Good morning politicos, and welcome to the Buzz. There was a flurry of evening activity in the Capitol last night: the Senate passed a redistricted congressional map, while the House shot down an EITC/charter school bill AND a vouchers-themed amendment.

PoliticsPA’s Congressional Vulnerability Ranking: Now that the new map is all but finalized, PoliticsPA takes a look at which incumbent congressmen and women will be the top targets in 2012.

Senate Passes Congressional Map: And the team player of the week award goes to: Elder Vogel (R-Beaver). The Pa. Senator initially cast his vote against Republicans’ congressional redistricting plan, but when the final tally came to a 25-25 tie, switched and voted in the affirmative.

Dems Release Their Own Map: Senate Democrats have released their own version of the new congressional map. Since Republicans have the Governor’s mansion and majorities in the Pa. House and Senate, it’s unlikely to go anywhere. But it’s interesting to look at.

Paul, Coburn May Back Feinberg: Evan Feinberg, primary challenger to Rep. Tim Murphy, is already popular in the conservative blogosphere. He may be in line to earn some higher-profile support.

With State Maps in, Candidates Emerge: Now that the state redistricting maps are (all but) finalized, local candidates are jumping in.

Congressional Districts by Municipality: The office of Pa. Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi (R-Delaware) has released its list of townships, boroughs and wards in each of the 18 newly drafted congressional districts.

House Shoots Down Vouchers/EITC: It’s a big defeat for proponents of education reform, who saw this as their year to move Pa. further toward vouchers and charter schools.

Senate Abortion Bill: The Senate had a busy Wednesday (its last day of session in 2011), including this revamp of rules for Pa. abortion clinics.

Redistricting
Reading Eagle: Berks County breaks even on representation
Express Times: Lehigh Valley torn up
Carlisle Sentinel: Cumberland County goes to the 11th
Lancaster Era: Lancaster split up
Politico: Jason Altmire doesn’t waste time
Washington Post: The Fix: Pennsylvania GOP releases redistricting map
RealClearPolitics: Pennsylvania, the Gerrymander of the Decade?
RealClearPolitics: Romney Gets Poor Grades from Defici
RealClearPolitics: Interview with Presidential Candidate Rick Santorum
Hill: Pennsylvania redistricting map to force likely Critz-Altmire Dem primary
Capitol Ideas: Legal Description of New Congressional Seats
Capitol Ideas: State Dems Launch New Site Criticizing Congressional Maps
Capitolwire: Congressional bill reported out of committee, awaits further Senate action later today
Captiolwire: Joint panel unveils proposed congressional maps
Capitolwire: House approves abortion facilities legislation that could soon become a state law
Capitolwire: Red light camera bills abound in Legislature, but more work must be done, says House GOP Transportation chairman
Capitolwire: House liquor panel reports out new re-vamped privatization bill
Tribune Review: Pennsylvania Senate panel approves new congressional map
Post-Gazette: Redrawn congressional map advances to state Senate for vote
Early Returns: Altmire says hello to 12th
Early Returns: Dahlkemper: New map hurts Dems, Erie
Early Returns: Beware the SE’s 3-headed monster
KDKA: Congressional district reshaping favors Republicans
Somerset Daily American: Redistricting plan forces Critz and Altmire into the same district
Beaver County Times: Beaver County in revamped 12th Congressional district
Pittsburgh Post Gazette: Altmire says hello to 12th
Pittsburgh Post Gazette: Redistricting reax
York Dispatch: Changes in Pa.’s GOP- drawn congressional map
Tribune Review: Pa.’s redistricting map poised for senate approval
Politico: Redistricting plot rough path for Dems
Morning Call: New congressional map carves Easton out of Lehigh Valley
Pocono Record: Monroe County to lose Barletta under Congressional redistricting
Times Leader: Chosen plan has Barletta out of W-B
Times Tribune: Scranton, Wilkes-Barre, Pittston out of Barletta’s congressional district

National
Post-Gazette: Santorum makes his stand in Iowa, battling low polling numbers
Post-Gazette: House passes extension of cut to payroll taxes
Early Returns: Daily Santorum: Getting closer in Iowa
Post-Gazette: Occupy elsewhere: A Downtown owner is entitled to its property
Post-Gazette: Hold firm: The EPA must draw a line on mercury emissions
WHYY Newsworks: A Field Of Republicans Gunning For Casey
Politico: Payroll tax cut on the docket for W.H. meeting with Senate Dems
Politico: Jerome ‘The Bus’ Bettis rolls in
Politico: Can GOP underdogs shake up Iowa?
Early Returns: Work on deficit-reduction committee gave Toomey TV face time
Roll Call: GOP Campaign Strategists Worry About Gingrich’s Downballot Effect
Washington Post: Gingrich: The GOP’s eccentric big thinker and bomb-thrower
Washington Post: Mayor of troubled Pa. capital pays up on mortgage to avoid foreclosure on childhood home
Washington Post: Federal judge orders Pa. father, son accused of harassing Sarah Palin lawyers to stand trial

Statewide
Capitol Ideas: No Vouchers for You: House Doing Charters, EITC Tonight
Capitol Ideas: Senate Approves Abortion Clinics Bill
Capitol Ideas: Corbett Gets Megan’s Law Fixes
PA Independent: UPDATED: New PA congressional map rife with gerrymandering
PA Independent: PA lawmakers push hybrid plan for liquor privatization
Fox Philadelphia: Turnpike To Get Electric Car Charging Stations
Inquirer: Penn State President Meets With Harrisburg Lawmakers
StateImpact: “Fracking and Exploding U.S. Shale Play To Feed Halliburton’s Profits”
StateImpact: Drill Bits: Pipeline Safety Bills Move on State and National Level, and Investors Weigh in on Fracking
Patriot News: Dietz announces candidacy for Pa-104
StateImpact: Introducing StateImpact’s New Marcellus Shale App
State Impact: Marcellus Shale Drilling Boosts Railroad Traffic
StateImpact: Local Officials Slam Impact Fee’s Zoning Restrictions
Towanda Daily Review: Natural gas pipeline safety bill gains Senate approval
Intelligencer: Gov. Corbett To Bring Check To Montgomery County
Bucks County Courier Times: Hearing Thursday On Cashless Scudder Falls Bridge
Tribune Review: Casey wants SEC to investigate Chinese solar panel makers
witf: Waive for the cameras, a Marcellus app & congressional maps

Philly
WHYY Newsworks: Counciwoman Bass Says She Will Be Accessible
Philly Now: Occupy Philly Performs Street Theatre, Says U.S. Senate Worse Than Historical Fascists
Philly Clout: Council’s Swanky Lunch A Sunshine Law Violation?

Philly Suburbs
Intelligencer: Montco ‘Starting Point’ Budget Hikes Taxes $60
Intelligencer: No Fat Left, Montgomery County Commissioners Told
Intelligencer: Seven Montgomery County Employees Out At End Of The Year
Intelligencer: Moody’s On Montgomery County Bond Rating, Oops

Pittsburgh
Post-Gazette: 2012 city operating budget wins council’s preliminary approval
Post-Gazette: Municipal officials decry state control of shale drilling

Southwest
Somerset Daily American: Metzgar helps move amendment to include teachers in institutional sexual assault law
Johnstown Tribune Democrat: State Senate approves new rules for abortion clinics
Observer-Reporter: Municipalities speak against state drilling bills

South Central
Public Opinion: Waynesboro cuts off talks with teachers
Carlisle Sentinel: Local library receives large donation
Patriot News: Harrisburg City Council approves 5 year lease of company parking places
Daily Record: Cuts proposed to close York’s $1.8 million budget gap

NEPA
Times Tribune: Scranton, wilkes-barre, Pittston out of Barletta’s district
Times Tribune: Council adopts Scranton 2012 budget
Times Tribune: Lackawanna County Commissioners vote down airport authority plan
Citizens voice: Congressional Districts: before and after redistricting
Citizens voice: Under redistricting, luzerne county split up amongst four senators
Standard Speaker: Area constituents will have new reps
Standard Speaker: Valley relief council continues work
Standard Speaker: South Creek to adopt 2012 budget

Lehigh Valley
Morning Call: Bethlehem sticking to EMS station plans
Reading Eagle: Five vie for seat on Wilson school board
Express Times: Met-Ed meets with Easton City Council

North by Northwest
Go Erie: Erie’s Sinnott to travel to White House for majors’ reception
Go Erie: Congressman Thompson welcomes chance to represent Erie County
Sun Gazette: City’s final budget negotiations scheduled for Thursday night
Sun Gazette: Commissioners to adopt no-tax-hike budget

Opinion
Patriot News: Finally someone talking sense in Harrisburg
Inquirer Editorial: City Council Poised To Crack Code
John Baer, Daily News: By Waiving Hearing, Sandusky Delays ‘the game of his life’
Baer Growls: Back To Bellefonte
Post-Gazette: Occupy elsewhere: A downtown owner is entitled to its property
RedState: Analyzing the new Pennsylvania district map

Blogs
Commonwealth foundation: Know Choice, know freedom, know choice, know freedom
Jon Geeting: Does Charlie Dent think 11% of Americans are on vacation?
NEPArtisan: Congressional redistricting and slashing up of NEPA
PA Watercooler: GOP gains redistricting advantage in PA
PA Progressive: Length of unemployment at an all time high
Above Average jane: proposed congressional districts
Daily Kos: PA GOP Gerrymander data
Keystone politics: FIGHT the latest redistricting plan – tell your reps no
Keystone conservative: First look at PA’s proposed congressional map