Senate To Vote On Modest Jobs Bill, Passage Likely
The Senate is set to vote today on Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s (D-NV) $35 billion jobs bill. Final passage is expected after the bill cleared a Republican filibuster on Monday. The House of Representatives had previously passed a more ambitious $174 billion bill, though it is possible that it could simply be discarded and the Senate’s bill adopted by the House.
Obama’s Day Ahead
President Obama and Vice President Biden will receive the presidential daily briefing at 10 a.m. ET, and the economic daily briefing at 10:30 a.m. ET. Obama will meet at 11 a.m. ET with senior advisers. Obama will address the Business Roundtable at 1 p.m. ET. He will participate in a 3:15 p.m. ET credentialing ceremony for foreign ambassadors. Obama and Biden will meet at 4:15 p.m. ET with Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke.
Biden’s Day Ahead
Vice President Biden will attend President Obama’s morning briefings at 10 a.m. ET and 10:30 a.m. ET, as listed above. Later, he will meet with senior advisers. At 4:15 p.m. ET, he will meet with President Obama and Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke. At 7 p.m. ET, Biden and his wife Dr. Jill Biden will host a reception at the Naval Observatory, in celebration of Black History Month.
Obama To Call For Cooperation In Business Speech
In his speech today to the Business Roundtable, President Obama will call for political cooperation, in order to ensure American competitiveness in the global market. “Rather than hurling accusations about big government liberals or mean-spirited conservatives, we will have to answer these tough questions,” Obama will say, according to his prepared remarks. “And getting this balance right has less to do with big government or small government than it does smart government. It’s not about being antibusiness or pro-government; it’s about being pro-growth and pro-jobs.”
Wall Street Shifting Political Contributions To Republicans
The Washington Post reports that employees at large banks and investment firms have shifted their donations towards the Republicans, going from a two-to-one Democratic advantage at the start of 2009 to giving nearly half of their donations to Republicans at the end of the year. “Democrats in Washington are clearly trying to move legislation that would be very damaging to that industry,” said an anonymous senior Republican staff member on Capitol Hill. “It was almost like there was a free ride time. But now they’re starting to see the real negative impact of Democratic proposals.”
Fearing Obama Agenda, States Push to Loosen Gun Laws
The New York Times reports that multiple states have taken steps to loosen gun laws in reaction to a perceived anti-gun agenda from the Obama White House — even though Obama has remained silent on the issue during his presidency. “The watchword for gun owners is stay ready,” said Wayne LaPierre, chief executive of the National Rifle Association. “We have had some successes, but we know that the first chance Obama gets, he will pounce on us.”
Cao’s Campaign Cash Dips Since Health Care Vote
The Associated Press reports that Rep. Joseph Cao (R-LA) has literally paid a price since he became the only House Republican to vote for the health care bill: “The lone Republican lawmaker to support Democratic health care legislation has seen his fundraising drop by nearly 40 percent since his vote, and he is quickly burning through a dwindling bank account after resorting to a costly national fundraising operation.”
Questions Arise About Murtha’s Remaining Campaign Coffers
The Hill reports that questions remain about what will be done with the half-million dollar campaign treasury of the late Rep. John Murtha (D-PA). “Ultimately, the treasurer is responsible for cutting the checks and spending the money,” said Michael Toner, a former chairman of the FEC. “Usually what you see is the political team close to the member making recommendations; sometimes the wife of a former [member] is carefully consulted about where the former [member] would want money spent. But under FEC regulations, the treasurer is the person who has the ability to expend funds.”
