Refreshingly, President Obama recognized Monday that there is in fact a Congress with whom he has to work.
During his speech at the Select USA Investment Summit in National Harbor, Maryland, Obama discussed his ideal fiscal year 2016 budget — a “21st century budget,” he called it — but admitted that he will have to negotiate with Congress regarding it, as reports The Blaze.
Obama’s acknowledgement of the existence of the GOP-controlled Congress comes as a surprise, considering he has consistently ignored the Senate and House in his repeated use of executive actions to accomplish his agenda.
The president’s proposed 2016 budget includes funding for infrastructure and free community college.
“I recognize there’s something called Congress here and there are going to be some negotiations taking place,” said Obama. “So far, Republicans in Congress have put forward a different kind of budget, but I’m confident that we can find a way forward.”
Last week, House Republicans introduced their proposed 2016 budget, which would cut spending by $5.5 trillion over 10 years and would balance in nine. The White House, unsurprisingly, was unsatisfied with it.
“I put forward a budget for this coming fiscal year that reflects the realities of the new economy,” Obaama explained Monday. “We’re going to give workers and businesses the tools they need to succeed in a fast-paced, highly competitive, constantly changing world and that means new investments in education, new investments in job training, including making two years of community college free, because we want to make sure that our workers continue to be prepared to fill the jobs that you intend to bring here. It means new investments in manufacturing, and 21st century infrastructure that 21st century businesses need.”
Later, Obama went so far as to claim that he has “friends in the Republican party” when emphasizing the importance of an immigration reform bill.
“One of the things that would make America even more attractive to businesses and that would grow our economy and shrink our deficits, and keep this country safer, stronger, and smarter, would be a comprehensive immigration reform package,” Obama alleged. “And that’s why I’m going to continue to push and prod and poke and cajole friends in the Republican party to get on board and help us get this done.”
