Geithner, Bernanke To Face House Committee Today
Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke will be appearing at a 10 a.m. ET hearing of the House Financial Services Committee. The two are expected to be grilled by members of both parties over the AIG bonuses.
Obama’s Day Ahead — And Press Conference Tonight
President Obama will be making a call at 9:40 a.m. ET from the Oval Office, accompanied by middle school students from the Washington area, to congratulate the astronauts on the International Space Station and the Space Shuttle Discovery. At 11 a.m. ET, he will be meeting in the Oval Office with Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, to discuss such issues as the financial crisis, climate change, Afghanistan and Pakistan, and arms control. At 8 p.m. ET, Obama will hold a news conference from the East Room.
Biden’s Day Ahead
Vice President Biden is meeting for breakfast this morning with Hillary Clinton. He will also host two conference calls to discuss the implementation of the stimulus plan, one with a group of governors and the other with a group of mayors from across the country.
Obama Calls For International Effort To Fix Economy
President Obama has published a new op-ed piece in newspapers around the world, calling for international cooperation as the G-20 countries work to fix the financial crisis and create new regulatory structures. “The nations of the world have a stake in one another,” Obama writes. “The United States is ready to join a global effort on behalf of new jobs and sustainable growth. Together, we can learn the lessons of this crisis, and forge a prosperity that is enduring and secure for the 21st century.”
WaPo: Government Could Seek New Powers Over Non-Bank Companies
The Washington Post reports that the Obama administration is considering the option of asking Congress to give them the power to take over non-bank financial institutions such as insurance companies, investment firms and hedge funds. In addition to giving the government the power to seize a failing company, there would also be other tools available to prevent a total collapse.
Jindal In DC For NRCC
Bobby Jindal will be in Washington tonight, as the featured speaker for the NRCC’s March fundraising dinner.
The Hill: Republicans Want Cheney To Get Off The Stage
The Hill reports that some Republicans are not happy with Dick Cheney’s current public presence, and wish he would go away. Said Rep. John Duncan (R-TN): “He became so unpopular while he was in the White House that it would probably be better for us politically if he wouldn’t be so public.”
Dems To Reform Primary and Caucus Process
The DNC has announced a new commission, headed up by House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn (D-SC) and Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-MO) to reform the party’s nominating system for 2012 and beyond. The DNC’s press release outlines three goals: “1) changing the window of time during which primaries and caucuses may be held 2) reducing the number of superdelegates and 3) improving the caucus system.”
