Obama, Biden to huddle with House Dems

President Obama will travel to Philadelphia next week to huddle with House Democrats at their annual retreat.

Obama will visit with the group on Thursday, the second day of the summit. Vice President Biden will follow on Friday.

{mosads}The president met with Senate Democrats last week during their retreat in Baltimore. During that gathering, he and Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) sparred over the senator’s proposed legislation that would slap new sanctions on Iran if negotiators failed to reach a deal on its nuclear weapons program.

Obama vowed to veto the bill, saying it could be interpreted by both Tehran and other allies as a violation of the agreement not to impose new sanctions during ongoing negotiations. 

The president also used the meeting to outline his State of the Union address and provide a security update after the terrorist attack on the offices of a French satirical newspaper.

In Philadelphia, the president may lobby House Democrats to back new “fast-track” authority to help negotiate a pair of trade deals.

“We’re committed to working closely with Congress because ultimately to secure an agreement like this we’re going to have to get congressional approval for it,” White House press secretary Josh Earnest said Friday.

Many congressional Democrats have voiced opposition to the legislation, which would limit Congress to a simple yes or no vote on a final deal. That would give Obama greater leverage in the negotiations, where partner countries have expressed concern that Congress could try to alter a deal after terms have been settled.

Those Democrats say the free trade pacts would hurt American workers by drawing them into competition with low-wage foreign workers, and labor union leaders have lobbied aggressively against the bill.