President will 'stress the importance of acting on' the list at bipartisan closed-press confab...UPDATE: A full post about the luncheon is here
President Obama will welcome his Congressional opposition to the White House on Wednesday morning, when he'll be joined by House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) for an early working luncheon designed to promote his five-point Congressional 'To-Do List.' The 11:30 AM closed-press confab will be bipartisan: Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev) and House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) will also attend, according to Press Secretary Jay Carney.
As he meets with th
e Congressional Leadership in the Private Dining Room, the President "will stress the importance of acting on Congress’ 'To-Do List,'" the White House said. The President announced his list on May 8th, and it includes "important steps" he would like Congress to take to boost job creation and accelerate the economy before they leave for the summer recess. The White House website has a special page devoted to the list, which includes a count-down clock to the recess.Congressional Leaders were last invited to the White House for lunch with the President in February, to discuss jobs.
The President has spent a lot of time promoting his list with events around the US (he was in Reno, NV, last Friday for a speech on mortgage issues) and he'll be at it again ahead of the luncheon--this time in Washington, DC. At 10:30 AM, the President will visit an unnamed small business, joined by Small Business Administrator Karen Mills.
The President will again urge Congress to act on the 'To Do List.' He'll be "specifically highlighting the need to invest in small businesses and jumpstart new hiring by passing legislation that gives a 10 percent income tax credit to firms that create new jobs or increase wages in 2012 and that extends 100 percent expensing in 2012 for all businesses," the White House said. The one-hour event will include a roundtable discussion with small business owners who will benefit from 'To Do List' proposals.
The list is also getting loads of play on @BarackObama's Twitter account, with the hashtag #CongressToDoList.
The President introducing the 'To-Do' List on May 8th:
*Photo by Pete Souza/White House
