Politics

Leaders’ Appeals Fail to Sway House Foes of Health Care Bill

By ROBERT PEAR and THOMAS KAPLAN

With the chamber set to vote on Thursday, conservatives said a Republican measure to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act still lacked support.

Democrats Fail to Move Gorsuch Off Script and Beyond Generalities

By ADAM LIPTAK and MATT FLEGENHEIMER

Senate Democrats made an issue of a unanimous Supreme Court ruling on Wednesday that rejected the approach Judge Gorsuch had taken in a different case.

Alexander Acosta, Labor Nominee, Dismisses Concerns Over Political Pressure

By YAMICHE ALCINDOR

The president’s second pick to lead the Labor Department told senators he would not allow partisan considerations to influence his decisions.

Supreme Court Rejects Education Minimum Applied by Gorsuch

By RICHARD PÉREZ-PEÑA

The justices said schools should not be satisfied with minimal educational progress for disabled students, a standard Judge Neil M. Gorsuch has been criticized for using.

Monitoring May Have ‘Incidentally’ Picked Up Trump Aides, House Member Says

By EMMARIE HUETTEMAN and MATTHEW ROSENBERG

The White House seized on the comments as evidence of wiretapping, but the remarks indicated that the intelligence targets were foreign officials, not President Trump.

Congressional Memo

Of Horse v. Duck, Mutton Busting and Other Confirmation Diversions

By MATT FLEGENHEIMER

Republicans have elevated the practice of gentle questioning of a preferred Supreme Court nominee to high art — even when confirmation appears assured.

Search for Secret Service Leader Intensifies as White House Security Is Tested

By NICHOLAS FANDOS

A leader may be picked from outside the agency, which has been under scrutiny for a series of embarrassing lapses.

On Washington

Joviality at Neil Gorsuch’s Hearing Masks Drama Behind the Scenes

By CARL HULSE

Even as the Supreme Court nominee continues testifying Wednesday, the real struggle is moving to the Senate floor, where the parties appear on course for a showdown.

Foreign Growth ‘Off the Table’: Conversation With Trump Hotel Chief

By BEN PROTESS and STEVE EDER

Eric Danziger, who is contending with a thicket of ethical considerations, says the company will not be “growing the brands outside the United States.”

The Upshot

Is the G.O.P. Better Off Politically if the Health Bill Doesn’t Pass?

By NATE COHN and MARGOT SANGER-KATZ

Passing the plan could endanger President Trump’s hold on white-working class voters in areas like the Rust Belt.

Arctic’s Winter Sea Ice Drops to Its Lowest Recorded Level

By HENRY FOUNTAIN

Much of the ice also appears to be thinner than normal — further signs of climate change’s effects on the region.

Hunt for Joseph Kony, No Longer Seen as a Threat, May Shrink

By ZACK BADDORF and ERIC SCHMITT

The Pentagon wants to shift to a more narrow pursuit of Mr. Kony, the African warlord whose guerrilla group gained notoriety for its use of child soldiers.

Wall Street Journal Editorial Harshly Rebukes Trump

By SYDNEY EMBER

The editorial said President Trump was damaging his presidency with “exaggerations, evidence-free accusations, implausible denials and other falsehoods.”

The Upshot

If Health Bill Is Killed in the House, Ideology Will Be the Main Reason

By NATE COHN

The plan is struggling to gain support from Republicans, but not necessarily because of how it would affect their constituents.

Trump’s ISIS Plan, as Described by Tillerson, Sounds Like Obama’s

By GARDINER HARRIS

At a conclave with foreign leaders, the new secretary of state also discussed progress in the fight against the militants, and urged diplomats to do more.