Obama Invites Top Lawmakers, Spending Feud Rages
AFP reports: “President Barack Obama invited top US Congress leaders for talks to break an impasse on spending cuts, with an elusive deal needed by week’s end to avert a partial government shutdown. But Republican House Speaker John Boehner, expected to attend the Tuesday meeting, blasted a tentative compromise with Senate Democrats to slash $33 billion through October 1 as ‘not enough’ and heavy on ‘smoke and mirrors.'”
Obama’s Day Ahead
President Obama and Vice President Biden will receive the presidential daily briefing at 9 a.m. ET, and hold a meeting on Libya at 9:30 a.m. ET. They will meet at 10:15 a.m. ET with Congressional Leadership, to discuss ongoing negotiations on a funding bill. Obama will meet at 11:45 a.m. ET with Israeli President Shimon Peres, and they will hold a working lunch at 12:10 p.m. ET. Obama will meet at 2:50 p.m. ET with Millennium Challenge Corporation CEO Daniel Yohannes, and meet at 3:05 p.m. ET with Overseas Private Investment Corporation CEO Elizabeth Littlefield.
Biden’s Day Ahead
Vice President Biden hosted a 7:45 a.m. ET breakfast meeting with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. He will attend President Obama’s daily briefing at 9 a.m. ET, and the 9:30 a.m. ET meeting on Libya. Obama and Biden will meet at 10:15 a.m. ET with Congressional Leadership, to discuss ongoing negotiations on a funding bill. Biden will deliver remarks at 12 p.m. ET, at a memorial service for David Broder at the National Press Club. Biden will meet at 4:30 p.m. ET with Israeli President Shimon Peres.
Report: Dems ‘Likely’ To Offer Budget Alternative To Rep. Ryan’s Plan
The Hill reports: “House Democrats are ‘likely’ to propose a 2012 budget bill to counter the much-hyped GOP blueprint set for release Tuesday, according to a House Budget Committee aide. Rep. Chris Van Hollen (Md.), the senior Democrat on the budget panel, is still weighing his options, the staffer emphasized, but is leaning toward offering an alternative to the plan Chairman Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) will unveil this week.”
White House Silence On Shutdown ‘Inexcusable,’ Unions Say
The Washington Post reports: “Federal employee unions lashed out at the Obama administration Monday for withholding plans for a government shutdown four days before Congress must agree on a budget for the rest of the fiscal year or risk furloughing workers across the country. ‘Federal employees are being held hostage because these plans are not being made available,’ said William R. Dougan, president of the National Federation of Federal Employees, whose members include civilian Defense Department workers. ‘It’s disrespectful to hold these folks in limbo until the last minute.'”
Geithner Warns U.S. To Hit Debt Ceiling By May 16
Reuters reports: “The United States will hit the legal limit on its ability to borrow no later than May 16, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said on Monday, ramping up pressure on Congress to act to avoid a debt default. ‘The longer Congress fails to act, the more we risk that investors here and around the world will lose confidence in our ability to meet our commitments and our obligations,’ Geithner said in a letter to congressional leaders.”
