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Obama visits FEMA to lobby Boehner to hold vote

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mystery-ak:
http://www.politico.com/politico44/?hp=bh

Obama visits FEMA to lobby Boehner to hold vote
By JENNIFER EPSTEIN |
10/7/13 12:26 PM EDT

President Obama plans to respond Monday to House Speaker John Boehner's claim that a clean government funding bill wouldn't clear his chamber by insisting that Boehner prove it by holding a vote.

He'll pressure the speaker in remarks at the Federal Emergency Management Agency's headquarters in Washington, to which he made an unannounced visit as the government shutdown dragged into its seventh day.  "Congress should hold a vote on the House floor today to re-open the government – it would pass with bipartisan support," a White House official said as the president arrived at the agency.

"The administration and Democrats in Congress are asking the speaker to prove that a majority in the House would not vote for the Senate-passed bill to reopen the government by holding an up-or-down vote on the clean continuing resolution to end this impasse that is impacting vital services provided by agencies across government, including FEMA," the official added.

Congress should also move ahead to "remove the threat of default and vote to raise the debt ceiling," the official said. "The president will urge Congress to get past this manufactured crisis and work on a broader budget agreement that will help economic growth and middle class families, and do so in fiscally responsible way."

"The president has been willing to negotiate and compromise to make progress on a budget agreement -- from standing by his offer to Speaker Boehner and including it in his budget, to his repeated efforts to find willing partners in Republicans in the House and Senate. But the President is not willing to do so under the shadow of default or a government shutdown that is hurting our economy and families across the country."

Obama will also use his visit to thank employees at FEMA for their hard work in recent days, who have spent recent days preparing to respond to Tropical Storm Karen and bad weather in the Midwest, the official said. FEMA has had to furlough some staff while others are working without pay, as other agency functions have been "impacted by the current government shutdown."

mystery-ak:
http://thehill.com/blogs/on-the-money/budget/326925-obama-to-dare-boehner-to-hold-vote-on-clean-funding-bill


Obama to dare Boehner to hold vote on 'clean' government funding bill
By Justin Sink - 10/07/13 12:36 PM ET

President Obama will dare Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) on Monday to prove there aren’t enough votes in the House to pass a “clean” bill to reopen the government.

Obama will issue the challenge during an unannounced visit to the Federal Emergency Management Agency on Monday.

The move is in response to Boehner’s assertion Sunday on ABC’s “This Week” that there aren’t enough votes in the House to pass a government funding bill without additional concessions to Republicans.

The White House immediately questioned that assertion, noting media reports that more than 20 Republicans had voiced a willingness to vote for that type of bill. Most Democrats in the House are also be expected to support it.

“The administration and Democrats in Congress are asking the Speaker to prove that a majority in the House would not vote for the Senate-passed bill to reopen the government by holding an up-or-down vote on the clean Continuing Resolution to end this impasse that is impacting vital services provided by agencies across government, including FEMA,” a White House official said.

“The president will also urge Congress to act to raise the debt limit and avoid a default that would have catastrophic impacts on our economy, our businesses, and families across the country."

In the television interview, Boehner also said the House could not pass a clean hike of the debt ceiling. The Treasury Department has said it will not have enough funds to pay the nation’s bills as of Oct. 17.

A spokesman for the House Speaker said that the president's visit to FEMA headquarters underscored Obama's unwillingness to come to the table for discussions about the budget and debt ceiling.

The White House has threatened to veto a series of piecemeal continuing resolutions that would fund popular and visible aspects of the federal government, including FEMA and national parks and museums.

“The bill passed the House last week and is awaiting action by Senate Democrats. If the president and Washington Democrats want FEMA up and running, they have the ability to make it happen today,” Boehner spokesman Brendan Buck said.

During the visit to FEMA, Obama also will thank employees who worked over the weekend to prepare for a pair of violent storms in the Midwest and Gulf Coast.

truth_seeker:
Get used to this. Obama will play this theme successfully, over and over until Nov. 2014 when he hopes to regain the House, and finish his business.

Every poll shows the GOP being blamed for the shutdown by 10 points, versus the dems. 

Think of the future. House goes dem in 2014, and in 2016 it is Hillary 59% and Cruz 39%.

At least the GOP will be rid of Boehner as Speaker.

Why such a bleak future? Because conservatism and the GOP are getting nowhere, to increase their appeal, and win over voters.



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