President Obama will meet with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Speaker Paul Ryan on Tuesday – but after the meeting, Obama and the Speaker have something more private planned.
White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest confirms that Ryan and Obama will meet privately for lunch after the meeting.
Earnest said that all three leaders would have the opportunity to talk about areas where they could work together in the year ahead.
“Trans-Pacific Partnership is something that both Leader McConnell and Speaker Ryan say that they support,” Earnest said. “This is a priority and I’m confident that the strongest political allies of Leader McConnell here in Washington are excited about the prospect of the Trans-Pacific Partnership being ratified as soon as possible.”
Earnest pointed to the cancer initiative, expanding the earned income tax credit, fighting drug addiction, an authorization of military force, and financial assistance for Puerto Rico.
He indicated that Obama agreed to meet Ryan for lunch after the pair hammered together a budget deal last year.