News

Obama to host Senate Dems

by Jordan Fabian - 07/06/15 6:38 PM ET

President Obama will host Senate Democrats for a meeting and reception on Tuesday, a White House official said.

The White House says the gathering will mostly be a social occasion. But it gives the president a chance to huddle with his allies in Congress who have a long to-do list this month, including a partisan standoff over government spending that could result in a shutdown.

{mosads}The White House is also expected to lean heavily on Senate Democrats to support a nuclear agreement with Iran if one is reached this week.

Republicans in Congress have said they will vote against the deal, so Obama will need to limit defections from Democrats to prevent the GOP from amassing a veto-proof majority.

Obama has threatened to veto GOP spending bills because they do not lift sequestration spending caps, and he is backed by Senate Democrats, who are threatening to block the proposals. But that has not stopped Republicans, who are advancing the bills and accusing Democrats of obstructionism.

Congress faces a Sept. 30 deadline to fund the government, but lawmakers only have a few weeks to resolve the dispute because they will leave Washington for a monthlong recess in August.

Another top priority is highway funding, which is set to expire on July 31, and a renewal of the Export-Import Bank.

Tags Barack Obama Iran