Daily Briefing: Out of Center Field

•Senate approves budget -- 51 to 49 -- without program cuts sought by administration, but with additional Republican tax cuts. [ WP , NYT , WSJ , LAT ]

•White House, CIA defend outsourcing of detainees.McClellan: U.S. has "an obligation not to render people to countries if we believe they're going to be tortured." [ WP , NYT ]

•Republicans set vote on blocked nominee for after Easter, creating possibility of Democrat revolt. [ WP , NYT , LAT ]

• McGwire"wouldn't play ball," writesMilbank. [ WP , NYT , USAT ]

•Everyone's a winner with $9b highway bill. [ WSJ ]

•Democrats recall four-day marathon filibuster in '68. [ WP ]

• Kerrycontinues attacks onBush, says proposed budget lacked "honesty, opportunity, and responsibility." [ WP ]

• Sharonwill make first visit to Crawford in August. [ WP ]

•USAID gear made in China. [ WP ]