Last Thursday night in his address to a Joint Session of Congress, President Obama repeatedly called on Congress to "pass this jobs bill," but as we reported, there was no bill - only bullet points. Tonight, the White House will evidently send Congress the exact legislative language for that jobs plan.
While there was nothing listed originally on the President's schedule for Monday, the White House let reporters know that an event would be added in the Rose Garden, with legislative language for the jobs bill going to the Hill later that evening.
Ironically, it could be sent up to the Congress at about the same time that eight Republican Presidential hopefuls are debating each other in Tampa, Florida.
Republicans had quickly become aggravated by the President's calls for action in Congress, noting that no legislative proposal had been sent to lawmakers.
"We look forward to receiving legislative text for any of your ideas in a manner that can be scored by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office," wrote Speaker John Boehner.
It was a non-too-subtle jab by the Republican leadership, which has often noted how the Obama White House offers up propsals, but never publicly puts meat on the bones.
Back in June, the President made a big budget speech, in which he vowed to offer a plan that would reduce spending by $4 trillion over 12 years.
But the White House never released any exact details. It led Republicans to press the head of the Congressional Budget Office for some kind of review of the President's plan.
"We don't estimate speeches," said CBO Director Doug Elmendorf, who noted that he would need "much more specificity than was provided in that speech for us to do our analysis."
The White House has said this plan would cost $447 billion; Republicans most certainly want to get the final plan to the CBO to get a review by Congress' official scorekeeper on all things doing with money and the budget.
The delivery of the actual text would also allow the GOP to begin hearings on the plan, and also to develop their own counter-proposal as well.
Along with an event today at the White House, President Obama will be on the road Tuesday in Columbus, Ohio and then Wednesday in North Carolina, as he demands action by the Congress on his jobs and economic growth ideas.
"Let’s pass this jobs bill right away," Mr. Obama said last Friday during a stop in Richmond, Virginia.
We'll see what the fine print actually says later today.
