Obama To Meet With Netanyahu
President Obama is meeting today with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a meeting that comes amidst difficulties over Middle East peace talks and disputes over Israeli settlements. Netanyahu told reporters on Sunday: “We are ready to talk and the Palestinians aren’t. It’s as simple as that.”
Obama’s Day Ahead
President Obama will spend the morning in his regular meetings and briefings. At 6:45 p.m. ET, he will sign the Veterans Employment Initiative Executive Order. At 7 p.m. ET, he will meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Biden’s Day Ahead
Vice President Biden is traveling to Michigan today. He will attend a fundraiser in Michigan for the Michigan Democratic Party, with freshman Reps. Mark Schauer and Gary Peters. Later, he will meet with Gov. Jennifer Granholm to discuss jobs and the economy in Michigan. In the afternoon, he will participate in a national security meeting via videoconference. He will then travel to Washington state, and stay there overnight.
Hillary Clinton Celebrates Berlin Wall Anniversary
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton visited Germany on the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. Addressing staffers at the American Embassy, Clinton called for greater international cooperation. “Now, we have to turn our attention to the challenges of the 21st century,” said Clinton. “A wall, a physical wall, may have come down but there are other walls that exist that we have to overcome and we will be working together to accomplish that.”
Pro-Choice Dems Threaten To Sink Health Care Bill
The Washington Post reports that pro-choice House Democrats, led by Rep Diana DeGette (D-CO), are threatening to defeat the health care bill if the final version still contains the Stupak Amendment’s restrictions on insurance coverage of abortion. “There’s going to be a firestorm here,” DeGette said. “Women are going to realize that a Democratic-controlled House has passed legislation that would prohibit women paying for abortions with their own funds…We’re not going to let this into law.”
NYT: Medical Industry Grumbles, But Stands To Gain From Overhaul
The New York Times reports that while health care industries are seeking to oppose parts of the health care bill that would burden them, they ultimately stand to benefit from final passage. “They’re going to continue to fight their narrow issues and get the best that they can get,” said analyst Steven D. Findlay with the Consumers Union. “But all of them are aware they stand to gain significant new business and new revenue streams as more Americans get health coverage and money flows into the system for them.”
Bill Clinton Calls For Investment In Green Economy
In a new column in Roll Call, former President Bill Clinton calls for increased investment in clean energy, arguing that environmental action can benefit the economy. “Some still believe that changing the way we produce and consume energy, especially in the midst of a financial crisis, is a recipe for economic calamity,” Clinton writes. “In fact, meeting the climate change challenge offers us a tremendous opportunity to restore America’s economy and establish a new source of sustainable, good-paying jobs.”
