wicker, will bring military families to the senate to protest the cut. tennessee's lamar alexander told "business week" he is reviewing the bill. hasn't made a decision yet. when the senate closes the books on the budge net the next 36 hours it still has a raft of confirmation votes before christmas including the vote on janet yellin to be the next head of the federal reserve. last night the senate confirmed jeh johnson, the former general counsel for the pentagon. he's now going to be the next secretary of homeland security. overwhelming support, by the way. 78-16. but the senate is leaving a long to-do list for 2014. jobless benefits for the long-term unemployed, not part of this budget bill. he wants to do that in january. democrats are expected to advance legislation to raise the minimum wage, $10.10, in coordination with a white house push that the president will kick off in his state of the union. house and senate negotiators have still not worked out a deal on the farm bill. then there's immigration reform, which is stalled in the house. democrats