WASHINGTON, May 9 (Reuters) – Republican senators boycotted
a confirmation vote on President Barack Obama’s pick to lead the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Thursday, saying they
were “completely unsatisfied” with answers provided by Gina
McCarthy on several topics.

This was the latest tactic in a series of procedural moves
by Republicans that have made it difficult for Obama to get his
second-term cabinet in place – and achieved what some say is a
new record in the number of written questions asked to a
nominee.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The White House has invited about a dozen lawmakers to a meeting on Thursday to discuss how to combat the sharp increase in sexual assaults in the military, a White House official said.

Earlier this week, the Pentagon released its 2012 annual report on sexual assault in the military, which showed a 37 percent jump in estimated sex crimes to 26,000.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Senate’s top Republican on Wednesday came out strongly against President Barack Obama’s labor secretary nomination, accusing Thomas Perez of being a crusading ideologue who would bend the laws to advance his agenda.

The speech from Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell suggests that Republicans will throw up procedural hurdles to prevent Perez from serving as the Obama administration’s next labor secretary.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Barack Obama took his second-term “schmooze offensive” to the golf course on Monday, bonding in a bipartisan foursome as Republican Senator Saxby Chambliss hit a hole-in-one.

Obama, an avid golfer with a respectable 17 handicap, rarely takes politics to the greens, preferring instead to golf with friends and staffers far out of the sight of the reporters who travel with him.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Barack Obama hit the golf course on Monday with two Republican senators and a Democrat, part of an effort to advance his second-term agenda by having better relationships with Congress.

Obama, an avid golfer with a respectable 17 handicap, rarely takes politics to the greens, preferring instead to golf with friends and staffers far out of the sight of the reporters who travel with him.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Barack Obama will travel on Thursday to Austin, Texas, the first stop in a new series of day trips designed to draw attention to policies and programs that help spur the economy, and build support for his economic policies, the White House said on Sunday.

In Austin, Obama will visit a high school and a technology company, and will talk with entrepreneurs and workers about proposals he made earlier this year to boost jobs and training.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (Reuters) – President Barack Obama on Sunday urged college graduates to participate in politics and said that without broad public involvement special interest groups can defeat legislation supported by the majority.

Obama, who said he is “obsessed with this issue” of inspiring citizens to engage with the political system, in a commencement address to Ohio State University was indirectly referring to the recent defeat of a proposal to expand background checks for gun purchases.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – For the past four years, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood has rarely passed up the chance to chide American drivers for using mobile phones and other devices while driving, often speaking directly to drivers in radio ads during the morning commute.

The loquacious LaHood used the White House announcement ceremony on Monday for his replacement as transportation secretary to make one last plea for safer driving – and to say his goodbyes to politics.

WASHINGTON, April 29 (Reuters) – For the past four years,
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood has rarely passed up the
chance to chide American drivers for using mobile phones and
other devices while driving, often speaking directly to drivers
in radio ads during the morning commute.

The loquacious LaHood used the White House announcement
ceremony on Monday for his replacement as transportation
secretary to make one last plea for safer driving – and to say
his goodbyes to politics.

WASHINGTON, April 29 (Reuters) – More than a year after the
United States and Mexico signed a much-lauded deal that would
remove obstacles to expanding deepwater drilling for oil in the
Gulf of Mexico, the agreement still has not been finalized by
the United States.

The delay, for which people close to the administration
blame Congress while Republicans in Congress blame the
administration, is certain to be discussed when President Barack
Obama visits Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto in Mexico City
on Thursday.