WASHINGTON, Aug. 31 U.S. President Barack Obama agreed Wednesday to delay by one day a proposed address on jobs before a joint session of Congress next week.In a statement issued late Wednesday, the White House said the president agreed to move the speech from Sept. 7 to Sept. 8 because the latter date "would work better" for House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio.
"Both houses will be back in session after their August recess on Wednesday, Sept. 7, so that was the date that was requested," the statement said. "We consulted with the speaker about that date before the letter was released, but he determined Thursday would work better."
The statement said Obama is "focused on the urgent need to create jobs and grow our economy, so he welcomes the opportunity" to speak to a joint session of Congress Sept. 8.After Obama initially requested the joint session be held Sept. 7, Boehner requested the president hold off one day, citing "logistical impediments."
The Ohio Republican's letter did not mention that a Sept. 7 address would take place the same time Republican presidential hopefuls are scheduled to hold the first post-Labor Day debate of the 2012 campaign in Simi Valley, Calif., The Hill reported. Boehner told Obama there wouldn't be sufficient time to prepare the Capitol for a joint session next Wednesday.
"As your spokesperson today said, there are considerations about the congressional calendar that must be made prior to scheduling such an extraordinary event," he wrote."With the significant amount of time -- typically more than 3 hours -- that is required to allow for a security sweep of the House chamber before receiving a president, it is my recommendation that your address be held on the following evening, when we can ensure there will be no parliamentary or logistical impediments that might detract from your remarks."
Boehner's response appeared to come as a surprise to the administration, The Hill said, reporting that a senior White House official said the speaker's office had been consulted about the Sept.7 date and had raised no objections or concerns before the president's request for a joint session was announced publicly. A spokeswoman for Boehner said his office was consulted about the date but that "no one in the speaker's office … signed off on" the Sept. 7 date.
White House spokesman Jay Carney said the conflict with the GOP presidential debate was insufficient reason to schedule the president's address around it, and insisted the speech was not intentionally proposed for Sept. 7 to conflict with the debate.
The Sept. 8 address will conflict with televised coverage of opening night of the NFL regular season."As I have traveled across our country this summer and spoken with our fellow Americans, I have heard a consistent message: Washington needs to put aside politics and start making decisions based on what is best for our country and not what is best for each of our parties in order to grow the economy and create jobs," Obama said in his letter. "We must answer this call."
In his letter, Obama said he would outline proposals Congress could consider immediately "to continue to rebuild the American economy by strengthening small businesses, helping Americans get back to work and putting more money in the paychecks of the middle class and working Americans, while still reducing our deficit and getting our fiscal house in order."
Washington is responsible for finding "bipartisan solutions" to help the economy grow, Obama wrote, "and if we are willing to put country before party, I am confident we can do just that."House Republicans this week announced a fall agenda that includes votes on a business tax break and bills that would roll back 10 regulations GOP committee leaders say impede economic and job growth.(UPI)
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