President Barack Obama is scheduled to have dinner with members of the House Democratic Leadership on Wednesday, continuing his efforts to do a better job engaging with Congress in his second term.
The White House said House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer, D-Md., are among those expected to attend the dinner at the Jefferson Hotel.
The dinner is also expected to be attended by Reps. James Clyburn, D-S.C., Xavier Becerra, D-Calif., Joe Crowley, D-N.Y., Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., Rob Andrews, D-N.J., Steve Israel, D-N.Y., and Mike Thompson, D-Calif.
Obama has held a series of meetings with lawmakers from both parties in the first few months of his second term in an effort to rebuff criticism that he did not have enough direct contact with rank-and-file lawmakers in his first term.
However, the meetings have not produced much meaningful progress, as lawmakers have thus far remained gridlocked on key issues such as the budget, gun control, and immigration reform.
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