More than three months after Speaker Paul Ryan was elected to his post, President Obama will hold his first face-to-face meeting with him at the White House next week.
White House press secretary Josh Earnest said Mr. Obama will host the Wisconsin Republican and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Kentucky Republican, on Tuesday to discuss “opportunities to work together to deliver for the American people.”
Mr. Obama has already vetoed two measures with mostly Republican support this month, and the White House has issued veto threats against five of the first six bills coming out of the House in the new year.
Mr. Ryan took over for former Speaker John Boehner in late October. Asked why it took so long for the president to invite the new speaker, Mr. Earnest said that the congressional and White House schedules in January have presented few opportunities, with Congress being out of session for part of the month, the president delivering his final the State of the Union address, and two “snow days” earlier this week due to a blizzard.
“The president is looking forward to the conversation,” Mr. Earnest said.
• Dave Boyer can be reached at dboyer@washingtontimes.com.
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