Paul could delay — though not single-handedly block — House action on the resolution. Boehner: Obama can't speak on 7th

Rep. Ron Paul was ready to pounce on President Barack Obama’s request for a Sept. 7 speech before Speaker John Boehner outright rejected it.

Paul, a House Republican from Texas who is a candidate for the presidency, said he was considering whether to use his power as a House member to object to Obama’s surprise request to speak at the same time as a long-planned Republican presidential debate in California.


Even before Boehner sent a letter to the White House indicating Sept. 7 would not work for House lawmakers, Paul’s spokesman Jesse Benton said “Dr. Paul is weighing his options,” when asked if he would object to the administration’s request for a joint session of Congress.

“It is undignified that the President of the United States would resort to such transparent tactics to step on our Republican debate,” Benton said. “The real losers here are the American people, who deserve the opportunity to watch both events.”

But Boehner (R-Ohio) took that option off the table. He sent a letter to Obama Wednesday afternoon, citing concerns that there wouldn’t be enough time for a security sweep between the House’s planned opening at 6:30 p.m that night and the president’s desired primetime speaking slot.

Obama took Republican officials by surprise earlier in the day when he announced that he would address a joint session of Congress at the same time as a GOP presidential debate in Simi Valley, Calif. Boehner’s response to the president suggested irritation at the lack of notice from the White House.

“As your spokesperson today said, there are considerations about the congressional calendar that must be made prior to scheduling such an extraordinary event. As you know, the House of Representatives and Senate are each required to adopt a concurrent resolution to allow for a joint session of Congress to receive the president,” Boehner wrote. “With the significant amount of time – typically more than three hours – that is required to allow for a security sweep of the House Chamber before receiving a president, it is my recommendation that your address be held on the following evening, when we can ensure there will be no parliamentary or logistical impediments that might detract from your remarks.”

Boehner wrote that the president could pick his time on the 8th.

“I respectfully invite you to address a joint session of Congress on Thursday, September 8, 2011 in the House chamber, at a time that works best for your schedule,” he wrote.

The person who answered the phone at the White House press office said none of the administration’s spokespeople were available to discuss the matter.

Even if Republican leaders had agreed to go along with the president’s plan, there was no guarantee that they could get all of their rank-and-file members on board. Since most House members aren’t due to return from their August recess until the night of Sept. 7, the easiest way to pass a resolution providing for a joint session of Congress would be through “unanimous consent” during a pro forma session on Friday.

But any House Republican could object to that approach and force a recorded vote, which likely wouldn’t be held before the night of the planned speech. Two House Republicans, Paul and Michele Bachmann of Minnesota, are scheduled to participate in the presidential debate at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library.

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