The Week Ahead: Obama at the Chamber

President Obama will address the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the
powerful business lobbying group, Monday morning.

His speech is a high-profile example of the outreach efforts the
administration has extended to the business community after the two
sides sparred publicly in the closing weeks of the 2010 midterm
election.

{mosads}Meanwhile, most of the potential 2012 Republican presidential nominees
will be in town later in the week for the 38th annual Conservative
Political Action Conference (CPAC).

Former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt
Romney, former Speaker Newt Gingrich (Ga.), Sen. John Thune (S.D.),
Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels, Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour and former
Sen. Rick Santorum (Pa.) will address the annual conference, which
starts Thursday and goes through Saturday.

But one big name will be missing: Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin
turned down an opportunity to keynote the conference, citing
scheduling conflicts.

CPAC sparked controversy this year when several prominent conservative
groups decided not to attend the event after conference leaders
announced GOProud — a conservative gay-rights group — would be
participating.

Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) announced he would not attend after the
groups — including the Heritage Foundation and the Family Research
Council — withdrew their support for the conference. Sen. Marco Rubio
(R-Fla.) also declined an invitation to the event. Rubio headlined
last year’s conference.

And first lady Michelle Obama will mark the first anniversary of her
Let’s Move! campaign with several events scheduled throughout the
week, including Wednesday stops on the “Today Show” and “Live With
Regis and Kelly.”

Monday, Feb. 7

Obama addresses the U.S. Chamber of Commerce at 11:30 a.m.

The Senate is in session only two days this week — Monday and Tuesday.

The Brookings Institution will hold a discussion on “Immigration
Policy: Highly Skilled Workers and U.S. Competitiveness and
Innovation” at 9 a.m. at the Brookings Institution, 1775
Massachusetts Ave. NW.

Former White House press secretaries Ari Fleischer, Joe Lockhart, Mike
McCurry, Dee Dee Myers and Dana Perino will discuss their experiences
managing a president’s message at George Washington University’s Jack
Morton Auditorium, 730 21st St. NW, at 7 p.m. Tickets are required
in advance.

Tuesday, Feb. 8

Michelle Obama joins a series of afternoon calls speaking directly to
the Let’s Move! community; including calls with Surgeon General Dr.
Regina Benjamin; Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack; Interior Secretary
Ken Salazar; and New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees.

The House is back in session at 2:30 p.m., with votes expected in the evening.

Senate Democrats head to Charlottesville, Va., in the afternoon for a
retreat that will last through Thursday.

Former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld’s memoir, Known and Unknown,
hits bookstores.

The House Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing on the
constitutionality of the “No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act” at 4
p.m. in 2141 Rayburn.

Rep. Fred Upton (R-Mich.), chairman of the House Energy and Commerce
Committee, will discuss his policy goals over the next two years at a
forum at the Newseum at 8:30 a.m. RSVP required.

Sens. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and Mike Lee (R-Utah), along with Reps.
Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) and Steve King (R-Iowa), will attend a town
hall meeting organized by the Tea Party Express to discuss Tea Party
issues. The town hall starts at 7 p.m. at the National Press Club.

Wednesday, Feb. 9

Chairman of the Federal Reserve Ben Bernanke will testify on the state
of the economy at a hearing with the House Budget Committee. The
hearing starts in 210 Cannon House Office Building at 10 a.m.

Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) will begin exploring the Fed’s policies from
his new position as chairman of the Domestic Monetary Policy
subcommittee. The longtime Fed critic will hold his first hearing on
the impact of the central bank’s monetary policy on the nation’s
efforts to create jobs at 10 a.m. in 2128 Rayburn House Office
Building.

U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk will testify before the House Ways
and Means Committee to discuss the president’s trade policy agenda at
10 a.m. in 1100 Longworth House Office Building.

The House Education and Workforce Committee will hold a full committee
hearing on “The Impact of the Health Care Law on the Economy,
Employers, and the Workforce.” The hearing will take place in 2175
Rayburn House Office Building at 10 a.m.

The House Committee on Foreign Affairs begins a two-day hearing on the
“Recent Developments in Egypt and Lebanon: Implications for U.S.
Policy and Allies in the Broader Middle East.” The hearings take place
Wednesday and Thursday beginning at 10:30 a.m. in Room 2172 of the
Rayburn House Office Building.

Michelle Obama will appear live on NBC’s “Today Show” and on “Live With Regis and Kelly.” She will host an afternoon conference call with
online media to discuss the new Let’s Move! public service announcements. She will also visit
Burgess Peterson Academy in Atlanta and give a speech on childhood
obesity at North Point’s congregation in Alpharetta, Ga.

Thursday, Feb. 10

The president heads to Marquette, Mich., to talk about his
administration’s National Wireless Initiative to help businesses
extend wireless coverage to 98 percent of the population.

CPAC begins at 9 a.m. at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel (2660 Woodley
Road NW). Bachmann is the opening speaker. Gingrich will speak in the
Marriot Ballroom at 12:30 p.m. and Santorum speaks at 2 p.m. Senate
Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and House Budget Committee
Chairman Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) also address the conference.

Congressional Budget Office (CBO) Director Douglas Elmendorf testifies
before the House Budget Committee in 210 Cannon House Office Building
at 10 a.m.

The House Select Intelligence Committee will hold a full committee
hearing on “World Wide Threats” at 10 a.m. in HVC-201 in the Capitol.
Director of National Intelligence James Clapper and FBI Director
Robert Mueller, among others, will testify.

The 67th Annual Congressional Dinner, sponsored by the Washington
Press Club Foundation, takes place at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel
(1330 Maryland Ave. SW). Speakers include Reps. Terri Sewell (D-Ala.)
and Sean Duffy (R-Wis.) and Sens. Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.) and Chris
Coons (D-Del.).

Friday, Feb. 11

Romney will speak at CPAC in the Marriott Ballroom at 10:30 a.m.,
followed by Thune at 1:30 p.m.; Pawlenty at 3 p.m.; Perry at 4 p.m.; and
Daniels at 7:30 p.m. The results from CPAC’s straw poll will be
announced Saturday.

The Brookings Institution will hold a discussion on restructuring the
U.S. residential mortgage market. Former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan
Greenspan is the keynote speaker at 12 p.m. The event begins at 9 a.m.
in the Falk Auditorium at Brookings, 1775 Massachusetts Ave. NW.

Peter Schroeder and Emily Goodin contributed to this article.