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ever to strike the region as the House moves toward expected votes on the emergency spending package.
• The base $17 billion bill by the House Appropriations Committee is aimed at immediate Sandy recovery needs, including $5.4 billion for New York and New Jersey transit systems and $5.4 billion for the Federal Emergency Management Agency's disaster relief aid fund.
• Northeast lawmakers will have a chance to add to that bill with an amendment by Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen, R-N.J., for an additional $33.7 billion, including $10.9 billion for public transportation projects.
• The Club for Growth, a conservative group, is urging lawmakers to oppose both Sandy aid measures. Sandy aid supporters, nonetheless, voiced confidence Monday they would prevail. The Senate passed a $60.4 billion Sandy aid package in December with bipartisan support.
• ___

• WASHINGTON (AP) -- Senate Republicans' reservations about one of their own heading the Pentagon are caught up in potent politics, from a proxy fight over President Barack Obama to more parochial concerns about nuclear weapons facilities.
• Former Sen. Chuck Hagel, Obama's choice to be his new defense secretary, has reached out to all 100 senators and will be meeting personally with dozens of them starting this week, according to an official working on his confirmation.
• The sessions -- and, more importantly, what Hagel says -- will be vital for a nomination that faces outright opposition from a handful of Republicans, including the second-ranking Republican, Sen. John Cornyn of Texas; nervous questions from influential Democrats such as New York Sen. Chuck Schumer; and plenty of non-committal senators.
• Hagel's very public confirmation hearing before the Armed Services Committee will probably occur within weeks.
• The official was not authorized to speak publicly on the matter and spoke on condition of anonymity.
• ___

• ISLAMABAD (AP) -- Thousands of anti-government protesters heeding the call

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