From this morning's Earlybird:

• "House Republicans are renewing their drive to force embattled Ways and Means Chairman Charlie Rangel (D-N.Y.) to surrender his gavel in the wake of his ethics wrist slap last week," Roll Call (subscription) reports. "And with politically vulnerable Democrats starting to peel off and join the call, top party strategists are wondering how long the Harlem Democrat can maintain his perch atop the tax-writing panel."

• "Two politically vulnerable Democrats on Monday called for" Rangel "to step down, The Hill reports. "Reps. Betty Sutton (Ohio) and Harry Mitchell (Ariz.) have joined the ranks of Democrats calling for the New York Democrat to relinquish his gavel in the wake of the ethics committee finding that Rangel violated House rules."

• "David H. Lynch, the top lobbyist for Freddie Mac until the government takeover of the mortgage-financing giant in 2008, has joined the Independent Community Bankers of America as vice president for congressional relations," CongressDailyAM (subscription) reports.

• "Defense company BAE Systems PLC pleaded guilty to conspiracy on Monday and a judge imposed a $400 million fine, among the largest in the Justice Department's efforts to combat overseas corruption in international business," AP reports.