GOP are disappointed with the current crop of 2012 candidates. When asked about Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels’ decision not to run, Cantor said, “Certainly I think Mitch Daniels would have been a great candidate. He had his decision to make, and he made it.”

Cantor made sure to praise the current field as a “strong candidates” but mentioned it’s “early still.”

When asked whether any GOP 2012 nominee should totally embrace Ryan’s budget plan, a plan that includes a significant altering of Medicare, Cantor said, “I'm looking for the presidential candidates to embrace our formula in the Ryan Budget. I'm looking for them to embrace a leadership roles that makes tough decisions."

Cantor also made sure to point out he himself would not be a candidate for president in 2012.

From NBC's Luke Russert and Mark Murray
House Majority Leader Eric Cantor today called for a "binding timeframe" in the White House-Congress negotiations to find long-term solutions for the nation's deficit and debt.

Cantor also repeated the GOP threat that Repubilcans won't vote to raise the debt ceiling unless there are serious reforms to reduce spending.(Emphasis is ours.)

Earlier this week, S&P downgraded the United States' long-term credit rating as a result of irresponsible spending practices, further highlighting the need to act immediately and take serious and binding steps to get our fiscal house in order. That is why it is so important that the latest iteration of the President's fiscal commission be a serious and sincere effort to manage down our debt and foster long-term economic growth, and not serve as yet another arena for political theater. For this commission to succeed, the President must agree to work with us in earnest. Going in, we need a clearly defined mission and a targeted purpose to be accomplished within a specific and binding timeframe. Our economy, global markets, job creators and families cannot afford to wait for the White House and Democrats to drag their feet when it comes to reducing our nation's debt and deficit; we need real results immediately to make Washington begin to live within its means and get people back to work.

With the debt limit window fast approaching, House Republicans have made clear that if the President and our Democratic colleagues refuse to accept serious reforms that immediately reduce federal spending and end the culture of debt in Washington, we will not grant their request for a debt limit increase. As the Washington Post pointed out, 'the looming debt limit votes offers an opportunity to accomplish some real deficit reduction.' We cannot afford to sit idly by and blindly raise the debt limit without binding and real spending reforms that will guarantee we don't continue these bad spending practices in the future.

AP

Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) earlier this month before a vote on the spending bill. The Senate, led by Boxer, has unanimously passed a stand-alone bill to prohibit members of Congress from getting a paycheck in the event of a shutdown.

From NBC's Luke Russert and Carrie Dann
With the threat of a government shutdown again rumbling on the horizon, federal workers may be looking nervously at their bank accounts.

But what about members of Congress?

The Senate, led by Democratic sponsor Sen. Barbara Boxer of California, has already unanimously passed a stand-alone bill to prohibit members of Congress from getting a paycheck in the event of a shutdown.

But that bill won’t become law unless it is passed independently by the House.

Today the House GOP said that their soon-to-be-approved budget bill (dubbed the "Prevention of Government Shutdown Act") would include the same language to eliminate paychecks for members of Congress during a shutdown.

But that budget bill – which has already been rejected by the Senate once – has virtually no chance of passing the upper chamber, meaning that the language about members' salaries will still not become law.

What’s more, GOP leaders refuse to bring the “clean” – or unattached – Senate-passed salary language up for a vote on the House floor.

(Rep. Jim Moran, D-Va., introduced legislation akin to Boxer's in the House in February.)

Why?

There are a variety of reasons, but one that is mentioned constantly is that many newer members of Congress quit their jobs to run for office.

Quite frankly, they say they need the money.

As freshman Rep. Sean Duffy (R-WI) told constituents last week: "I guarantee most of you, I have more debt than all of you. With six kids, I still pay off my student loans. I still pay my mortgage. I drive a used minivan. If you think I'm living high off the hog, I've got one paycheck. So I struggle to meet my bills right now."

Financial disclosure data show that, generally, members of the Senate have much deeper pockets than their House colleagues. According to the Center for Responsive Politics, the median estimated net worth of a member of the United States House in 2009 was about $732,000. Compare that to the median net worth for a United States senator for the same year: A bit more than $2.4 million.

Members of Congress who do not hold leadership roles make an annual salary of $174,000.

Quote of the Day: “This sounds like a light-hearted exchange, and I don’t think the Speaker is concerned that he’ll winding up ‘sleeping with the lutefisk’ at the hands of the Norwegian mafia.” -- Michael Steel, spokesman for House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH).

From NBC’s Luke Russert and Catherine Chomiak
In an interview today on a Des Moines, Iowa, radio station, Congresswoman Michelle Bachmann (R-MN) awkwardly laughed when conservative Iowa radio host Jan Mickelson of 1040 WHO Radio made a mafia joke and asked what should be done to Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) if the House GOP does not strike funds used for the implementation of President Obama’s health-care reform legislation from an upcoming government funding bill. Mickelson seemed to joke about physical retribution.

The Exchange:

MICKELSON: You have the votes to pull the plug on the funding?

BACHMANN: We are working, we're trying to work with Republicans to get them on board with us.

MICKELSON: Why would you have to work with Republicans?!

BACHMANN: Well, because what it would mean is a showdown with President Obama. We would have to go toe to toe, eyeball to eyeball.

MICKELSON: Isn't that what we sorta sent you guys there.

BACHMANN: Of course, and Congressman King (Rep. Steve King R-IA) and I say now is the time to have the fight. We have the fight with President Obama.

MICKELSON: Is your Leadership this biggest impediment over this? Is Boehner a problem?

BACHMANN: We need to get the Republicans on board. We are talking to leadership.

MICKELSON: Is that a yes? (laughs)

BACHMANN: We are talking to leadership and we're telling leadership...

MICKLESON: I'm not really trying to get you in trouble, but...

BACHMANN: (laughs) Thank you Jan. I do appreciate your sensitivity to that. The most important thing right now is that we try to save the country by getting rid of this funding.

MICKELSON: So, what do you want to do to Boehner? We know people who know people.

BACHMANN: (laughs) What I want to do is to is to be able to get them to start fighting President Obama and defunding Obamacare.

MICKELSON: A little known fact, that Norwegians have a mafia.

BACHMANN: Ooooh, and we are tough, tough people.

MICKELSON: Not really fast moving uhh

BOTH: (laugh)

Boehner spokesman Michael Steel saw the remarks as jocular saying to NBC News: “This sounds like a light-hearted exchange, and I don’t think the Speaker is concerned that he’ll winding up ‘sleeping with the lutefisk’ at the hands of the Norwegian mafia.”

There has been friction between the House GOP Leadership and Rep. Bachmann since the November mid-terms. Prior to the massive Republican victory, Bachmann was unwilling to commit to voting for Boehner as Speaker of the House due to questions about his conservatism. Bachmann also attempted to run for the Chairmanship of the House GOP Conference against Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-TX), who was supported by Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA).

Last week, Bachmann expressed displeasure with House GOP leaders for not committing to cutting all government funds used to implement the nation’s health-care reform law, saying to National Journal, “I think there's going to be a fake appeasement with the Planned Parenthood thing and a fake appeasement with the 'Obamacare' thing."

House conservatives have been adamant that all funding needed for the new law be stripped of any spending bills that keep the government running. If the House GOP leadership were to do such a thing, it would be a non-starter in the Democratically controlled Senate and, thus, bolster the possibility of a government shutdown -- something that could reflect poorly politically on the GOP in 2012.

But leadership on both sides emphasize they are not interested in a shutdown.

AP

FILE - Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn, speaks during a Tea Party town hall meeting at the National Press Club in Washington last month.

From NBC's Domenico Montanaro and Luke Russert
Two people close to Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) say she has not made a decision yet on whether she will run for president.

"At this point," one source said, "the decision has not been made."

That said, Bachmann appears to be leaning in the direction of running, or at least forming an exploratory committee.

"There are definitely steps that have progressed," the Bachmann source said. She will make a decision likely this summer, the source said.

CNN reported that Bachmann will form an exploratory committee in June and possibly earlier. The sources would not confirm -- nor deny the story.

Why? Consider: the news of her potential run comes on a day in which she's making a speech today in Iowa.

Republicans unaffiliated with a 2012 GOP campaign believe this is a way for Bachmann to keep her name in the news and increase her visibility -- in an effort to get her visibility and poll numbers up, thereby improving her viability.

In other words: She's seriously considering a run, she's putting out feelers, and if she believes she has a shot, she'll do it.

The official statement from Bachmann's office is as follows: "The Congresswoman is grateful for all the encouragement she's received. She will make a decision about 2012 this summer. There is a natural timeline to these events and they will run their course."

A GOP fundraising source speaking on background tells NBC: "She's been in Iowa a ton and can definitely raise money, we think with her millions she could definitely launch a presidential bid. She has people in position to do it."

Ed Brookover, a political consultant who has worked with Bachmann since she first ran for the House in 2003,  said that Bachmann is "being aggressive in her planning process."

Another source close to Bachmann said she'll continue to travel to the early states of Iowa, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Florida and that she has authorized her staff to talk to individuals in those states who could help in the event that she does run for president.

The source also contends that Bachmann has a donor base of close to 160,000, quite a large number and a good place to start if she were to run.

She has been in Iowa since Tuesday and will head back to Minnesota tomorrow. She will return to Iowa Saturday.

*** UPDATE *** NBC's Catherine Chomiak notes what Bachmann herself said about a potential bid on a radio program today:

"I'm in to make sure that Barack Obama is a one term president just like we're all happy that Jimmy Carter didn't have a second term. I'm in for that and I'll be making a decision about whether or not I will be a candidate by sometime this summer because I think it's important that a candidate participates in the Iowa straw poll."

*** UPDATE 2 *** CNN also reported that Iowa state Sen. Kent Sorenson "has been hired to be Bachmann's political director for the state." But Sorenson tells First Read he has "not been hired." He said he has been traveling with her for the past two to three days, wants her to run, is encouraging her to run, thinks she's "leaning in that direction," and that if she does he would likely be part of her campaign.

From NBC's Kelly O'Donnell, Luke Russert, and Domenico Montanaro
Liberal Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) is vowing to introduce an amendment to de-fund the military action in Libya. It's not likely to pass the House. Below is the full press release.

Kucinich last night also sent out a fundraising solicitation last night on the military action and on the potential that his district is eliminated after districts are re-drawn later this year.

Here's Kucinich's release:

Amendment Would Deny Funds for the Military Offensive in Libya
Washington D.C. (March 22, 2011) - Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) today announced that he will offer an amendment that would prohibit federal funds from being used to fund military operations in Libya. The amendment would be offered to the next funding measure Congress considers.

Kucinich sent the following letter to fellow Members of Congress:

War Is More than Boots on the Ground

Support an Amendment to End Military Involvement in Libya

Dear Colleague:

A few days ago, the United States and our allies began conducting United Nations-sanctioned, U.S.-led military operations against Libya. The establishment of a no-fly zone by the U.S. and our allies, billed as an act to protect civilians in Libya, is an act of war. Yet the President committed the U.S. to military invention without consulting Congress, in clear subversion of Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution, which gives only Congress the power to declare war.

According to the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments, the initial costs of a no-fly zone could cost the U.S. between $400 and $800 million, or $30 to $100 million per week. We have already spent trillions of dollars on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, both of which descended into unwinnable quagmires. Now, the President is plunging the United States into yet another war we cannot afford. While the Administration assures us that that the U.S. will hand-off its lead role to coalition partners within days, we have not been notified of long-term plans or goals following initial air strikes in the country. The timeline the President gave to Congress was summarized with one word: "limited."

I intend to offer an amendment to the forthcoming Continuing Resolution or Omnibus Appropriations bill that would prohibit funding for U.S. involvement in military operations in Libya. I urge you to support this amendment.

Sincerely,
Dennis J. Kucinich
Member of Congress

AP

FILE - In this Feb. 2011 file photo House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of Calif., speaks on Capitol Hill. An Italian news agency says that Pelosi was hospitalized briefly in Rome with a minor ailment.

From NBC's Luke Russert
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi was hospitalized during a trip to Rome after feeling ill, NBC News confirms.

UPDATE: A spokesman for Pelosi says the Democratic leader is now resuming her schedule. His statement:

"After several flights yesterday in Afghanistan, and a long flight back to Italy that arrived early this morning, Leader Pelosi was not feeling well.  This morning in Rome, the Leader was advised to visit a clinic, and the closest medical facility was a hospital.  The Leader is now resuming her schedule in Italy."

Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-NJ), a member of the delegation traveling with Pelosi, told NBC News from Italy earlier Monday that the House Minority Leader underwent “a few tests” but is "in good shape."

"She's at the hotel now,” Pascrell told NBC News. “She's fine, she's in good shape. Just a few tests to make sure she was all right."

Pascrell and Pelosi were traveling with a bipartisan delegation in Afghanistan before the stop in Italy.

"We had a strenuous few days in Afghanistan, but it was the most productive trip I've ever been on as a member of Congress,” Pascrell said.

Pelosi was in Italy to mark the 150^thanniversary of Italian unification. News agency AFP reports that Pelosi canceled two meetings with officials due to her illness. 

From NBC’s Shawna Thomas, Luke Russert, and Domenico Montanaro

The budget vote was the major vote today but there were a couple of other votes of note in the House today. The House voted to bar NPR of federal funding and against withdrawing troops from Afghanistan.

On NPR, the vote was 228-192 with just Republicans voting in favor. Seven Republicans joined all 185 Democrats. Rep. Justin Amash (R-MI), Tea Party freshman, voted “present.”

The measure would still have to be passed by the Senate and signed by the president to become law.

On Afghanistan, the House voted 321-93 against withdrawing troops. The breakdown (with Democrats essentially split): 222 Republicans and 99 Democrats voted against a withdrawal; Eight Republicans joined 85 Democrats in voting to withdraw. One Republican voted “present.”

From NBC’s Luke Russert and Domenico Montanaro
House Speaker John Boehner said Tuesday that negotiations on a longer-term continuing resolution to keep the government funded through September are “not going to be easy.”

Boehner acknowledged he’ll likely have to work with Democrats to get a budget passed by April 8, the date the current spending bill expires. That three-week measure CR passed the House yesterday, and the Senate is expected to take it up today or tomorrow.

"Let me remind you that Republicans control half of one-third of our government,” Boehner said. “It's never lost on me that because we only control the House there a lot of other players we need to work with in order to come to any agreement to keep the government open. I am confident we'll be able to keep the government running while cutting spending, which we believe will lead to a better environment for helping businesses hire in America."

From Msnbc.com's Carrie Dann and NBC's Luke Russert
The House has passed a stopgap measure to continue funding the federal government until April 8, with over 50 Republicans bucking their leadership to oppose the three-week spending bill.

Fifty-four Republicans – more than many observers expected -- voted against the continuing resolution, which GOP critics said demonstrated a lack of seriousness about solving the nation’s long-term budget woes.

Earlier this month, only six Republicans opposed their House leaders and voted no on a similar two-week extension containing comparable budget cuts. But patience with the lurching funding measures has begun to run out in both chambers and on both sides of the aisle.

Despite the GOP revolt, the bill was propelled to passage by 85 Democrats who joined with Republican leaders to support the measure, which cuts about $6 billion in spending.  Over 100 Democrats supported the similar measure that passed earlier this month.

The measure passed 271-158. The Senate is expected to approve it later this week, staving off a government shutdown for another 3 weeks.

But the defections mean that the chances are slim that yet another temporary funding bill could pass the House if both chambers fail to approve a budget before April 8 that covers the rest of the fiscal year.

*** UPDATE *** Here's the White House's statement:

"The short-term funding bill passed in the House of Representatives today gives Congress some breathing room to find consensus on a long-term measure that funds the government through the end of the fiscal year. The President urges the Senate to pass this bill to avoid a government shutdown that would be harmful to our economic recovery. But the President has been clear: with the wide range of issues facing our nation, we cannot keep funding the government in two or three week increments. It is time for us to come together, find common ground and resolve this issue in a sensible way. There is no disagreement on whether to cut spending to put us on a path to live within our means, but we can't sacrifice critical investments that will help us out-innovate, out-educate, and out-build our global competitors to win the future. We have already met Republicans halfway, and we are optimistic that Congress can get this done."

NBC's Domenico Montanaro notes: That last line, however, is going to cause raise questions among Republicans if the White House is negotiating in good faith. The White House's $50 billion contention is off a budget that never passed and funding levels they're not operating under.